|Places| Melbourne is
|Places| Melbourne is Having a Moment … Recently overtaking as Australia’s most populous city, Victoria’s capital is ready to celebrate with a fresh wave of high-concept establishments worthy of its shiny new moniker. By Carrie Hutchinson I t’s a reference any Melburnian will understand. Outside the spa at the city’s newest five-star address, The Ritz- Carlton, Melbourne (ritzcarlton.com), water runs down a wall, a collection of copper leaves appearing to float on it. It’s an interpretation of the water wall at City Square. Before being temporarily removed to allow for construction work, the original was somewhere children would “stick” fallen oak leaves, amazed they would hang there as water ran around them. It’s just one of the ways the design team at BAR Studio has captured the city’s story. From the cast-bronze handles on the lobby doors, created by Indigenous artist Maree Clarke using a traditional welcome necklace, to Robert Scholten’s wallsized drawings of Melbourne scenes in each of the lift lobbies, the hotel brand has ensured guests will never forget where they are. Of course, given the breathtaking views of Port Phillip Bay – and every aspect of the city from the Sky Lobby on the 80th floor – that would be almost impossible. If the Ritz-Carlton’s impeccable 257 guest rooms were the only ones to have recently opened, Melbourne would be doing just fine. But at almost the same time, Le Méridien Melbourne (lemeridienmelbourne.com) was unveiled at the aptly named Paris end of the city. Built on the site of a former theatre and music venue, the references here encompass entertainment. The restaurant is Dolly, named after the movement of a film camera; the foyer bar, Intermission. Once you peel your eyes from the stunning vistas of St Patrick’s Cathedral PHOTO © FREYJA 44 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
U N D E R T H E H I G H P A T R O N A G E O F H S H P R I N C E A L B E R T I I O F M O N A C O 27•30 SEPTEMBER 2023
