This was published 1 year ago
Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins review: New four-star hotel offers unparalleled convenience
By Belinda Jackson
The room is compact but lacks nothing.
THE PLACE
The Express is the pared-down little brother of the Holiday Inn brand, and this is Melbourne's second Holiday Inn Express – the other is across the river at Southbank. The new-build, self-rated four-star hotel is in the InterContinental Hotels stable, and is run by one of Melbourne's very few female hotel general managers, Ketaki Kelkar.
THE LOCATION
The Great Room includes the reception, bar, dining room and lobby.
The Southern Cross end of Little Collins Street is unparalleled in its convenience for travellers – moments from the airport bus depot and the metropolitan and country trains, with trams running in all directions.
THE LOOK
There are 312 rooms in the new tower; take the lift at street level up to reception on Level 2 (you'll see a big mural saying "Hotel" so you know you're in the right place). Here, the Great Room includes the reception, bar, dining room and lobby. Level 1 houses a gym – it's windowless, like so many new hotel gyms – far better to hit the city streets for an exploratory run or walk through the city grid into nearby Flagstaff Gardens or over Southern Cross and into the waterside at Docklands. Level 1 is also where you'll find a super cheap, DIY laundry, which is a boon for travelling families and anyone who's ever spilt red wine on themselves.
THE ROOM
The block-out curtains are so effective in my room, they wouldn't be out of place in the London Blitz. The room is compact but lacks nothing, and I use everything supplied: the tea, the iron, Chromecast on the TV, the hairdryer and the closet – I'm not a fan of closed wardrobes, as I'll inevitably forget something, so this open hanging space, which also incorporates the suitcase rack, suits me perfectly.
The toiletries by Australian company Urban Skincare Co are a good-smelling, unisex blend of citrus, gardenia and jasmine, supplied by refillable pumps attached to the wall – no one-off mini toiletries wasted here. IHG loyalty members can even earn points by not using the disposable toothbrushes and razors. Bonus points for the cityline decal around the glassed-in bathroom. Because nobody – nobody – wants to look in.
A slender cabinet stacks a mini fridge, coffee station and hotel safe in one compact space. Addicts should note that it's instant coffee only, but this is Melbourne, so go outside and find an awesome cafe instead. A comfortable chair and table provide a work spot, while the armchair provides a daydreaming spot. My north-facing room on Level 26 looks out onto a fascinating mix of old churches and new skyscrapers, while the higher south-facing rooms look across to Docklands and the city. There are 96 interconnecting rooms to suit travelling families, and there are 20 accessible rooms throughout the hotel.
THE FOOD
From 6.30am weekdays, the Express Start Breakfast offers all the usual suspects – eggs, tomatoes, bangers and a range of toasts and cereals, which is great for a speedy power breakfast. While the automated coffee machines at the breakfast buffet turn out a passable flat white, you can have staff make one for a fee at the bar. But you're in the Land of Brunch, so my tip is to walk five minutes to Higher Ground on nearby Spencer Street, for one of the city's best cafes. The kitchen also offers an even faster, generous Grab & Go option for those running for a train, with a piece of fruit, a quality muesli bar and a hot bacon, egg and cheese muffin.
There's a round-the-clock snack menu on offer, and the reception-cum-bar is also licenced, with a range of beers, wines and spirits for an afternoon wind-down. A sign of the times, the hotel has a partnership with Deliveroo, which incurs a 10 per cent levy.
STEPPING OUT
A plethora of trams run on most streets surrounding the hotel, including Bourke and Collins streets, with stops just a few minutes from the hotel. Federation Square is about 10 minutes by tram – remember that all trams in the city grid are free. Nearby attractions include the Immigration Museum and Queen Victoria Markets. Notable nearby bars include the subterranean Curious, beneath the W Hotel, and at the other extreme, the rooftop Q bar atop the Quincy Hotel.
THE VERDICT
Everything simply works in this brand-new hotel, ideally located for arriving or departing travellers.
Our rating out of five
★★★★
ESSENTIALS
Holiday Inn Express Melbourne Little Collins, 589-599 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria. From $233 a night. Phone 1800 007 697. See hiexpress.com/littlecollins
HIGHLIGHT
Housekeeping staff have turned the shower head to the wall, so I don't blast myself with cold water when I turn on the shower. It's a small, but often overlooked detail.
LOWLIGHT
With low occupancy the night I stayed, the cavernous lobby was like an echo chamber, but expect that to change as low rates and Melbourne's revival see an upswing..
Belinda Jackson was a guest of Pro-invest Hotels.
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