Several months ago, I wrote about a hotel that’s in the pipeline that might just become one of Australia’s best city hotels. I wanted to provide an update on this, as the hotel has opened as of today.
Continue reading: Now Open: Snazzy New Ritz-Carlton Melbourne
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Extremely overrated country and city, there are better hotel chains out there (if one must do a chain). Hard pass.
Once again, it seems like Marriott is only interesting in openly properties flagger under Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Edition or W. Those are the four brands it almost exclusively manages. Meanwhile, the growth for Marriott's other brands, including JW Marriott, Marriott, Sheraton and Westin, seem relegated to franchisees.
I lived in a high rise apartment building opposite this upcoming development and got no sleep at weekends due to a rooftop nightclub that operates raves all night every weekend evening and public holiday from 11pm-7am. Hopefully this hotel has better sound proofing than my old apartment or there will be lots of cranky guests when this hotel opens for people in east facing rooms.
Check out Brown Alley and their noise complaints on Google Place reviews.
https://g.co/kgs/xFGw7X (Not my review)
With any luck this guy @jason won't come back to Australia. What a stupid comment.
A really grotty location. That end of the hoddle grid has always been a bit tawdry. Convenient location for the central police station and Melbourne assessment prison.
Still better than Hyatt’s expansion, which, we both lament, seems to be exclusively Aimbridge Hyatt Place/House properties, and third-tier European properties.
We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne in 1989 visit. Nice corner room, club lounge, and new friends. We used United miles for Biz on B747SP
There to meet with the Lord Mayor of Melbourne as I was the mayor of Melbourne, Iowa
Next month I’ll get to experience the refreshed Sydney Intercontinental using my Abassador Weekend BOGO
Thanks for the heads up on this Sir Lucky
Melbourne is my favorite city in the world and has inspired me in every aspect of my life
My first visit was in the 90s
The people are simply awesome and they love their dining and cooking as I do.
A Cafe society
In the many hotels I have stayed at I have witnessed some of the finest hospitality and generosity of my lifetime as a frequent guest.
And especially the people with their joy and sense of humor who take personal interest in others in or out of Australia.
I'm back in a few weeks and cannot wait to revisit and experience since my last visit in 2019
Would try the new Ritz Carlton as I back next April as well
Hopefully its a lot better than the new Downtown Ritz Carlton NYC which I thought was completely mediocre with average decor and overpriced to the point of being absurd.
Melbourne IMO has also been a city of great value when comparing the likes of rooms/suites in London or New York etc.And right now with the strength of the dollar awesome.Enjoy it while we can!
At Bill NDC
Sadly The Grand Hyatt Mel was sold and in its final few years from my understanding
Hopefully it comes back as a Hyatt!
I think it seems that way because those properties you mention are already EVERYWHERE. There's no shortage of the luxury brands either, but those are the names they seem to be expanding, and they are the names worth advertising in their portfolio. Does anyone really care if a Westin opens in their city? I'm not on that side of the industry, but I'd also imagine from a business perspective they are making a lot more revenue from the properties that charge way more.
Melbourne is a fabulous city, but unfortunately the Ritz Carlton will be in one of the least desirable locations, right opposite Southern Cross station. The western side of the city is far away from the more salubrious ‘Paris end’ so it’s quite a peculiar location for such a premium property. Nonetheless, Melbourne is one of the easiest major cities to navigate, so it won’t necessarily be a deal breaker.
It is correct that the owner of the Grand Hyatt (arguably the very best location in Melbourne) is currently assessing redevelopment options as the building is now more than 40 years old.
Beautiful hotel but in a completely forgettable city except for the graffiti, homeless and garbage everywhere.
As other friends and colleagues have said, it’s a long way to go to get what you can get in California. Don’t worry. I won’t!
I tend to agree, Tony, but things seem to have changed post covid. The Paris end of the city has been decimated by the pandemic, a massive number of cafes and restaurants have either closed or only open on some days of the week and for lunch onwards. All of my usual breakfast spots have now closed.
I stayed on the other side of town, and agree it is less attractive and also suffers from way too much construction, but it does seem to have a cool vibe, and a lot of the local venues have survived (either through lower rents or the fact that it has more residential buildings)
So true. We were reluctant transplants to Melbourne for work, but we’ve realised it’s far superior to Sydney in almost every way. Nobody is obsessed with money or real estate, or what car you drive, or being the flashiest person on the block. Sydney is fake, and hollow, and populated by fake, angry people. Melbourne is the real deal. Sydneysiders can keep their humid, cockroach-ridden, cultural wasteland full of poseurs.
In Sydney? Yes. We have a lot of cloudy days in Melbourne, by far the most of any big Australian city, but the rainfall average of 650 mm (25 inches) is about half of Sydney’s 1200 mm (47 inches). And bear in mind that so far in 2022, Sydney has had more than 2000 mm (79 inches).
Don’t worry about him, he clearly has no idea what the average Australian thinks of the average American.
As a Perth resident very happy another Aussie city is getting a Ritz-Carlton as ours is amazing!
The properties may be "everywhere" in North America, but Marriott's full-service footprint is still pretty light in Europe.
I think the real challenge is that full-service hotels are getting too expensive to operate in many markets, thanks to the combination of labor shortages and high labor costs. Providing the service and amenities at the expected standard that separate a Westin or JW Marriott from a Courtyard or Fairfield is getting very, very difficult. A good example are Norway and Sweden.
As for money, I don't know. Marriott doesn't really franchise Ritz-Carlton. There are, I believe, only two Ritz-Carlton properties franchised (Chicago and Kuala Lumpur). But the revenue and franchise fees that Marriott collects from brands that it does franchise are basically the same, regardless of cost. If anything, Marriott may make a little less money managing a property because Marriott has significantly more staff and management at a Marriott-managed property. Some of the big third-party management companies that operate franchised properties for owners are attractive for owners because they have reduced staffing and management levels thereby reducing costs.
Pity about the location.
It is not in the middle of the CBD.
Pretty dead at night too, and the nearby King St / Bourke St / Lonsdale corners are very shady. ( Homeless, drug addicts hang around there and it can be very rowdy during the weekends)
Hi Regis,
Sadly you are right, especially post Covid lockdowns.
Melbourne has been destroyed by a left wing state government and city council. Can't believe that they are planning to open a drug injection room in the CBD too.
Melbourne used to be a great city, but it has been destroyed by a left wing state government and city council. Can't believe that they are planning to open a drug injection room in the CBD too.
Actually, I'm very aware, having lived there and having worked with Australians around the world. Which is a big part of what colours my impression.
My resources are pretty vast, thanks. I choose nicer, higher-end hotels in better locations.
Stay home. You’ve missed out on something spectacular. Melbourne is a lovely city and the new “Ritz Carlton” will be a bright spot in a neighborhood that is ripe for change.
Let's be real. Melbourne seems to be under renovation at the moment. Why? ...because if you build it, they will come. I worked the opening of the Park Hyatt in melb wayback in 1999. It was a dead period in Australian tourism & visitor numbers. Then we built it up, and helped contribute into melb becoming a 'livable' and highly visited city. We did it once, actually we did it many times in history, we will do it again. We are Melbourne, Australia.
Under $400 USD per a night? This seems like a massive bargain in both cash and points. Sign me up!
It has wonderful flora and flora. The scenery is amazing . Quokkas, koala, kangaroo. Uluru. The barrier reef.
We will pass on you too.
"Don’t worry about him, he clearly has no idea what the average Australian thinks of the average American."
How did you guys like wearing a mask while exercising outside by yourself? How was that 5km lockdown for COVID. How did you like the cops beating the people they swore to protect for protesting against these measures while allowing BLM marches to take place and with a police department in greater Sydney hosting a LGBT Pride party during COVID.
I frankly don't care what an island of felons and their captors think of the U.S.
Yawn. I'm sure the hotel will be nicely appointed, the service top-notch, and the amenities appropriately luxurious. From those three standpoints, this is great news.
At the end of the day, though, it's still Melbourne, one of the world's most vastly overrated cities. Forgettable geography, a food scene that's mostly hype (and that doesn't offer much different from what you can get in any other large city), and - the CBD aside - a lot of sprawling, low-rise neighborhoods without much character. I've never understood why Americans and Europeans make trips of 20+ hours to visit Melbourne when there are so many more rewarding options close by.
I suppose I'd find Melbourne impressive if I'd never been to a city before, but that's about all I can say for it.
haha - I didnt think it would happen this late in the year, but congrats on making it into the the top 5 idiotic comments for 2022.
Looking forward to 2023!
All you do is talk about is fancy hotels, when are you going to review the negative motel 6 in parker arizona, you snob
Appears your comment did not age well, son : “…destroyed by a left-wing government” that just got re-elected in a SECOND DANSLIDE. It burns you, doesn’t it? It BURNS.
To all the Aussies reading this, please know that the opinions of @Jason and @Jeffery Chang do not represent the opinions of many, if not most, Americans. I live in a place that long ago, said COVID, what COVID? Just a minor flu, with resulting soaring deaths. In fact, even compared to NY, in 2021 and 2022 our death rate was twice what they experienced.. The pandemic was awful by any measure. Period. Please, all move on now. It is simply laughable and xenophobic to paint a broad brush stoke of any country (with perhaps some notable exceptions such as Putin’s Russia). I have traveled extensively in California and been to AU too. Both have wonderful and not so wonderful locations. I am heading back to AU in a couple of months and am very excited about the visit, heading to the southern part of the country including MEL. I am sure we will find things to delight us. Will all be perfect? Probably not, but it is all part of the experience.
@Michael B
Well if COVID deaths are your sole metric of success then you would stand by every action the CCP has done to control COVID.
After all, what is the right to liberty (or the lives of your dogs) compared COVID deaths. All these Chinese complaining about being locked in their own apartments just didn't have the insight of Michael B.
Can you use a Chase Ritz Carlton Suite Upgrade certificate when booked on Stars Rate?
I disagree. Melbourne is a great city. Full of character, food is top notch. Great bars and pubs, NGV is a superb art gallery, the CBD is one of the most bustling and characterful city centres I’ve been too and is ringed by lots of very cool suburbs. Only place I’ve been where a waiter has bought me a cheese menu at midnight at a rooftop bar overlooking parliament.
No thanks. No interest in going to a city that was locked down more than any other in the world.
Based on three trips to MEL for work in the past year I wish them luck. Hotels are having a heck of a time staffing there. I will say though that the Park Hyatt, given this new entry into the city, is really going to need to step up their game. Rooms are in desperate need of a refresh, the lounge had not reopened as some months ago on my last visit, and the restaurant has had a lot of trouble because they can't get staff (It was actually closed other than for Breakfast for quite some time). Hopefully this will motivate what used to be a wonderful hotel to make some needed improvements.
Jeffrey, you are a dead set goose. Enjoy living in humanity’s septic tank with the rest of the fat, drug addled, stupid, deranged, smelly mental defectives.
The feeling isn’t mutual, Jason. You can feel free not to visit. I get the sense you’re American: have fun with that.
@Marcus Imagine not only voting for right wing sociopaths but admitting it publicly! Crazy stuff.
Yes, such a grotty part of town. Good for strip clubs, the central police station and the Melbourne Assessment prison.
It’s never been this bad since I moved here. There seems to be a citywide mission to knock down and rebuild everything, all at once, right now.
We may not have a harbour or a bridge like yours, but try getting even an acceptable cup of coffee in Sydney.
Absolutely agreed about the Park Hyatt. The same words could have been used a decade ago.
@Stuart and @ Leigh .... you both took the words right out of my mouth and hope that PH management are sufficiently engaged to take note of these comments.
I didn’t realise this was a recycled post by Ben so I ended up making there same comment as last time it came up.
ummmm... why? Becuase it was locked down two years ago?
what about a city where a mob stormed a government building?
what about a city that has welcomed the Third Reich in 1940?
what about a city where two queens were beheaded in the 16th century?
what about a city where gladiators were made to fight to the death in front of cheering crowds?
or a city where the son of God was crucified?
Looks like Dan doesn't have much travel on the horizon...
Melbourne is one of my favorite cities in the world.Like every city worldwide its taken a bit of a hit during covid.Like other world class cities it will be back bigger and better.
I was there in November and loved it all over again.The people the food and the kindness of others.I was happy to hear the Grand Hyatt isn't going anywhere apparently false media reports.
I'm tempted to go and try the Ritz however the Grand Hyatt always has awesome breakfasts in Collins Kitchen even the locals dine there.And one of the best fitness centers of any hotel in Melbourne and an on point location.Park Hyatt Mel others have already said its in need of a refresh but has had some of the most amazing folks work there through the decades.Their club lounge is now closed permanently from my understanding supposedly to align with other Park Hyatts blah blah blah.
I'm there next month can't wait.I still call Australia Home even if it isn't
Other than being the best capital city in Australia, and world's most liveable city a whole heap of times, of course.
We've been released for 18 months or so now, but we'll be fine without you. What a short sighted reason to not visit somewhere.