If you aren’t familiar with the concept of a ‘love hotel’, it’s exactly as it sounds: a hotel designed to dial up the romance between couples or a few people, with the help of beds, obviously, erotic programming on the in-room TV and, often, free condoms.
Though Melbourne doesn’t have any love hotels, per se, it does have a platform called Dayuse, on which you can rent hotel rooms by the hour and, if you’d prefer a full night’s stay, plenty of hotels that are simply romantic.
We’re talking dark, moody lighting, luxuries the two of you can enjoy and that’ll help to connect you and, importantly, the feeling that no one else is around. Ahead are a few of our favourite such spots. From a luxury hotel housed in what was once a car showroom, to a hotel by a brand known for blending whimsy with sexy, these are our picks for Melbourne’s most romantic places to stay.
Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street
Despite being a big-name chain hotel, Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street feels like a boutique hotel with its historic Equity Chambers Building setting. The 1930s Italian Gothic architecture gives the hotel a glamorous feel. Enjoy date night at one of the many restaurants steps from its Little Queen Street and Bourke Street location, or stay in and dine at the hotel’s venue, Luci, with drinks after at bar The Douglas Club.
Adelphi Hotel
Housed in a 1938 building that was once a soft goods warehouse, Adelphi Hotel is equal measures luxury and whimsy, with dark and moody interiors lit by neon lights, and décor including cherry-inspired lamps, liquorice stool and swinging couches. The hotel also has 34 rooms, a rooftop pool and dark and two venues, restaurant Ezard and cocktail bar and high tea spot Om Nom,
Crown Towers
Crown Towers on the Yarra River is easily one of Melbourne’s most-known hotels, with rooms to suit every occasion, including simply wanting to ramp up the romance. For a truly special stay, book into one of the Premiere Club Suites, which are located on level 19 to 28. The room comes with a deep-soaking bath with in-built TV, a dedicated concierge to cater to your every need and access to the Crystal Club Lounge where you can tuck into breakfast, afternoon tea and pre-dinner drinks and canapes.
The Royce Hotel
Once a car showroom, The Royce on the fringe of the CBD and leafy South Yarra opened in February this year. With the boutique hotel striving to offer hospitality that’s led with discretion and that sees indulgence encouraged and opulence expected, it’s an ideal spot for a romantic getaway. Many of its 18 uniquely-designed suites have balconies with views of the CBD and Shrine of Remembrance, as well as freestanding tubs.
QT Melbourne
The QT brand is known to be sexy, and QT Melbourne is no exception. Rooms here all have king-sized beds, designer furnishings that make the space edgy and cool and a bathroom finished with industrial touches. From now until December 2023, you can book a package called The Lovers that includes a bottle of bubbles, breakfast served in your room and a ‘Lover’s Concierge’ who’ll treat you to random acts of love throughout your stay.
Crown Metropol Melbourne
Crown Metropol is the more laidback counterpart to the ultra-luxe Crown Towers. Its most-photographed feature by far is its infinity pool surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the cityscape. Among the nicest rooms and most ideal for a romantic stay are the Urban Luxe, the Loft and the Apartment. The latter of which boasts a bath tub, in the Crown’s words, “deserving of its own Instagram account”. All guests of the Apartment also get a buffet breakfast for two at one of the Crown Metropol’s many restaurants, Mr Hive.
The Windsor
When many Melbourne locals think ‘grand hotel in the city’, they think of The Windsor. Open since 1883, it was around even before The Savoy in London, The Ritz in Paris and The Waldorf Astoria in New York. In 1923, it was renovated, and renamed The Windsor. Spend your time here entirely in your room or suite, or wander through the building, admiring the Grand Staircase and Grand Ballroom, dropping into the Cricketer’s Bar for a cocktail.
The Olsen
Located on Chapel Street in South Yarra, The Olsen is part of Accor’s Art Series brand, which features hotels named after Australian artists and the property’s walls decorated with their works. In this case, the hotel is a dedication to Australian landscape artist Dr. John Olsen, and is littered with his beautiful sculptures and large prints. For a couples’ activity, book a treatment at Norbu Urban Retreat, the on-site spa, or book a free tour of the hotel’s artwork with an art curator.
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