voco Melbourne Central
I’ve booked voco (no upper case) Melbourne Central for the weekend away with my best friends to celebrate my 50th birthday.
I had not been sure which hotel to select, what mood I wanted to create. Choosing the location was agony. If anyone should know where to go for the event it should be me. But I was unsure: there were too many options, and as usual I had left it to the last minute, preferring to look after my clients and their venue needs, ensuring that they have the best venue for their event, and hoping that when the time came my venue would fall into my lap. That’s a little bit how voco Melbourne Central became the location for this small, personal gathering. It is hard to find. In an unassuming part of the city, it is nestled in among small Melbourne streets and laneways close to shops, bars, restaurants. So from the outset it offers guests a true Melbourne experience—an out-of-the way venue inviting you on a city adventure and exploration. True to the spirit of the little blue bird in its logo, it is a cute, modern, quaint Melbourne hotel. It’s a little different, a little odd, but mostly fun and practical. One of the highlights of our voco Melbourne stay was the exciting and confronting lift experience. What happened was that we got into the lift, talking, excited about the time ahead, away from the kids and families, only to realise as the door opened that we were on the wrong floor. We waved the room card again in front of the floor level reader and tried to select our floor but nothing happened except that the lift went down to the ground level, where other people were waiting. They took it to the reception level where we got out. |
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We called the lifts up again, continued talking and laughing, but on a mission now to get to our floor and get rid of the small overnight bags. But the room key card still wouldn’t allow us to select our floor. We were now travelling up again to who knows where. More laughing. Then the lift opened - again on the wrong floor.
The lady who was there looked at us with raised eyebrows.
“Help!” we said. “How do we get out of this lift on the right floor?”
She said, “The same thing happened to me! You have to select your floor outside the lift, note which lift number will be coming for you and get into that lift. Then you wave the room key card in front of the little sensor inside the hopefully correct lift, confirming your access to the selected floor.”
This time we made it to the right floor.
Eventually, and now well acquainted with the hotel lifts and various floors, we arrived at our room. We were impressed by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Lonsdale Street, revealing the rooftops of many bars and the facades of inner-city buildings, and surprised by the mixture of the city’s architecture. In one of the laneways, we could see a row of tall, narrow, elaborately decorated old terraces that reminded us of Amsterdam. A little bit further along were gothic buildings that would be quite at home in Prague.
The lady who was there looked at us with raised eyebrows.
“Help!” we said. “How do we get out of this lift on the right floor?”
She said, “The same thing happened to me! You have to select your floor outside the lift, note which lift number will be coming for you and get into that lift. Then you wave the room key card in front of the little sensor inside the hopefully correct lift, confirming your access to the selected floor.”
This time we made it to the right floor.
Eventually, and now well acquainted with the hotel lifts and various floors, we arrived at our room. We were impressed by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Lonsdale Street, revealing the rooftops of many bars and the facades of inner-city buildings, and surprised by the mixture of the city’s architecture. In one of the laneways, we could see a row of tall, narrow, elaborately decorated old terraces that reminded us of Amsterdam. A little bit further along were gothic buildings that would be quite at home in Prague.
The bathroom facilities were luxurious, with the same floor-to-ceiling windows, revealing the city in its full glory to guests. It was a heaven for the exhibitionists. I’ve discovered that I am an exhibitionist. I enjoyed the feeling of space, of seeing the city alive, underneath and around me, as I was showering, on the toilet or my brushing teeth. There is always something interesting to look at. The city is in your bathroom, or the bathroom is mid-air among the city buildings and streets. If you prefer privacy, simply pull the dark, long curtains and voila. Personally, I couldn’t get enough of this exposed bathroom experience and loved being there later in the evening with city lights on.
Once the other two friends arrived we decided that one of their bedrooms was better suited for a quick catch up before we headed out to a bar and restaurant for dinner. Two of us perched on the bed seat and the other two sat at the small table setting. It was just perfect for four middle-aged women drinking champagne, eating dark Negroni chocolates and talking, talking, talking.
Once the other two friends arrived we decided that one of their bedrooms was better suited for a quick catch up before we headed out to a bar and restaurant for dinner. Two of us perched on the bed seat and the other two sat at the small table setting. It was just perfect for four middle-aged women drinking champagne, eating dark Negroni chocolates and talking, talking, talking.
We left voco Melbourne for a couple of hours to enjoy the sunset from a new city bar but we were back soon, now walking confidently to the voco Melbourne laneway, entering through the ground floor mini reception, and going up the lift into the main reception and meeting rooms area. This floor is playfully designed: guests can choose their preferred small arched wall opening only to discover that both roads are heading in the same direction–in front of three curved reception desks. The fun continues through other arched openings inviting you to explore further. As you are waiting for the check in, you will notice a curved staircase promising another destination. Up the staircase is the Blacksmith Bar & Grill. If you head down the hallway you will find yourself at the hotel bar, stocked to the ceiling with bottles and glasses, with a view onto the terrace and the above ground heated pool, surrounded by the neighbouring city buildings. On the same floor is the high-ceilinged, open, bright, modern restaurant, with access to the same wide terrace.
Dinner that night will stay with me forever because of the friends, conversation, laughter, welcoming atmosphere, yummy food and the professional service with smile. Blacksmith Bar & Grill buzzed with guests: groups, couples and families. We indulged our tastebuds in champagne and good food, talking and sharing what we love about each other and why we were here at this moment, still friends after many decades. The conversation continued the next morning in the same restaurant. This is one of those rare restaurants that successfully metamorphoses from an elegant, evening atmosphere to a fresh breakfast vibe.
If your conference and team need to be in the midst of the Melbourne CBD and you are looking for a fresh, fun and modern experience partnered with good service and food, and you are searching for a good value events venue, consider voco Melbourne. Contact us and we will do the rest. We could even organise a site tour and meet you in person at the hotel.
Dinner that night will stay with me forever because of the friends, conversation, laughter, welcoming atmosphere, yummy food and the professional service with smile. Blacksmith Bar & Grill buzzed with guests: groups, couples and families. We indulged our tastebuds in champagne and good food, talking and sharing what we love about each other and why we were here at this moment, still friends after many decades. The conversation continued the next morning in the same restaurant. This is one of those rare restaurants that successfully metamorphoses from an elegant, evening atmosphere to a fresh breakfast vibe.
If your conference and team need to be in the midst of the Melbourne CBD and you are looking for a fresh, fun and modern experience partnered with good service and food, and you are searching for a good value events venue, consider voco Melbourne. Contact us and we will do the rest. We could even organise a site tour and meet you in person at the hotel.