MELBOURNE | Next Hotel Melbourne opened in 2021, helping kick off the wave of new hotel openings that’s continued unabated since. Hilton took over the hotel in late 2023, adding it to their staple of upmarket, stylish “Curio Collection” of hotels. I’d been to the restaurant, La Madonna, before, and taken a look at the hotel, but hadn’t stayed there until now, when I was invited as a guest of the hotel.
It’s a stylish, understated hotel, with muted colours, natural materials, and modern art featuring heavily. The lobby, on the second floor, opens up to a spacious lounge area, with stairs that lead to the dining and bar area on the third floor. Check in is efficient, and you can even check in advance online and get a digital room key if you want to skip the traditional process.
Location
Next Hotel Melbourne is located at the top end of Collins Street in Melbourne’s CBD. It’s well located if you’re looking to shop at the city’s luxury retailers, or head into Chinatown for a feed, or a drink one of the area’s many great bars. The 80 Collins precinct itself, in which the hotel is located, also features several top quality spots to grab a bite to eat.
Parliament station is just a 5 minute walk up the road, and there’s a tram stop almost directly in front of the hotel which will get you almost anywhere you want to be in the CBD. Being up this end of town is super convenient if you are heading to Melbourne’s sports precinct too. Both the MCG and Rod Laver Arena are only a 20 minute walk away.
Rooms
Next Hotel Melbourne’s 255 rooms and suites are well thought out and functional. Little things like the positioning of the power outlets, coat hooks and clever luggage storage stand out.
All rooms have a stylish design, in keeping with the hotel’s overall theme. Bed are well sized and comfortable, with luxurious 300 thread count linen. Each room features a decent sized work desk, along with a comfy side chair and small table. The mini bar features local Victorian snacks, cocktails featuring the hotel’s barrel-aged spirits, and a Nespresso machine.
There’s a large TV with free to air channels, music, and streaming, a safe, bath robes and slippers, blackout curtains, and iron and ironing board, and air conditioning with an adjustable thermostat. If the default pillow isn’t to your tastes, there’s a pillow menu on offer so you can get just the right one for you.
Like the main room, the bathroom is quite spacious and well designed. There’s a large regular and rain combo shower, A large mirror, Dyson hairdryer, and Who Is Elijah amenities, round things off.
All rooms come with free WiFi.
Amenities
Next Hotel Melbourne features a well-specced 24-hour fitness centre with the option of a personal trainer, room service, and a concierge. If you need to host a meeting or event, the hotel features multiple bookable meeting rooms and event spaces of different sizes, with options for catering.
If you’re staying in one of the hotel’s Club rooms or suites, you get access to “The Club”. It’s a space featuring private work spaces and meeting rooms, continental breakfast, 24/7 coffee, tea, and sweet and savoury refreshments. Between 5:00pm and 7:00pm, you can also enjoy “Aperitivo Hour”. It gets you a selection of wines by the glass, and a rotating array of antipasto, and small bites.
Parking is available for $40 per night, or $65 a night if you want the valet option.
Eat & Drink
One of Next Hotel’s big draws is La Madonna Restaurant. It’s a restaurant that can hold its own as a quality spot in it own right. Executive chef Jacopo Degli Esposti has trained in Michelin-starred kitchens including Guy Savoy and Atelier Joël Robuchon Étoile, and his contemporary Italian and French leaning menu showcases all of his skills.
Local, seasonal produce is showcased across dishes like yellow fin tuna tartare with Ann Dutch Baeri caviar and basil coulis; delicate ravioli with bone marrow and textures of tarragon; and dry-aged Loddon Estate free range duck breast with Felds Farm radicchio, and roasted duck jus. It’s all outstanding. In the morning, La Madonna offers an a-la-carte breakfast menu, too.
If you’re in the mood for a drink, head to La Madonna bar, where you’ll find classic and seasonal cocktails made with Next Hotel’s house barrel-aged spirits. There’s also a selection of Victorian craft beers, a 150+ strong global wines list, non-alc beer, wine, and cocktails. To eat, it’s snacks and small plates from the La Madonna kitchen.
There’s also the Green Room and Barrel Room which are two bookable spaces if you’re looking to hold an event or gathering.
Downstairs, during the day, you’ll find Ingresso Cafe. It’s a small spot where you can grab and excellent coffee-to-go, along with a selection of pastries, and grab-and-go breakfast and lunch items.
The Verdict
Next Hotel ticks all of the right boxes when it comes to what I look for in a hotel. The location is great, and the rooms are well designed with excellent beds and pillows, and blackout curtains ensuring a good night’s sleep. The food and beverage offering at La Madonna is outstanding, the kind of place you’d be happy to eat at even if you weren’t staying at the hotel. An overall top notch offering.
Next Hotel Melbourne
103 Little Collins Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3000
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9118 3333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website