Hilton returns to Melbourne, on Little Queen Street
Hilton Hotels makes a comeback after its 2017 exit, with premium travellers no longer relegated to the city's DoubleTree hotel.
By Chris Chamberlin, March 9 2021
The Hilton Hotels brand will return to Melbourne this month with the opening of the Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street property in the city’s CBD.
Residing on the corner of Bourke Street and the lesser-known Little Queen Street, the 244-room hotel makes its debut on Monday March 22, with the first guests able to check-in from midday.
The city location puts the property at an 11-minute walk from Southern Cross Station, while also being within walking distance of Melbourne’s central shopping district and a short tram ride away from the Docklands precinct.
Guests will know they've arrived in Melbourne before reaching the check-in counter, with art curated by Melbourne-based collaborative Juddy Roller.
Distinct from the many subtler works is a large and colourful mural by local artists Kitt Bennett and David Lee Pereira, found at the hotel's Little Queen St laneway entrance.
That artistic vibe continues in the guestrooms, displaying works by local photographer Roger Arnall, complemented by a modern design palette incorporating marble stone finishes, and upholstery hues of navy, taupe and royal blue.
This ethos carries forward into the bathrooms as well, where brass fittings complement the marble stone.
Looking for an Executive Lounge? You'll find one here in the future, but not when the hotel first opens.
As such, Executive Rooms and Executive Suites (as would normally provide access) are not being sold here in the short term.
Still, the hotel's modern building backs onto the heritage-listed Equity Chambers structure from 1931, known for its architectural style and Italian Romanesque and Gothic detailing: restored to its original condition as part of the build.
On the dining front, Luci restaurant will serve a modern Australian menu with hints of Italian and broader European influence, while The Douglas Club cocktail bar will mix both classic and modern cocktails.
An on-site fitness centre is also at-hand, with multiple meeting and event spaces available for individual booking.
The Hilton Hotels brand previously exited Melbourne in late 2017 when the Hilton Melbourne South Wharf hotel was rebranded as the Pan Pacific Melbourne.
This followed an earlier rebranding of Hilton on the Park to the Pullman Melbourne on the Park hotel.
Melbourne was then left with only the DoubleTree by Hilton Melbourne hotel – a full-service yet lower-tier property in the Hilton family absent of an Executive Lounge: and in some cases, windows in the rooms.
Also read: W Melbourne opens, adding to the city's luxury landscape
Chris Chamberlin is the Associate Editor of Executive Traveller, and lives by the motto that a journey of a thousand miles begins not just with a single step, but also a strong latte, a theatre ticket, and later in the day, a good gin and tonic.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 745
I'd be calling it Hilton Bourke Street, it faces bouirke street, lived in Melbourne all my life and never knew there was a Little Queen Street.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 889
Is there a Little Queen Street? I thought only the E-W streets had "Little" in the Hoddle grid.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 889
Just checked the map and can see where the location is, I thought that was Chancery Lane but apparently it is only Chancery Lane south of Bourke St and is Little Queen St north.
12 Mar 2019
Total posts 1
As a Melburnian reading “Little Queen St” is very weird!
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 745
What a marketing mess this will turn out to be, I wonder how many of our Taxi driver friends know Little Queen Street.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
06 Feb 2012
Total posts 31
01 Sep 2018
Total posts 29
Isn't M&L Hospitality the owner of the real estate; not the operator?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2017
Total posts 87
Looks like most people have beaten me to it, but the one thing I got out of that article was. "There's a little Queen Street now?!"
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 745
Yes, there actually is a Little Queen Street, it runs the entire short length of the western Boundary of the new Melbourne Hilton from Bourke to Little Bourke, which actually faces and is on Bourke Street. I cant imagine anyone wanting the property identified with the side lane as the actual address. Despite all the location confusion, it looks nice.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2011
Total posts 184
I only know it "Little Queen St" as the corner where the smokers used to hide when I worked at 460 Bourke St (the old Medicare office)
24 Apr 2014
Total posts 273
There also used to be a Hilton at the Airport.
QF
21 Jul 2016
Total posts 37
Re-branding seems an odd word in that implies similar ownership. Take-over may be more appropriate. Pulman is part of Accor and Pan Pacific is GHA--nothing to do with Hilton. Similar to the Ryges at Darwin airport and Mercure at Geelong which have swapped ownership.
24 Apr 2014
Total posts 273
It does seem strange that they used to have 3 in Melbourne, then none. Now they are returning slowly.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2014
Total posts 171
So Melbournites, is this a good location?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Mar 2015
Total posts 89
Bourke is a great address. Little Queen is just bizarre!
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 745
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2014
Total posts 171
It does appear to be 18 or 19 floors judging by the windows, so I would imagine a few hundred rooms - not giant, but taller than the DoubleTree and it looks wider too.
23 Oct 2019
Total posts 1
2 years ago we booked a table for 6 on my birthday and when we sat down the menu was handed over it had similar food, but when the food came it was cold, I checked with the staff, and realized executive chef was changed and asked why, then we were told it is not Hilton any more, obviously it showed on the plate.
We are very happy to hear the news. Was very sad when we realized that Hilton was sold.
My children loved the kids menu which was fabulous and we are anxiously waiting to dine.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
12 Sep 2011
Total posts 191
Checked rates for a conference -very high - much higher than SYD hotels and frankly as a Diamond if I dont get a free upgrade and there is no lounge why would i bother? Flyertalk aptly pointed out hotels are now just a bed, no perks so stay in an AIRBnB or Hotels.com apartment/apartotel and dont worry about contact and lack of service(s)
05 Apr 2012
Total posts 27
Tried phoning the hotel, but no luck. Guess I have to wait until March 22
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer - Chairmans Lounge
01 Sep 2011
Total posts 393
I went looking for the hotel on Little Queen Street while in Melbourne working on the Australian Open last month. I searched for absolutely ages and even asked people walking by and no one knew where Little Queens Street was. I finally found it after an hour of walking. Stupid pinning the address on Little Queen Street instead of Bourke Street.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
19 Jan 2018
Total posts 22
I'm 56 and have lived in Melbourne my entire adult life... never knew Little Queen Street existed! Taxi drivers have got no chance of finding this place! True story.... I got in a taxi once at Flinders Street Station and asked the driver to take me to the MCG - he didn't know where it was!! I got out of the cab!
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