Sofitel Melbourne on Collins

OVERVIEW

Sofitel Melbourne on Collins offers the relaxed yet attentive style and service that the Sofitel brand is known for. All with a slight French flair, of course – expect to be hailed with plenty of “bonjours” as you move around the property.

You couldn’t ask for a more central location in Melbourne. This is the city’s designer shopping haven, and there are plenty of high-end dining options that cater to the business crowd that swagger through the area during the day. Plus, with the Victorian Parliament sitting just up the road, you never know who you’ll stumble past. By night, the area turns quiet, which means you’re guaranteed a great night sleep, though Melbourne’s best nightlife – think quirky hidden bars and best theatres – are a short stroll away.

The Sofitel Melbourne on Collins does have a business edge to its charm, making it particularly appealing for business travelers. The hotel building also houses some offices and retail spaces, and guests walk past the property’s meeting rooms on their way to the lobby.

CLUB ACCESS

Arguably the best – if least advertised – facility at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins is Club Sofitel, the hotel’s very own version of an executive lounge. Tucked into a corner on the 35^th floor, Club Sofitel is a tranquil retreat with stunning panoramas over St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and offers a host of useful services and amenities to discerning travelers.

If private check-ins and check-outs, and elevated room experiences aren’t enough to convince you, the Executive Breakfast should be reason enough to book a room with club access. Grab a window-side table and start your day with a feast of juices, fresh bread and pastries, assorted cereals and fresh fruits, and made-to-order coffees, teas and hot dishes. You won’t want to miss the masterful eggs benedict.

Throughout the day, Club Sofitel is a great spot to do a little work. There’s complimentary Wi-Fi, TVs tuned into new channels (with the volume turned low, naturally) and coffee on demand. When the work day’s over, take a load off with the club’s happy hour offering, which includes a range of drinks and canapés.

DINING AND DRINKING

Surrounded by a smorgasbord of Melbourne’s best dining, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins made the wise decision to limit their F&B offerings to a capsule collection of well-executed offerings – specifically, one restaurant, one bar, and a lounge.

No35 Restaurant is the hotel’s sophisticated dining room, where art appears on the plates and the walls. Taking advantage of all the fresh produce available around Melbourne, the menu here focuses on seasonal local ingredients that come together to create bright, modern dishes with a definitively Australian accent.

Tucked under the soaring atrium roof and the 15-floor mirrored canopy that dominates the building’s atrium, Atrium Bar on 35 is everything you’d expect from a hotel bar. Except drinks are taken seriously here, so you’ll get much, much more than an average glass of wine. The extensive drinks list features a well-curated Champagne (and wine) selection, signature craft cocktails, and boutique beers. Small snacks are served with drinks as a matter of course, but if your stomach’s grumbling, there’s a menu of bar bites menu available.

There’s nothing more luxe then whiling away an afternoon over tea, and Sofi’s Lounge caters to this with a lovely afternoon tea experience. You’ll find the classic combination of sandwiches, savouries and sweet treats available throughout the week, but on occasion, the lounge offers exclusive high tea experiences in collaboration with other brands – most recently, the collaborative tea experience celebrated an Escher exhibition at the nearby National Gallery of Victoria.

RATES

The entry-level Classic King Rooms start from US$168.