The 5 Most Expensive Hotel Rooms In Melbourne

The height of luxury accommodation can be found in world-renowned hotels sprinkled through Melbourne’s CBD and beyond but be mindful – an overnight stay can cost a pretty penny.

Do you ever wonder where the commuters dripping in designer attire spend the night in Melbourne? Are you planning to treat yourself to a night of opulence, cocooned in bed sheets with a thread count higher than you thought possible? Regardless of your motive for tracking down Melbourne’s most expensive hotel rooms, we’ve made the hunt easier by narrowing down the list.

From the Presidential Villa at Crown Towers to the Imperial Suite at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, check out these suite’s bells and whistles that warrant a mind-boggling price tag.

1. Presidential Villa; Crown Towers Melbourne

Peak price: $25,000+ per night

What a dream it would be to casually splurge on a comfortable night’s stay along the Yarra. There’s a reason the Presidential Villa can cost tens of thousands of dollars a night, though. Occupying the entire 38th floor of the Crown Towers, this suite spans over 1000 square metres, suggesting it might be the first hotel room to require a map.

the elegant interior of Presidential Villa; Crown Towers Melbourne — A night at the Presidential Villa of Crown Towers Melbourne will set you back $25k.

In addition to lavish amenities including a private butler, personal gym and meticulously designed dining room built to host a dozen guests, the Presidential Villa also provides guests with their very own limo service, as well as a 24/7 on-call team ready to fulfil an array of requests, no matter how obscure.

the elegant dining at Presidential Villa; Crown Towers Melbourne — A private butler and limo service are part of the deal.

The Presidential Villa has been an opulent staple of Crown Towers for decades, boasting four bedrooms – the master bedroom is home to not one, but two bathrooms – along with two separate lounge rooms and a private massage room complete with ambient lighting and calming décor.

For an unrivalled experience, order from world-class restaurants like Nobu and have it delivered to the suite; there’s no experience quite like tucking into premium sushi while draped in the softest bathrobe your skin will ever touch.

the living and dining interior of Presidential Villa; Crown Towers Melbourne — Check into the luxe Crown Presidential Villa.

2. Ritz-Carlton Suite; The Ritz-Carlton

Peak price: $12,000+ per night

A resplendent new addition to the upper echelon of Melbourne’s accommodation scene, The Ritz-Carlton opened its doors just over a year ago and all eyes have been on the Ritz-Carlton Suite .

Situated on the 79th floor – interestingly, the reception area occupies the 80th and uppermost level – this spacious suite is fit for utmost royalty. Modern chandeliers line the hallways upon entry, and the suite’s floor-to-ceiling windows allow for 360-degree views of the buzzing city and glistening waters of Port Phillip Bay.

the bathtub overlooking the city at the Ritz-Carlton Suite — Bathe overlooking the city.

Seeing as you’ve invested your hard-earned money into a night’s stay here, make a beeline to the fully stocked bar and nestle into one of the suite’s numerous armchairs that feel elegant to the touch.

The master bedroom’s walk-in wardrobe could comfortably host a small entourage, and a stay in this suite gives guests access to the exclusive Ritz-Carlton Club lounge, where the elite rub shoulders over an elevated breakfast menu.

the bathroom at Ritz-Carlton Suite — Take advantage of the walk-in wardrobe in your premier suite.

3. Extreme Wow Suite; W Melbourne

Peak price: $8000+ per night

Arguably the most offbeat luxury hotel in the city, W Melbourne has carved its very own lane in high-class, avant-garde accommodation.

the bedroom at Extreme Wow Suite; W Melbourne — Bed down in the Extreme Wow Suite.

The most expensive room in this Flinders Lane soirée haven, the Extreme Wow Suite is fitted with unconventional features that immediately sets it apart from a standard penthouse suite.

the lavish interior of Extreme Wow Suite; W Melbourne — The Extreme Wow Suite is somewhat magical.

Mirrors line the ceiling, a deep charcoal colour scheme contrasts against vivid lighting, and a digital jukebox spans four oversized screens in the lounge room alone.

A spacious balcony appears tailor-made for entertaining and comes fully furnished with low, asymmetrical lounges. Combine all of that with a high-tech toilet plus a party-size spa bath, and this suite is the closest Melburnians will get to a Las Vegas-style weekend away.

the bath and shower at Extreme Wow Suite; W Melbourne — The bathroom is insanely big.

4. Imperial Suite; Sofitel Melbourne on Collins

Peak price: $8000+ per night

Despite looking and feeling like it was designed with the most extravagant materials in Australia, there’s a certain warmth associated with the Sofitel Melbourne’s Imperial Suite . The dark, wooden tables complement the cream and beige couches and walls, giving the 157-square-metre suite a homely, lived-in appeal.

the dining area at Sofitel Imperial Suite — The Imperial Suite evokes a luxurious but homey atmosphere.

Naturally, no $8000 room is complete without a telescope and gold-plated spa bath, both of which the Imperial Suite boasts with pride. The personal touches add a nice spin to the hotel experience, with monogrammed pillow slips and bathrobes, cosy slippers and daily chocolate treats waiting for you upon arrival.

the bathroom with a private tub at Sofitel Imperial Suite — The gold-plated bathtub is a boujee touch.

No 35 , the onsite restaurant at Sofitel Melbourne , will reserve a window seat for guests during their stay. But with the mini bar, telescope and 50th-floor views, you might choose to order room service and eat in the comfort of your new embroidered robe.

Bedroom in the Imperial Suite at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins — Sleep peacefully in the Imperial Suite.

5. Presidential Suite; Park Hyatt Melbourne

Peak price: $7000+ per night

It isn’t a ‘most expensive’ list if a grand piano fails to feature, and that’s the first thing you’ll see when walking through the grandiose doors of Park Hyatt Melbourne ’s Presidential Suite.

the Presidential Suite at Park Hyatt Melbourne — Step into the grandiose Presidential Suite.

Fitted with a fireplace for winter and plush carpeting throughout, it’d be easy to forget there’s life outside of this suite once you’re sipping complimentary red wine while attempting to hit the right piano keys, your back toasting against the roaring fire.

a spacious bathroom with a huge tub at the Presidential Suite, Park Hyatt Melbourne — Relax in the tub overlooking St Patrick’s Cathedral.

The checkerboard pattern of the bathroom tiles ups the ante even more, giving the Presidential Suite a regal flare usually reserved for English manors built in the 17th century. For the undecided, the bathroom contains both a shower and a deep tub overlooking St Patrick’s Cathedral.

the elegant dining at the Presidential Suite, Park Hyatt Melbourne — Park Hyatt Melbourne’s Presidential Suite is fitted with elegant amenities.

This list includes hotel room prices at their peak and excludes special deals, low-season bookings and weeknight bookings, so always check the hotel’s website and credible third-party booking sites for the best deal possible. Who knows? You might get lucky and taste the high life for a fraction of the cost.

Video credit: Visit Victoria/Tourism Australia

The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

There are no kangaroos back in Chicago: they’re all here in the Grampians/Gariwerd . In the heart of the Grampians National Park’s main gateway town, Halls Gap, pods of eastern greys are eating grass beside my parked rental car beneath the stars. Next morning, when I see the backyard of my rented villa on the edge of town for the first time, there are kangaroos feeding beside a slow-moving creek, lined with river red gums.

Five hundred metres up the road, 50 or so of them are eating by the side of the road in a paddock. I pull over to watch and spot three emus. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos fly overhead towards the tall green mountains just beyond town.

‘Kee-ow, keee-oww’… their calls fuse with the maniacal cackle of a kookaburra (or 10). Gawd, how I’ve missed the sound of them. Far above, a wedge-tailed eagle watches, and there you go: the ‘great birds of Australia’ trifecta, all half a kay from the town limits.

Exchanging city chaos for country calm

kangaroos near Halls Gap, Grampians National Park — The park is renowned for its significant diversity of native fauna species. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

I’ve come to the Grampians to disconnect, but the bush offers a connection of its own. This isn’t just any bush, mind you. The Grampians National Park is iconic for many reasons, mostly for its striking sandstone mountains – five ridges run north to south, with abrupt, orange slopes which tumble right into Halls Gap – and for the fact there’s 20,000 years of traditional rock art. Across these mountains there are more than 200 recorded sites to see, created by the Djab Wurrung, Jardwadjali and Gunditjmara peoples. It’s just like our outback… but three hours from Melbourne.

I’ve come here for a chance at renewal after the chaos of my life in America’s third-largest city, Chicago, where I live for now, at the whim of a relative’s cancer journey. Flying into Melbourne’s airport, it only takes an hour’s drive to feel far away from any concept of suburbia. When I arrive in Halls Gap two hours later, the restaurant I’m eating at clears out entirely by 7:45pm; Chicago already feels a lifetime ago.

The trails and treasures of the Grampians

sunrise at Grampians National Park /Gariwerd — Grampians National Park /Gariwerd covers almost 2000 square kilometres. (Image: Ben Savage)

Though the national park covers almost 2000 square kilometres, its best-known landmarks are remarkably easy to access. From my carpark here, among the cockatoos and kangaroos on the fringe of Halls Gap, it only takes 60 seconds’ driving time before I’m winding my way up a steep road through rainforest, deep into the mountains.

Then it’s five minutes more to a carpark that serves as a trailhead for a hike to one of the park’s best vantage points, The Pinnacles . I walk for an hour or so, reacquainting myself with the smells and the sounds of the Aussie bush, before I reach it: a sheer cliff’s edge lookout 500 metres up above Halls Gap.

walking through a cave, Hollow Mountain — Overlooking the vast Grampians landscape from Hollow Mountain. (Image: Robert Blackburn)

There are hikes and there are lookouts and waterfalls all across this part of the park near town. Some are a short stroll from a carpark; others involve long, arduous hikes through forest. The longest is the Grampians Peaks Trail , Victoria’s newest and longest iconic walk, which runs 160 kilometres – the entire length of Grampians National Park.

Local activities operator Absolute Outdoors shows me glimpses of the trail. The company’s owner, Adrian Manikas, says it’s the best walk he’s done in Australia. He says he’s worked in national parks across the world, but this was the one he wanted to bring his children up in.

“There’s something about the Grampians,” he says, as he leads me up a path to where there’s wooden platforms for tents, beside a hut looking straight out across western Victoria from a kilometre up in the sky (these are part of the guided hiking options for the trail). “There are things out here that you won’t see anywhere else in Australia.” Last summer, 80 per cent of the park was damaged by bushfire, but Manikas shows me its regrowth, and tells me of the manic effort put in by volunteers from town – with firefighters from all over Australia – to help save Halls Gap.

wildflowers in Grampians National Park — Spot wildflowers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

We drive back down to Halls Gap at dusk to abseil down a mountain under the stars, a few minutes’ walk off the main road into town. We have headlamps, but a full moon is enough to light my way down. It takes blind faith to walk backwards down a mountain into a black void, though the upside is I can’t see the extent of my descent.

Grampians National Park at sunset. (Image: Wine Australian)

The stargazing is ruined by the moon, of course, but you should see how its glow lights up the orange of the sandstone, like in a theme park. When I’m done, I stand on a rocky plateau drinking hot chocolate and listening to the Aussie animals who prefer nighttime. I can see the streets of Halls Gap off in the distance on this Friday night. The restaurants may stay open until 8pm tonight.

What else is on offer in The Grampians?

a boat travelling along the Wimmera River inDimboola — Travelling along the Wimmera River in Dimboola. (Image: Chris McConville)

You’ll find all sorts of adventures out here – from rock climbing to canoeing to hiking – but there’s more to the Grampians than a couple of thousand square kilometres of trees and mountains. Halls Gap may be known to most people, but what of Pomonal, and Dimboola, and Horsham? Here in the shadow of those big sandstone mountains there are towns and communities most of us don’t know to visit.

And who knew that the Grampians is home to Victoria’s most underrated wine region ? My disconnection this morning comes not in a forest, but in the tasting rooms and winery restaurants of the district. Like Pomonal Estate, barely 10 minutes’ drive east of Halls Gap, where UK-born chef Dean Sibthorp prepares a locally caught barramundi with lentil, pumpkin and finger lime in a restaurant beside the vines at the base of the Grampians. Husband-and-wife team Pep and Adam Atchison tell me stories as they pour their prize wines (shiraz is the hero in these parts).

dining at Pomonal Estate — Dine in a restaurant beside vines at Pomonal Estate. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Three minutes’ drive back down the road, long-time mates Hadyn Black and Darcy Naunton run an eclectic cellar door out of a corrugated iron shed, near downtown Pomonal. The Christmas before last, half the houses in Pomonal burnt down in a bushfire, but these locals are a resilient lot.

The fires also didn’t stop the construction of the first art centre in Australia dedicated to environmental art in a nature-based precinct a little further down the road (that’s Wama – the National Centre for Environmental Arts), which opened in July. And some of the world’s oldest and rarest grape vines have survived 160 years at Best’s Wines, outside the heritage town of Great Western. There’s plantings here from the year 1868, and there’s wines stored in century-old barrels within 150-year-old tunnels beneath the tasting room. On the other side of town, Seppelt Wines’ roots go back to 1865. They’re both only a 30-minute drive from Halls Gap.

Salingers of Great Western — Great Western is a charming heritage town. (Image: Griffin Simm)

There’s more to explore yet; I drive through tiny historic towns that barely make the map. Still part of the Grampians, they’re as pretty as the mountains behind them: full of late 19th-century/early 20th-century post offices, government offices and bank buildings, converted now to all manner of bric-a-brac stores and cafes.

The Imaginarium is one, in quirky Dimboola, where I sleep in the manager’s residence of an old National Australia Bank after a gourmet dinner at the local golf club, run by noted chef and teacher, Cat Clarke – a pioneer of modern Indigenous Australian cooking. Just south, I spend an entire afternoon at a winery, Norton Estate Wines, set on rolling calico-coloured hills that make me think of Tuscany, chit-chatting with owners Chris and Sam Spence.

Being here takes me back two decades, when I lived here for a time. It had all seemed as foreign as if I’d driven to another planet back then (from Sydney/Warrane), but there seemed something inherently and immediately good about this place, like I’d lived here before.

And it’s the Australian small-town familiarity of the Grampians that offers me connection back to my own country. Even in the better-known Halls Gap, Liz from Kerrie’s Creations knows I like my lattes with soy milk and one sugar. And while I never do get the name of the lady at the local Ampol station, I sure know a lot about her life.

Kookaburras on a tree — Kookaburras are one of some 230 bird species. (Image: Darren Donlen)

You can be a local here in a day; how good is that? In Chicago, I don’t even know who my neighbour is. Though each day at dusk – when the kangaroos gather outside my villa, and the kookaburras and the black cockatoos shout out loud before settling in to sleep – I prefer the quieter connection I get out there in the bush, beneath these orange mountains.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Sleep beside the wildlife on the edge of Halls Gap at Serenity .

Playing there

abseiling down Hollow Mountain — Hollow Mountain is a popular abseiling site.

Go abseiling under the stars or join a guided hike with Absolute Outdoors . Visit Wama , Australia’s first environmental art centre. Check out Dimboola’s eccentric Imaginarium .

Eating there

steak, naan bread and beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap serves a great steak on naan bread.

Eat world-class cuisine at Pomonal Estate . Dine and stay at much-revered icon Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld. The ‘steak on naan’ at Halls Gap brewhouse Paper Scissors Rock , can’t be beat.

Dunkeld Arboretum in Grampians National Park — The serene Dunkeld Arboretum.

For Halls Gap’s best breakfasts head to Livefast Cafe . Sip local wines at Great Western’s historic wineries, Best’s Wines , Seppelt Wines and Norton Estate Wines .

two glasses of beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Sink a cold one at Paper Scissors Rock.

The 5 most expensive hotel rooms in Melbourne