Business meets boutique: Next Hotel Melbourne set for March debut

As travel restrictions come down, Melbourne’s new Next Hotel is rising up – blending business with style across 255 residentially-themed guestrooms and suites.

With an entrance on Little Collins Street and being part of the broader ’80 Collins’ complex, the boutique hotel is found in the CBD’s East End district, being walking distance to corporate offices, live theatres, shops, bars, and restaurants.

But guests need not wander far for a meal, with an entire floor of Next Hotel given over to La Madonna restaurant and lounge.

With a menu by Melbourne’s Daniel Natoli and Adrian Li – known for Sicilian cooking and Hong Kong street food, respectively – the venue will showcase local Victorian produce, as will Ingresso by La Madonna on the ground floor, offering lighter bites to grab and go.

La Madonna will also house The Barrel Room, where spirits are aptly barrel-aged and decanted to order.

Prefer a quieter night in? A selection of those barrel-aged spirits, as well as bottled cocktails, can be found in each room’s minibar.

Those guestrooms draw design inspiration from a blend of “mid-century modern and old-world”, with artworks by Australia’s Jonny Niesche, Consuelo Cavaniglia and Julia Gorman on display throughout the hotel’s public spaces, rooms and suites.

Some of those rooms are more ideally-suited for business travellers setting up for a busy work day, with height-adjustable chairs positioned at a working bench with a direct view of Melbourne’s city skyline – a certain step up from many hotel desks that offer views only of a plain wall behind.

As an alternative working space, the hotel’s on-site Club also opens its doors to guests staying in Club-type rooms, as well as Club members from the Melbourne community, with boardroom facilities also available.

Serving food and drinks “around the clock”, guests can stop by for breakfast, all-day refreshments, evening drinks and canapes, and more.

Rounding out the hotel, an on-site fitness centre offering city views with personal trainers on call.

“Next Hotel Melbourne will be a great expression of the city – understated, eclectic and creative – the ideal ingredients to evolve what a luxury hotel experience can be,” said the hotel’s General Manager, David Ness.

“Our aim is to establish a new place that both Melburnians and visitors will want to be, stay, enjoy and have as their starting point for discovery.”

Next Hotel Melbourne will become the chain’s flagship property, with nightly room rates beginning at $246 in late March for an entry-level room, $365 for a Club room, and $458 for a Club suite, when booked direct via the Next Hotels website.

Also read: Hilton Sydney's $25m refurb rethinks the business desk

Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.