The top end of Melbourne is colloquially known as the ‘Paris End’. It has been that way since the 1950s thanks largely to boutique, high-end shopping, untouched heritage buildings and cafe culture. It is arguably the most picturesque pocket of the CBD grid and it just got a little bit nicer.
At the eastern end of Bourke Street, where Victoria’s Parliament stands proudly, there’s a new offering that fits in seamlessly. A five-star hotel opened in 2023 at the iconic former site that for decades hosted the Metro nightclub and before that the Palace Theatre. The 108-year-old building shut its doors in 2014 and was demolished in 2020 to make way for a French-inspired hotel, Le Meridien Melbourne.
The transformation is stark. Those who spent any time at the Metro nightclub will remember its marble staircase connecting multiple levels. Some of the biggest names in music played there, including Silverchair, The Prodigy and Arctic Monkeys.
The art deco facade thankfully remains though it has undergone a minor facelift and now includes Hollywood lights. Beyond it, visitors will find 235 rooms over 12 floors that pay homage to nostalgic 1930s-era Melbourne. A new spiral staircase takes guests from the mid-century-inspired lobby to the venue’s dimly-lit subterranean bar and restaurant, Dolly.
Dolly’s executive chef, Christian Graebner, has 17 years under his belt working in hotel kitchens. The upper levels are just as visually impressive. A heated 18-metre rooftop pool on lev.
