Melbourne accommodations welcome you to a destination nicknamed “Garden City”.
Melbourne known for: sporting events, historic prisons, beaches, shopping areas, produce markets, museums, theaters, art galleries, parks, gardens, reserves, street art, nightlife, kangaroos, wallabies
Located in southeastern Australia and tucked inside the horsehead-shaped, enclosed bay of Port Phillip, Melbourne is about half-way between Adelaide and Sydney (bow-line shape). Roughly 300 miles south of Melbourne (across Bass Strait), the island of Tasmania is home to the unique Tasmanian devil (carnivorous marsupial). Zig-zag shaped in places and sourced by the Upper Yarra Reservoir, the Yarra River (brown in coloration due to clay deposits) flows through central Melbourne near the Docklands area.
Melbourne main attractions: Queen Victoria Market, Crown Melbourne (casino), Melbourne Cricket Ground (stadium), National Gallery of Victoria, DFO South Wharf (shopping mall), South Melbourne Market (produce / meat / seafood market, cafes), Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – Melbourne Gardens, Melbourne Museum, Marvel Stadium (stadium / live performances), Carlton Gardens, Flagstaff Gardens (landscaped gardens, sculptures, picnic / recreational facilities), Scienceworks (science museum), ArtVo (art gallery, State Library Victoria (public library)
Surrounding Melbourne points of interest: Gem Pier (tourist attraction), Williamstown Beach (sandy cove, swimming/sunbathing, promenade), Newport Railway Museum, Altona Beach (sandy, calm water, pier, piney promenade, cafes), Newport Lakes Reserve (bird watching, walking tracks, lakes, kids’ play equipment, BBQ spots), Brimbank Park (bird/wildlife watching, walking/cycling trails, river, playground, picnic areas), Watergardens Shopping Centre (shopping mall), Ultima Function Centre (event venue), DFO Essendon (shopping mall), Queens Park, Flemington Racecourse (horse racing – Melbourne Cup – est. 1848), Princes Park, Melbourne Zoo, Coburg Lake Reserve (former quarry, riverside paths, benches, BBQ pits, tall trees, playgrounds), Edwardes Lake Park, Preston Market (produce market), iceHQ (ice skating rink), BOUNCEinc Heidelberg (recreation center), Heide Museum of Modern Art, Darebin Parklands (nature preserve – walking/biking trails, wattle trees, gum trees, creeks, picnic areas, BBQ stations), Westerfolds Park (Yarra River park, canoeing, walking/cycling trails, picnic areas, playground), Abbotsford Convent (cultural center – galleries, studios, cafes), Kew Golf Club, Ruffey Lake Park, BOUNCEinc Blackburn (sports complex), Burwood Brickworks Shopping Centre (shopping mall), The Metropolitan Golf Club, Huntingdale Golf Club, Commonwealth Golf Club, Yarra Yarra Golf Club, Karkarook Park (lake, walking/biking trails, BBQ/picnic areas), Gameology (game store), Spring Valley Golf Club, Mentone Beach (public beach), Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary (wildlife refuge), Victoria Golf Club, Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Red Bluff Lookout (tourist attraction), Sandringham Beach, Brighton Dog Friendly Beach, Elwood Beach (scenic, activities, dining), St Kilda Beach (boardwalk, pier, swimming, water sports), Middle Park Beach, Port Melbourne Beach, Prahran Market (fresh food market)
Melbourne main airport: Melbourne Airport (far northwest side)
Airport car rental agencies: SIXT, Alamo, Enterprise, Redspot
Cars travel on the left-hand side.
Rideshare service: Uber
Public transportation operator: Metro Trains Melbourne
Public transport card: myki card
Melbourne top events: Australian Open, Melbourne Cup Carnival, Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne Fashion Festival, Moomba Festival, St Kilda Festival, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Beyond The Valley Festival, Groovin the Moo, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, Melbourne Marathon
More fun things: Great Ocean Road Coastal Tour, Phillip Island Day Trip
Melbourne professional football clubs: Melbourne City FC, Melbourne Victory FC (central Melbourne – AAMI Park)
Semi-professional club: South Melbourne FC
Cricket team: Melbourne Stars
Cricket venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground “The ‘G” – southern hemisphere’s largest stadium (100,024 capacity)
Melbourne currency: Australian dollar
Legal drinking age: 18 years old
Keep in mind that Melbourne can get cool during winter months. Melbourne generally is considered safe, though it’s best to remain vigilant at night in the Central Business District. Remember not to block tram exits. Though appreciated, tipping is not customary in restaurants apart from exceptional service. Melbourne accommodations are some of Australia’s best. Before we get to Melbourne accommodations, let’s take a look at some more background information on the area to help you along the way.
Aboriginal Australians likely inhabited the Melbourne area for at least 40,000 years. Colonel David Collins established Victoria’s first British settlement (Sullivan Bay near Sorrento – part of New South Wales’ penal colony) in October, 1803. Due to a perceived lack of resources, however, the Collins-era settlers relocated to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania), where they founded the city of Hobart. John Batman (Australian grazer, entrepreneur & explorer / Port Phillip Association member in Van Diemen’s Land) explored the Melbourne area in May / early-June of 1835. Batmans Geelong deed (June 6, 1835 deed) saw Batman’s purchasing of 600,000 acres of land near the Yarra River’s northern bank. John Batman returned to Van Diemen’s Land following the deed’s execution with the intention of establishing a village at his Yarra River spot. Two months later another group of Van Diemen’s Land settlers arrived in the Melbourne area. A month after that Batman returned, and the two groups agreed to share the settlement (Dootigala). Briefly the settlement was known as “Batmania”. After annulling John Batman’s deed, however, New South Wales’ Governor Sir Richard Bourke declared the area the Port Phillip District of New South Wales’ administrative capital in 1836. Bourke renamed the city to “Melbourne” on April 10, 1837 (honoring British Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne), and in the same year the “Hoddle Grid” (street grid) was laid out. Located on the corner of Elizabeth & Bourke Streets, Melbourne’s first general post office opened in the city’s first year as well. Queen Victoria’s June 25, 1847 Letters patent (monarch’s published written order) declared Melbourne a city, which effectively made it a corporation. On July 1, 1851 The Port Phillip District separated from New South Wales, becoming the Colony of Victoria with Melbourne as its capital. That same year gold was discovered in Victoria. The ensuing gold rush saw Melbourne, the colony’s major port, grow rapidly. An overflow of European and Chinese migrants caused slums (ex. Chinatown) and a tent city on the Yarra River’s southern bank to pop-up. Political changes occurred following the “Eureka Rebellion”. Many of Melbourne’s most significant buildings were constructed during the 1850s and 60s. Inner suburban plans were also rolled out. In 1853 the Melbourne Cricket Ground opened. The great Victoria gold rush had subsided by 1860, though Melbourne continued to mine gold while exporting wool. By 1865 Melbourne had overtaken Sydney as Australia’s most populous city. An 1880s land boom was accompanied by the establishment of a high-pressure piped water system (Melbourne Hydraulic Power Company – 1886). Hydraulically powered, elevators would allow for the construction of the city’s first high-rise buildings. A few years later (late-1880s), however, boosterism (deceptive promoting of a city) led to the bursting of local financial and property industry bubbles, and a severe economic depression would ensue. Banks and building societies collapsed and limited companies went into liquidation. An early-1890s depression, followed by an 1893 banking crisis, hamstrung new construction efforts until the late 1890s. Australia’s six British self-governing colonies would then unite to form the Commonwealth of Australia (Federation of Australia – January 1, 1901). The first federal parliament convened at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building (May 9, 1901). For about 25 years Melbourne would become the seat of the federation’s government. During World War II Melbourne hosted American soldiers (Melbourne Cricket Ground), who were fighting the Empire of Japan. Post-WWII immigration boosted Melbourne. Boutique shops and open-air cafes opened at the “Paris End” of Collins Street. Central Business District height limitations (buildings) were lifted in 1958 and the city’s first skyscrapers were introduced. A reminder of the early Victoria gold rush, 1970s financial / mining booms were met by 1990s economic decline. Melbourne was Australia’s worst-affected major city during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019–2023), with 6 lockdowns totaling 262 days.
Home to around 5 million “Melburnians”, Melbourne is the Australian state of Victoria’s capital and most populous city. Garden City’s oldest area, the aforementioned Hoddle Grid is now home to the Central Business District (CBD). 77 skyscrapers measuring at least 490 feet in height help create the city’s skyline. Melbourne accommodates nearly 12 million visitors per year. The 1850s Victoria gold rush made Melbourne one of the world’s premier Victorian-era cities, architectural examples of which can be spotted in the inner suburbs. Located between hot inland areas and the cool southern ocean, Melbourne is known to have unpredictable weather at times due to the “southerly buster” (abrupt wind change – unique to the area). Spring / summer cold fronts can bring gales, thunderstorms and hail. Generally Melbourne summers are warm / hot and winters are cool / mild. Summer highs average in the upper-70s °F, while winters stay in the high-50s.
Additional points of interest: Federation Square, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Shrine of Remembrance, Kings Domain, Parliament House, East End Theatre District, Princess Theatre, Regent Theatre, Comedy Theatre, Forum Melbourne, Athenaeum Theatre, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank Theatre, Palais Theatre, Wheeler Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne Central, Coop’s Shot Tower, Eureka Tower (Melbourne Skydeck), Flinders Street Station, Southern Cross Station, Chinatown, Princes Bridge, Bolte Bridge
Melbourne local foods: lamb roast, meat pie, chicken parma, spag bol (spaghetti Bolognese), salt and pepper calamari, barramundi (fish – smooth, buttery, sweet flavor), pippies in XO (clams w/ sauce made from dried seafood), dim sim, banh mi (Vietnamese bread), Anzac biscuits, gozleme (Turkish flatbread & pastry dish), fairy bread (children’s food – bread with sprinkles), Tim Tam (biscuit candy), doughnuts (hot jam)
Popular drinks: wine, beer (craft), cocktails, frozen cocktails, coffee
Rum was actually one of Australia’s first forms of payment (for goods).
With a little background information on the area, we’re ready for Melbourne accommodations that will help make for an exciting trip.
Meriton Suites Melbourne
140 King Street
Collins Street | Flinders Lane | SEA LIFE Melbourne
Suite amenities: indoor pool, sauna, hot tub, gym, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, kitchens, 24-hour front desk, luggage storage, laundry facilities
Nearby restaurants: MOMO CHAA (restaurant), Aroma Restaurant (Pakistani restaurant)
Nearby misc.: Ca Fe In Melbourne (cafe), Fiord (coffee shop), Brief Melbourne (coffee shop), Dreami Cake (cake shop), Bottlemart (liquor store), 123Boom! (amusement center)
Within feet:
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- Collins Street
- Flinders Lane (historic street)
- SEA LIFE Melbourne (aquarium)
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Meriton Suites Melbourne is 24 minutes from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night (3 Bedroom Altitude Suite): $800
Cost per person (six people): $133
Treasury on Collins
394 Collins Street
The Block Arcade
Hotel amenities: air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, kitchenettes, coffee machines, washing machines, dryers
Nearby restaurants / pubs: Chancery Lane (restaurant), Little Brother (Vietnamese restaurant), Roti Bar (Malaysian restaurant), The Mitre Tavern (pub), The Irish Times Pub (Irish pub), Natural History Public Bar (pub), The Sherlock Holmes (pub)
Nearby misc.: Mr Ashcroft Cafe (café), Shamble Coffee Brewers (café), Brioche By Philip (bakery), Cafe Intimo., Le Petit Gateau (patisserie)
Within feet:
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- The Block Arcade
- Immigration Museum
- Melbourne City Library
- Supreme Court of Victoria
- Myer Melbourne
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Capitol Theatre
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Within 1 mile:
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- Rod Laver Arena
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Within 1.4 miles:
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- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria – Melbourne
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Within 3.5 miles:
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- Flemington Racecourse
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Treasury on Collins is 10 miles from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Heritage King Two-Bedroom Apartment): $614
Cost per person (six people): $102
The StandardX
62 Rose Street, Fitzroy
Glamorama Nightclub | The Rose Street Artists’ Market
Hotel amenities: restaurant, bar, breakfast, terrace, rooftop area, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour front desk, luggage storage, parking, shuttle service
Nearby restaurants / bars: Pizzette (pizza restaurant), Chicano Taquería (Mexican restaurant), AVALON (bar), Near & Far Bar, Radio Bar & Cafe, The Fitz Cafe & Rooftop Bar
Nearby misc.: Rose St Pantry (gourmet grocery store), Commune (café), Toby’s Estate (coffee shop), C9 (ice cream shop)
Within feet:
The StandardX, Melbourne is 11.4 miles from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Suite Spot): $534
Zagame’s House
66 Lygon Street, Carlton
Old Melbourne Gaol
Hotel amenities: restaurant, bar, à la carte, continental or vegetarian breakfast, fitness center, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, coffee machines, mini-bars, safety deposit boxes, desks, 24-hour front desk, private parking
Nearby restaurants / pubs: Kazuki’s Restaurant (fine dining restaurant), Da Guido La Pasta (Italian restaurant), Lord Lygon (restaurant), Epocha Restaurant (European restaurant), Kantin (Indonesian restaurant), Osha Thai Carlton (Thai restaurant), Panda Hot Pot (hot pot restaurant), Hi Chong Qing (Chinese noodle restaurant), Torissong (Syokudo and Teishoku restaurant), Fattie Prince (Middle Eastern restaurant), THE CURTIN (pub), The Lincoln (pub)
Nearby misc.: musu&co (dessert shop)
Within feet:
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- Old Melbourne Gaol
- Carlton Gardens
- Melbourne Museum
- South Lawn
- Victoria University City Tower
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Within 1 mile:
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- Cooks’ Cottage
- Immigration Museum
- Southbank Promenade
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Within 3.2 miles:
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- Sandridge Beach
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Within 5 miles:
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- Essendon Fields Airport
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Zagame’s House is 9 miles from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Neon Suite): $386
The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne
650 Lonsdale Street
Rialto Towers
Hotel amenities: restaurant, à la carte breakfast, indoor pool, hot tub, fitness center, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, safety deposit boxes, hairdryers, Arabic, Mandarin, Greek and English-speaking front desk staff, currency exchange, concierge service
Nearby restaurants: Foglia di Fico (Italian restaurant), Atria (restaurant), Angliss Restaurant, My Goodness (restaurant), SSAM Korean BBQ – CBD (Korean barbecue restaurant), Jang Gun CBD Korean Restaurant, Seven Star Pocha (Korean restaurant), BBQ King (Korean barbecue restaurant), Paik’s Noodle CBD (restaurant), Salero Kito Padang Rose Lane (Indonesian restaurant), Onsen Japanese (Ramen restaurant), ChunChun Pocha (Korean restaurant), Number 12 Thai Restaurant, Delhi Rocks (Indian restaurant)
Nearby misc.: Pun Pun Desserts (dessert shop), Bottle-O (liquor store), Downtown Nail Spa (nail salon), Schmucks Bagels (bagel shop)
Within feet:
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- Rialto Towers
- Kurth Kiln Regional Park
- Victoria University City Tower
- Docklands Park
- Melbourne Aquarium
- Southern Cross Station
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Within 1.2 miles:
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- Old Treasury Building
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Within 1.6 miles:
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- Shrine of Remembrance
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Within 4.9 miles:
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- Williamstown Beach
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The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne is 9 miles from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Executive Suite): $2,105
1 Hotel Melbourne
9 Maritime Place, Docklands
Marvel Stadium | Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hotel amenities: restaurant, bar, breakfast (surcharge), garden, indoor pool, spa, sauna, steam room, hot tub, gym, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour front desk, concierge services, bellhop, luggage storage, laundry facilities, meeting rooms, conference center, electric vehicle charging point, parking
Nearby: From Here by Mike (restaurant), PERSO (kebab shop), The Mission to Seafarers Victoria (event venue)
Within feet:
1 Hotel Melbourne is 25 minutes from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night (River Penthouse Suite): $3,895
Lanson Place Parliament Gardens
502 Albert St, East Melbourne
Princess Theatre | Her Majesty’s Theatre
Hotel amenities: restaurant, bar, buffet breakfast (surcharge), indoor pool, spa, gym, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour front desk, concierge services, bellhop, luggage storage, laundry facilities, meetings rooms
Nearby: Chronicle 502 (restaurant), Heaven At The Hill (café)
Within feet:
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- Princess Theatre (est. 1854)
- Her Majesty’s Theatre (est. 1886)
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Lanson Place Parliament Gardens is 30 minutes from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Two Bedroom Heritage Apartment): $724
Cost per person (four people): $181
The Royce
379 St Kilda Road
St Kilda Road | Shrine of Remembrance | Royal Botanic Gardens | Albert Park Lake
Hotel amenities: restaurant, bar, outdoor furniture, lobby fireplace, gym, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour front desk, concierge services, bellhop, luggage storage, laundry facilities, business center, conference center, parking
Nearby: Nar Bangkok (Thai restaurant), Spence & Larder (cafe), Trillium (cafe), The Melbourne Wine Store
Within feet:
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- St Kilda Road
- Shrine of Remembrance (Victorian national memorial)
- Royal Botanic Gardens
- Albert Park Lake (artificial Y-shaped lake)
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Within 1 mile:
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- National Gallery of Victoria
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The Royce is 29 minutes from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $626
The Lyall
16 Murphy Street, South Yarra
South Yarra Train Station
Hotel amenities: restaurant, bar, breakfast, patio, free Wi-Fi, 24-hour front desk, private parking
Nearby: Cucinetta Melb (Italian restaurant), Da Noi (Italian restaurant), Cosi Bar Ristorante (Italian restaurant), MR L’S (modern Australian restaurant), Yan Melbourne (restaurant), La Cabra (Mexican restaurant), Bar Carolina (restaurant), Canecutters Bar, Gracie’s Wine Room (wine bar), Otello Espresso (café), Zita’s Focaccia (sandwich shop)
Within feet:
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- South Yarra Train Station
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Within 2.2 miles:
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- Cooks’ Cottage
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Within 2.5 miles:
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- St Kilda Beach
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The Lyall is 14 miles from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night (Domain Suite): $885
Blairgowrie House
Ocean Road, Blairgowrie
Bridgewater Bay | Blairgowrie Pier
House amenities: 4 bedrooms, barbecue grill, air conditioning, kitchen, washer, garage parking
Within feet:
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- Bridgewater Bay (beach)
- Blairgowrie Pier
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Within 1 mile:
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- Saint Johns Wood Road Beach
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Blairgowrie House is 78 miles from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $298
Cost per person (ten people): $53
Sorrento House
Park Road, Sorrento
Mornington Peninsula National Park
House amenities: 4 bedrooms, tennis court, balcony, barbecue grill, air conditioning, kitchen, washer, garage parking
Within feet:
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- Mornington Peninsula National Park
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Sorrento House is 82 miles from Melbourne Airport.
Approximate cost per night: $684
Cost per person (ten people): $68
So there they are, Melbourne accommodations that will help make for an excellent trip. We hope you have found this information valuable and most of all, that you enjoy your time in Australia!
