The Next Hotel, Little Collins Street, Melbourne: Finely equine

Melbourne's horse bazaars and saleyards were a common sight from the 1830s in the then emerging city that was reliant on the animals to do much of its heavy lifting.

Fast forward to 2021 and the just opened Next Hotel on the site of one such bazaar in Little Collins Street embraces this equine heritage with touches of soft leather from seats to bed cushions. Enter via a discreet doorway next to the tiny and lovely Ingresso, serving coffee to Campari and bites in between.

The Next Hotel, is part of the freshly minted 80 Collins precinct, a food and shopping destination in its own right. Mid-century modern meets old world in the hotel with marble flooring, Chinese rugs and an abundance of custom lounge chairs.

The club lounge provides a further place for retreat and includes private meeting spaces and around-the-clock food and drink for guests in the hotel run by David Ness, a Melburnian who has managed hotels around the globe.

The hotel of 255 rooms and suites, is residential in feel and delivers style and substance with local Hunter Lab amenities, Dyson hair dryers and straighteners, espresso machines and a cocktail-mixing station of local spirits for guests to see out the day.

Long-time chefs and friends Daniel Natoli (Zia Rina's Cucina) and Adrian Lee (Saigon Sally, Tokyo Tina) will lead the dining and drinking enclave of La Madonna which also welcomes outside guests and includes the Barrel Room, where the hotel's own wood-ageing program for spirits, cocktails and herbal liquors is on display.

Rooms from $289 a night. 103 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. See nexthotelmelbourne.com