MELBOURNE | Housed inside Melbourne’s 170 year old, Pentridge Prison, which closed in 1997, has been transformed into a luxurious food, drink, and entertainment destination. Housed in the prison’s infamous B Division block, where a young Ned Kelly was once held, you’ll find boutique hotel, The Interlude.
The hotel is one of the most unique that I’ve stayed at anywhere in the world, and that’s saying something. It’s been painstakingly integrated into the historic site, with a respect for what it once was. I recently visited and stayed overnight as a guest of the hotel.
Location
Coburg, in particular once you go north of Bell Street, isn’t an area that comes to mind for most visitors to Melbourne, but there’s actually a lot going for the location. The airport is just a 20 minute drive from The Interlude, and the CBD is a 20 minute drive or 35 min tram ride away. Between the amenities at the hotel (more on that later) and all that’s going on in the area, you might not even want to head into the CBD.
Brunswick is one of Melbourne’s most exciting food and drink destinations, and Coburg, around Sydney Road, is getting in on the action. There’s trendy new wine bars, restaurants, breweries, boutique shops, and more in the area, along with diverse food options from various immigrant groups who have shaped this part of Melbourne.
Also nearby you have the Lygon Street, Brunswick East, and High Street, Preston and Thornbury. Scenic Merri Creek, and the associated cycling train that runs along it, is just behind Pentridge.
Rooms
The Interlude contains 19 rooms, which are housed in former cells in Division B’s South East wing. You enter by walking through the light-filled atrium, which features a wonderfully high ceiling, along the old gangway between the cells.
The rooms are long, narrow spaces, formed by the careful removal of the interior walls of four (or five if you have a room with a bath) adjoining cells. It’s an eerily beautiful space that showcases the original bluestone walls, barrel-vaulted ceilings and barred windows, softened by luxe furnishings.
In the middle, when you enter the room, you have a space with luggage storage, clothes hangars, and a safe. To the right is a lounge with small table, minibar, and tea station, and coffee pod machine. Beyond this, there’s a queen-size bed with a Chromecast enabled 55-inch TV. To the right of the entrance, is the marble bathroom, with a free-standing bath beyond that.
The mini bar is stocked with (mostly), drinks and snacks sourced from businesses based in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. The tea bar, with its selection of Impala & Peacock loose-leaf tea blends, is a nice touch.
All rooms come with free WiFi, free bottled water, bathrobes and slippers, and premium toiletries.
Amenities
One of the many areas where The Interlude shines is it amenities. The subterranean relaxation pool, housed below the central gangway, is a beautiful space for contemplation, and is available for all guests to access at any time. One one side of the pool is The Interlude’s gym, on the other, a series of relaxation zones.
Another very worthwhile experience that’s offered is “Story of Place”. A host escorts you to B Division’s former panopticon, one of only eight in the world. It’s a divided outdoor space where prisoners held in solitary confinement could a few minutes of fresh air. While you enjoy a bottle of local wine paired with a cheese and charcuterie board, your host will share stories about the prison’s history, and specific tales about some of the individuals who were kept here. Guests are encouraged to ask questions and share their own stories, and it’s a great way to learn more about Pentridge.
An entire wing of B Division has been left relatively untouched compared to the others, and is a museum of sorts. Each cell is set up differently to tell different stories of Pentridge’s past. Themes include things like contraband, punishment, and ingenuity. Graffiti, markings in the walls, and more have all been left in place, which provides even more of a sense of place.
If you’d like to go for a ride and explore the area, you can hire snazzy Dutch ‘Lekker’ bicycles for free. If you have a car, there’s parking for guests underneath the hotel, charged at $25 per night.
Eat & Drink
There’s two options for food and drink at The Interlude – Olivine Wine Bar, and restaurant, North&COMMON.
Olivine is housed in another wing of B division, and is a brilliant wine bar. A modern bar sits in the centre of the space, just off the atrium, while the cells have been converted into cosy, intimate spaces. The impressive ‘Book of Wine’, features over 500 new and old world wines, along with a few cocktails and craft beers. To eat, it’s a a seasonal snack menu from the North&COMMON kitchen.
North&COMMON, hosed in the prison’s former cafeteria, is a modern Australian restaurant with seasonally focused menu that showcases local ingredients and small producers. Expect things like char-grilled Fremantle octopus, top quality steak cooked over fire, and assorted pasta, rice, and veggie dishes.
The Verdict
I have stayed at many hotels over the years, and The Interlude is up there as one of the most memorable. Its opening was delayed by quite a bit due to the effort that was made to ensure that the heritage elements of Pentridge Prison were properly preserved. The way that the hotel has been integrated into the prison is nothing short of exceptional.
Staying at The Interlude is an exciting, humbling, and slightly eerie experience. You can’t help but reflect on the prison’s past, and think about all of the things that went on here over the years. Indeed, during my “Story of Place” experience, my host and I had an insightful discussion about the different ways that former inmates have responded to being back here in its transformed state.
A stay at The Interlude is truly one of Melbourne’s best hotel experiences. Even if a hotel stay isn’t on the cards for you, I highly recommend popping into Olivine for a drink and/or North&COMMON for a feed, and experiencing the space in some capacity, for yourself.
The Interlude
1 Pentridge Boulevard
Coburg
Victoria 3058
Australia
Telephone: (03) 9100 9191
E-mail: n/a
Website