Mid-century magic – Le Méridien Melbourne celebrates culture, cuisine and chic travel
The mid-century era is fondly remembered as one of glamorous travel. Air journeys were luxurious, meals were gourmet, accommodations were opulent – there was a true sense of adventure and escapism. Originally founded by Air France in the height of this luxury travel period, Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts continues to offer chic and memorable travel experiences decades on, embodying the elegance of mid-century design, the French love of culture and cuisine, and a distinctly effortless European flair. For the hotel group’s reintroduction into the Australian market, Le Méridien Melbourne is no exception.
Behind the iconic Art Deco facade of 20 Bourke Street lies a rich tapestry of stories, stretching over almost two centuries. The building has long been a cornerstone of Melbourne’s vibrant arts and culture scene, beginning its life in the 1850s as the Excelsior Hotel, before transforming over the years into a theatre, cinema, nightclub and live performance venue. The site has now come full circle, returning to its hotel origins thanks to French-born Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts. Paying homage to the building’s storied history and prime location on the east end of Melbourne City, Le Méridien Melbourne offers travellers a chic retreat perfectly positioned to explore the tastes, sights and sounds of the city’s beating heart.
Upon arrival, we’re immediately struck by the building’s old-world charm and undeniable glamour. Rows of marquee lights illuminate the Bourke Street entrance – a nod to its theatrical past that continues once you step inside the lobby. 1950s-inspired espresso-meets-cocktail bar Intermission greets guests, its nostalgic green-marble benchtops, theatre lighting and menu boards drawing inspiration from the site’s former life as the MGM Cinema, as well as neighbouring coffee institutions such as the iconic Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar.
Mid-century furniture and finishes feature throughout the lobby space, highlighted by fluted chrome, polished natural stone and terrazzo details. As the Le Méridien team warmly guides you through the check-in process, you’ll spy a collection of works by local Melbourne artists, including a large-scale sculptural installation by Marta Figueiredo and projected video art by Wendy Yu.
After a quick post-flight espresso at Intermission we make our way up to our room – a retro-modern dream perched high above Bourke Street, with views stretching beyond the city skyline and neighbouring Parliament House to offer glimpses of Treasury Gardens, St Patrick’s Cathedral and the MCG. Le Méridien’s mid-century inspirations carry through to its rooms, with timber joinery, soft light features and marble details juxtaposed by tactile finishes and pops of colour – think vibrant art and striking air-force-blue velvet chairs that honour the brand’s Air France origins. While the interiors are certainly eye-catching, we’re easily distracted once we discover the sizeable marble bathroom, complete with MALIN+GOETZ products and a very deep, very inviting bathtub.
Additional thoughtful details give the room a distinctly residential feel – it’s as if we’ve moved into our dream apartment, if only just for the weekend. Art books, board games and a Yamaha MusicCast 500 turntable with a selection of vinyls fight for our attention, as does the bottle of Le Méridien’s chartreuse-hued signature cocktail, Florence, crafted locally in collaboration with The Everleigh Bottling Co.
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As dinnertime approaches we head back to the lobby, descending down its grand spiral staircase to Dolly, the hotel’s in-house restaurant. The fine-diner oozes old Hollywood charm, with arched mirrors, deep red carpet, a fluted-chrome central bar and luxe mulberry-hued banquette seating adding to the golden-age glamour. The hotel’s nods to its theatrical and cinematic history extend beyond Dolly’s design choices and overall atmosphere – the restaurant was named after the dolly zoom camera technique and the menu is split into acts, culminating in the grand finale.
Bordeaux-born executive chef Hervé Borghini has crafted a menu of European classics that showcases seasonal local produce, pairing familiar flavours with unexpected ingredients. We start our evening with freshly shucked oysters, served with a zesty lemon and tarragon raspberry mignonette. Act two sees us indulging in the heirloom tomato salad crowned with cipollini onions and prosciutto crisp, and scallops on a bed of cauliflower puree, adorned with salmon caviar jewels. The chorizo, pea and asparagus risotto serves as a delectable main act, and we couldn’t resist the Victorian grass-fed MB2 porterhouse, grilled to perfection with French fries and jus. The showstopper, of course, is the grand finale – a Bombe Alaska filled with popcorn and salted-caramel ice-cream, dramatically torched before our eyes at the table.
After a dreamy sleep we wake from the gentle kiss of the sun, filtering in through the sheer floor-to-ceiling curtains. As we peel them back to take in the cloudless day Melbourne has generously presented us, the azure sparkle of Le Méridien’s impressive rooftop pool Le Splash beacons us from below. But first, breakfast. Mornings see Dolly transformed into a European-style buffet, serving up a smorgasbord of hot and cold delights. We enjoy the buffet spoils alongside made-to-order eggs, before heading to the pool for a refreshing morning dip.
We make the most of the beautiful day, exploring all that Melbourne has to offer. Some of the city’s best dining, shopping and cultural attractions are within walking distance of the hotel, making Le Méridien an ideal base for a weekend of discovery. Arms draped with shopping bags we return mid-afternoon, stopping by Le Scoop at Intermission for a maple-pecan gelato before heading upstairs to prepare for a night enjoying Melbourne’s lauded dining scene. Our reservation for the evening is at Kafenion, a home-style Greek taverna that became an instant local favourite when it opened in 2024 – a mere two-minute walk from our hotel. The evening continues post-feast as we seek out the city’s best martinis – Apollo Inn, Caretaker’s Cottage and Pearl Diver get our vote.
For our final morning we take our time, wriggling to find the most comfortable position as we settle in for breakfast in bed. After a late check-out we stroll to the NGV, followed by lunch at pop-up-turned-permanent Thai noodle house Soi 38. As the sun begins to dip towards the horizon we know our time in Melbourne is coming to an end – and we can’t wait to come back to Le Méridien for another round of culinary and cultural exploration.