Victoria · Australia
Where to stay in Melbourne
Melbourne is a city in Victoria, Australia, home to about 5,351,000 people. This guide covers 8 hotels and 7 aparthotels in Melbourne, with about 199 rooms between them.
- Places to stay in this guide
- 15
- Best months
- October to April
- Nearest airport
- MEB11 km · Melbourne Essendon Airport
- Currency
- AUDAustralian dollar
- Time zone
- Australia/Melbourne
- Language
- Auslan, Australian English, English
About
About Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria and the second-most populous city in Australia. The city's name generally refers to a 9,993-square-kilometre (3,858 sq mi) area, comprising an urban agglomeration of 30 local government areas.
The British settlement of Melbourne commenced in 1835 when settlers from Tasmania led by John Batman "purchased" land on Port Phillip Bay and the Yarra River from the local Aboriginal people. The streets of central Melbourne were carefully laid out in 1837, with some streets 30 metres wide. Initially dubbed Batmania after its founder, the settlement was soon renamed Melbourne after William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, the British Prime Minister at that time.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Melbourne
See
Melbourne is a great city for arts, culture, dining, and events. Visitors frequently comment on the "good vibe" of the city, which can only be understood by experiencing it for yourself. There are a wide and varied assortment of attractions and sights, with something for every traveller. Most are in the CBD, in close reach of public transport. Melbourne is also a good base for experiencing the other attractions of Victoria, most of which can be reached on day trips. Melbourne is Australia's best city for street art – refer to street art in Melbourne for more information.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Places to stay in Melbourne
15 places to stay from the chains this guide covers, each linked to its own website.
| Place to stay | Rooms |
|---|---|
| Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne aparthotel | |
| Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne on Flinders aparthotel | |
| Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne Southbank aparthotel | |
| Adina Apartment Hotel Pentridge Melbourne aparthotel | |
| Hannah St Hotel Melbourne hotel | |
| Meriton Suites Melbourne aparthotel | |
| Quest on William aparthotel | 89 |
| Quest St Kilda Road aparthotel | 110 |
| Quincy Hotel Melbourne hotel | |
| Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne hotel | |
| The Interlude Suites hotel | |
| The Savoy Hotel On Little Collins Melbourne hotel |
Show all 15
| Place to stay |
|---|
| Travelodge Hotel Melbourne Docklands hotel |
| Vibe Hotel Melbourne hotel |
| Vibe Hotel Melbourne Docklands hotel |
Schematic: the city centre in orange, each place to stay as a dot, distance rings in kilometres.
Where to stay
Which part of Melbourne to stay in
Melbourne's budget accommodation options can be found in two main areas, namely in the CBD and in the seaside suburb of St Kilda. However, outside these two areas, there are also several popular budget options in bohemian Fitzroy, South Melbourne, and Windsor. From January to March during international events such as the Australian Open (January) and the Australian Grand Prix (late March) hostel accommodation is booked out and some hostels raise their prices. Be sure to book ahead. Accommodation in this price bracket can mostly be found in the CBD. There are however options scattered throughout the suburbs. The CBD remains the main area for this category of accommodation.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
More hotels in Melbourne
51 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata; the 40 best known are shown, by the number of Wikipedia editions that cover them. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Windsor | 1884 | 0.9 km |
| Southern Cross Hotel | 1962 | 0.7 km |
| 399 Little Lonsdale Street | 0.4 km | |
| Adelphi Hotel, Melbourne | 1993 | 0.5 km |
| Mitre Tavern | 0.4 km | |
| Novotel Melbourne on Collins Accor | 0.2 km | |
| Avani Melbourne Central Residences | 0.6 km | |
| Best Western Plus Travel Inn Hotel | 1.6 km | |
| Brady Hotels Central Melbourne | 0.6 km | |
| Brady Hotels Jones Lane | 0.7 km | |
| Causeway 353 Hotel | 0.1 km | |
| Citadines on Bourke Melbourne | 0.6 km | |
| City Edge North Melbourne Apartment Hotel | 1.3 km | |
| Clarion Suites Gateway | 0.6 km | |
| Clocktower Apartment Hotel | 1.6 km | |
| Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne Grand Chancellor Hotels | 0.5 km | |
| Hotel Sophia | 0.8 km | |
| Imagine Lighthouse | 0.7 km | |
| Jasper Boutique Hotel | 0.8 km | |
| Lancemore Crossley St. | 0.8 km | |
| Mantra 100 Exhibition Melbourne | 0.7 km | |
| Mantra on Russell Melbourne | 0.5 km | |
| Melbourne Carlton Central Apartment Hotel | 1.2 km | |
| Melbourne CBD Central Apartment Hotel | 0.5 km | |
| Melbourne Marriott Hotel | 0.7 km | |
| Mercure Melbourne Therry Street | 0.8 km | |
| Metro Apartments on Bank Place | 0.3 km | |
| Milano Serviced Apartments | 0.7 km | |
| Next Hotel Melbourne | 0.6 km | |
| Notel | 0.5 km | |
| Oaks Melbourne on Lonsdale Suites | 0.9 km | |
| Oaks Melbourne on William Suites | 0.7 km | |
| Ovolo Laneways | 0.9 km | |
| Pegasus Apart'Hotel | 0.7 km | |
| Platinum City Serviced Apartments | 0.5 km | |
| Punthill Flinders Lane | 0.4 km | |
| Punthill Little Bourke | 0.6 km | |
| Punthill Manhattan | 0.8 km | |
| QT Melbourne | 0.5 km | |
| Quay West Suites Melbourne | 0.8 km |
All 66 hotels in Melbourne, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Melbourne
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Melbourne are October to April. January is the warmest month, with average highs of 26 °C; November is the wettest, with about 57 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Melbourne: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Melbourne Essendon Airport (MEB), about 11 km from the city centre in a straight line; Melbourne Airport (MEL, 19 km) and Melbourne Moorabbin Airport (MBW, 22 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
The city is primarily serviced by Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine which has international flights and a comprehensive domestic schedule. Avalon Airport is more distant, partway between Melbourne and Geelong, and hosts only a couple of domestic routes (Jetstar to Sydney & Gold Coast). Finally, five regional destinations can be reached on light aircraft from Essendon Airport (MEB): King Island and Flinders Island in Tasmania, and Dubbo, Orange and Wollongong in NSW.
Getting around
Melbourne's CBD is laid out in an orderly grid system, similar to Manhattan, meaning that navigating the CBD is easy. Melbourne has a comprehensive public transport system consisting of trams, trains, and buses. Trams criss-cross the city, trains extend to the outer suburbs, and buses cover the remaining destinations. Transport Victoria coordinates all train, tram and bus services within the state. The website and app provide a journey planner, timetables, maps and disruption information. Apple Maps and Google Maps also provide a journey planner and disruption information.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MEB · Melbourne Essendon Airport
MEL · Melbourne Airport
MBW · Melbourne Moorabbin Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Melbourne
Eat
For the culinary traveller, Melbourne is one of the best destinations in the world. There is an abundance of affordable, high-quality restaurants representing almost every cuisine. Eating out is cheaper than in Western Europe but not as affordable as North America. The service in Australian restaurants may be more discreet than many North Americans may be used to. Service staff in Australia are paid considerably more than their North American counterparts so tipping is not customary, though you may choose to give a tip if the service was exemplary.
Drink
Melbournians often draw a distinction between 'bars', meaning the small watering holes described above, and 'pubs', which are larger establishments in the usual Australian or British sense of the word. Melbourne's pubs, particularly those in the city and inner suburbs, usually serve restaurant-standard food and a wide range of local and imported beers. Pubs usually offer lunch from approximately noon to 2PM, and reopen their kitchens for dinner from approximately 6-10PM. Gay, lesbian and transgender party goers are welcome everywhere as Melbournians are on the whole very tolerant and welcoming people. Perhaps the one bad thing is that nothing really starts happening until midnight!
Stay safe
The Australia-wide emergency number is 000, with the ambulance service, fire department and police being available through this number. It is important to take care around tram lines. Trams are heavy and it can take over 100 metres for a tram to safely stop. Even if a tram has passed, look carefully both ways, as trams will often run nose-to-tail on busy corridors like Swanston Street. Many tram stops further from the CBD often require walking on to the road. There is often traffic around trams, so be careful crossing if running to catch a tram. Driving in Melbourne can be nerve-wracking due to the presence of trams.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Good to know
Accessibility, parking and families in Melbourne
How many places to stay in this guide offer each, in their operators' own words.
of 15 places
of 15 places
of 15 places
of 15 places
of 15 places
of 15 places
of 15 places
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Questions
Melbourne: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Melbourne?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Melbourne are October to April. January is the warmest month, with average highs of 26 °C; November is the wettest, with about 57 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Melbourne?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Melbourne Essendon Airport (MEB), about 11 km from the city centre in a straight line; Melbourne Airport (MEL, 19 km) and Melbourne Moorabbin Airport (MBW, 22 km) are also within reach.
Are there accessible hotels in Melbourne?
1 place in this guide list accessible rooms.
What currency is used in Melbourne?
Australian dollar (AUD).
Nearby
Destinations near Melbourne
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.