QT Melbourne hotel opens in former Greater Union cinemas on Russell Street

Melbourne's newest luxury city hotel, QT Melbourne, has opened to the public. Housed in the former Great Union cinemas on Russell Street in the CBD, the hotel is the latest for the funky hotel brand, which now has seven properties across the country.

The 188 room hotel, developed over three and half years, features custom art, bespoke furnishings and European-themed wallpapers.

The hotel design takes its inspiration from the so-called "Paris end" of Collins Street, mixing local and French themes with a focus on the area's association with Melbourne fashion. This is apparent upon first entering, where video monitors play black and white footage of old fashion shows, pulled from Greater Union's archives.

Designed in collaboration between Nic Graham and architectural and design expert Shelley Indyk, the hotel features art throughout, from the rugs created by a local street artists, through to digital art on the in-room televisions and even the lift, where sensors detect the arrival of passengers and quirky phrases are broadcast in a variety of accents.

Like its Sydney counterpart, passersby and guests will be greeted by the brand's iconic "Directors of Chaos" - seductively dressed staff with outfits by Janet Hime, who has designed costumes for many of the major musicals to hit the city in recent years as well as Dame Edna herself.

Though Melbourne diners have a tendency to shy away from hotel restaurants, QT aims to change that with the Pascale Bar & Grill, a cool European-style space open to the public as well as guests for meals and drinks, while the lobby cake shop will feature creations from the hotel pastry chef Youssef Aderdour, who has worked with French culinary legends Alaine Ducasse and Joel Robuchon.

On September 14 the building will also add two laneway spaces, a Korean-themed bar called Hot Sauce and a Japanese knife store in Portland Lane.