Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer

Delivering subdued decadence in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer is a pragmatic choice for inner city relaxation and exploring.

Swiss culinary brand Mövenpick – yes, the ice-cream people – opened its Melbourne CBD hotel in 2021. Suited to city explorers, the four-star Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer is a simple, stylish choice for groups or families looking to be near the action at Marvel Stadium, or within walking distance to the city’s buzzing culinary and events scene.

Location

the exterior of Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer — Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer is set in the heart of the CBD.

Melbourne’s CBD is well-known for having a ‘Paris end’ to its east, chock-full of luxury European fashion boutiques, and a ‘Docklands end’ to its west, which culminates in the city’s banking district, Southern Cross rail station and the impressive Marvel Stadium. Choosing to part from its European roots, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer is situated at the Docklands end.

Opened in late 2021 and housed in the glittering Premier Tower, it is ideal for guests who are visiting for events at Marvel, who plan to enjoy some city exploration, or who travel regionally by train or by public transport from Melbourne International Airport.

Accommodation that’s a 3-minute walk from rail and Skybus depots means you won’t lose any time caught in traffic. Plus, if you are in town for a Marvel sports game or iconic music experience at the stadium (Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, Mariah Carey and Oasis are all slotted for upcoming concerts), being an 8-minute walk from the action means your journey home, or onto a late-night cocktail, is straightforward: No Uber queues or jam-packed trams.

Style & Character

a look inside the suite living area at Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer — The rooms are tastefully furnished with plush seating.

Part of the Accor group, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer comes with the expected high-quality finishes of a 4-star hotel – plush velveteen seating, acoustic dampening in its rooms, sparkling water on tap, and lashings of space, so you can kick back and relax.

The curved building’s silhouette is famously inspired by Beyoncé’s silhouette and once inside, contemporary references continue. Rooms are bright and airy with warm brass tones, luxurious bedding and expanses of glass.

Individual hotel rooms are designed for relaxing rather than business (most don’t have a desk), instead being kitted out with a sofa, coffee table and all the amenities needed for some stay-in indulgence – great for families with kids, or trips with friends staying in neighbouring rooms.

Facilities

the daily chocolate hour at Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer — Indulge in daily complimentary chocolates.

The stand-out difference between Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer and its local competition is the venue’s daily chocolate hour. Running from 2pm-3pm each day, the hotel’s cocktail bar is turned into a pop-up chocolaterie, offering complimentary bite-sized cakes, chocolates and nibbles for guests. Whether you have been busy sightseeing, shopping or exploring the nearby riverbank, it’s the perfect excuse to relax with a cuppa and a handful of Swiss chocolate-covered pretzels.

the outdoor heated lap pool at Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer — Relax in the heated lap pool.

If you find yourself hitting the chocolate hour a little too frequently, the on-site gym, 25-metre lap pool and sauna are a convenient palate cleanser. Functional rather than luxurious, the facilities are perhaps the least luxurious area of the hotel. On a windy day, the partly open-air lap pool area can be briskly cool; however, the adjoining hot tub makes warming up a breeze

Rooms

a look inside the Deluxe King Room, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer — The Deluxe King Room offers a cosy place to retreat to in the CBD.

There are 172 rooms and suites at Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer, ranging from family rooms, twin rooms and suites – most of which offer more room than the average city-centre hotel. All are equipped with coffee/tea making facilities, mini bars and robes.

Being in the heart of the CBD does mean noise, city lights and tramlines, so added details like heavy blackout curtains and soundproof glazing come in handy.

Food & Drink

dining at Onsite restaurant Miss Mi, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer — Dine on upscale south-east Asian fare.

Onsite restaurant Miss Mi is the crown jewel of this hotel. Specialising in south-east Asian fare, the menu combines rich Indian and Malaysian flavours with fragrant Thai and Vietnamese influences.

Executive chef Migo Razon’s take on local favourites such as kingfish ceviche – dressed in lemongrass, fresh herbs, desert lime preserve and persimmon – and baked scallops topped with black bean, aromatics and lardo makes for an intriguingly successful twist.

food on the table at Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer — The menu marries rich Asian flavours. (Image: Clare Acheson)

As for south-east Asian classics, the Filipino kaldereta beef short rib melts in the mouth. Beef rendang and Penang duck curry fill out the warming spice offerings, accompanied by the puffed phulka roti (don’t be surprised when it arrives like an inflated pastry soccer-ball, not a pancake!). The dessert offerings also take cues from Asia and includes a warm ube mochi, served with a rich caramelised ube compote, crispy pinipig toasted rice grains and paper-like white chocolate shards.

Our recommendation: Order the DIY sisig bao accompanied by the Miss Mi Thai bitters martini, especially if you are dining with friends. The twice-cooked pork comes served with a glistening egg yolk and several soft, fluffy bao, so you can each adjust your own chilli, mint and coriander to taste. As for the martini, it tastes like nothing else in Melbourne thanks to Miss Mi’s spirits collaboration with nearby gin producer Little Lon Distillery, delivering a citrusy, herbaceous kick.

It’s open weekdays for lunch and evening sittings, seven days a week.

Does Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer have access for guests with disabilities?

Yes, including accessible restaurant and cafe areas.

Is Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne On Spencer family-friendly?

Undoubtedly, yes.

With free ice-cream for the kids for the duration of their stay, a pool that’s big enough for them to splash in while you relax in the spa, and rooms that are designed for lounging and gaming, it’s a fantastic city spot for family trips.

The Details

Best for: Families, city visitors who want to be near the action at Marvel Stadium

Address: 160 Spencer St, Melbourne

Price: From $258 per night

Wind through fern tunnels, stop for a wine in a tram bar, or chase giant murals across the wheatbelt. These drives and rides prove Victoria’s best stories are found off the straight and narrow.

There’s something unmistakably Australian about a road trip: car packed, playlist on, landscapes shifting. Travelling down the highway toward Healesville, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley , the mountains rise, flanking me on both sides. I feel its embrace, a silent invitation to explore what lies beyond.

Moss-covered embankments rise on either side, and towering mountain ash trees form a green tunnel overhead. Road signs warn of wombats and cyclists but with giant ferns lining the roadside, the landscape feels prehistoric, as if a dinosaur might suddenly emerge. This, the Black Spur , is one of my favourite road trips.

The Black Spur

Location: Yarra Ranges
Duration: 30 kilometres / 30 minutes

The Black Spur is short compared to other Victorian road trips, just 30 kilometres, stretching from Healesville to Narbethong. But what it lacks in distance, it makes up for in scenery. Just outside Healesville, Maroondah Dam offers bushwalks and scenic views. However, if pressed for time, Selover’s Lookout is an easy roadside stop offering uninterrupted views of the dam.

In Narbethong, close to the Marysville’s snowfield, is the Black Spur Inn , a charming double-storey brick hotel that’s been welcoming travellers since 1863. Here, diners cosy up by the roaring fire or gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows, imagining horse-drawn coaches carrying hopeful gold seekers to the eastern goldfields.

Victoria’s Silo Art Trail

Location: Various towns across the Wimmera Mallee region
Duration: More than 200 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

What began as a way to draw travellers back into town bypassed by highways – places such as Nullawil, Sea Lake and Patchewollock – has grown into a celebrated outdoor art movement. The Silo Art Trail now includes 23 silos, each transformed with large-scale mural portraits sharing local stories, celebrating community heroes, Indigenous history, farming life, or regional identity.

The Nullawil silo, for example, is a portrait of a local farmer in a chequered flannelette shirt alongside his loyal kelpie, painted by artist Sam Bates (AKA Smug). And the silos at Albacutya in the Grampians, painted by artist Kitt Bennett, depict her joyful memories of growing up in the countryside. Many of the murals sit right in the heart of small towns, such as Rochester and St Arnaud , making them perfect spots to pause for a country pub meal or something sweet from a local bakery.

Metung to Mallacoota

Location: Gippsland
Duration: Approximately 220 kilometres / 4 hours

The Gippsland Lakes are a much-loved holiday spot in Victoria, but road-tripping further east reveals much more. Begin in Metung and time your visit with the monthly farmers’ market, or simply linger over lunch on the lawn of the Metung Hotel. Twenty minutes away is Lakes Entrance , where you can watch the fishing boats return with their catch.

Lakes Entrance. (Image: Visit Victoria/Iluminaire Pictures)

Continue to Marlo, where the Snowy River spills into the sea, and Cape Conran for its many beaches and walks. If needing to stretch your legs, Croajingolong National Park is home to the historic Point Hicks Lighthouse and the Wilderness Coast Walk. Birdwatching and rainforest trails near Bemm River are worth a pit stop before arriving in Mallacoota, where the forest meets the sea.

Great Ocean Road

Location: South-west Victoria, from Torquay to Allansford
Duration: Approximately 250 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days

Victoria’s most famous road trip delivers it all: world-class surf breaks, rainforest walks, clifftop lookouts and wildlife encounters. The journey begins in Torquay, the state’s surf capital, then hugs the coast past Anglesea and Lorne to Apollo Bay, before curving inland through the lush rainforest of the Otways. Stop at Cape Otway Lightstation or take to the treetops at Otway Fly.

Between Cape Otway and Port Campbell lies the most photographed stretch – seven of the Twelve Apostles still standing, alongside the golden cliffs of Loch Ard Gorge. Further west, Warrnambool is a winter whale-watching hotspot, before the road winds to Port Fairy, a charming fishing village of whalers’ cottages, walking trails and offshore seal colonies further along the coast.

Bellarine Taste Trail

Terindah Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Bellarine Peninsula
Duration: Approximately 80 kilometres / 2–3 hours

The Bellarine Taste Trail is a feast for the senses, winding through coastal towns, past boutique wineries and artisan producers. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure style trail – simply grab a map and build your own delicious journey.

You might wander historic, seafront Queenscliff, sip wine in a converted tram bar at Terindah Estate , sample a locally distilled whisky at The Whiskery in Drydale or pick up a jar of honey at Wattle Grove in Wallington. Seafood lovers can head to Portarlington, famous for its mussels. Eat them fresh at local restaurants or head out on the water with Portarlington Mussel Tours.

O’Keefe Rail Trail – Bendigo to Heathcote

Pink Cliffs Reserve in Heathcote can be seen on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 50 kilometres / 4 hours cycling

Travellers first journeyed between Heathcote and Bendigo in 1888, when the railway line was built to link the towns. Trains stopped running in 1956, but today the route has a new life as the O’Keefe Rail Trail . The path is mostly level for easy riding, and along the way you’ll cycle past bushland, waterways and reserves. There are plenty of places to picnic, birdwatch, and if you’re lucky, spot a platypus.

The trail is well supported with water stations, bike repair points, shelters, and signage. Axedale makes a great halfway stop, with the pretty Campaspe River Reserve for a rest and local cafes for refuelling. Begin in Heathcote, known for its wineries and cafes, or in Bendigo, which is easily reached by train from Melbourne/Naarm. Shorter sections, such as Heathcote to Axedale, are also popular.

Goldfields Track – Ballarat to Bendigo

Location: Central Victoria
Duration: Approximately 210 kilometres / 2–3 days cycling

The Goldfields Track traces a route once so rich in gold it made Melbourne one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Starting at Mt Buninyong, south of Ballarat, the trail leads mountain cyclists and walkers north through Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine before finishing in Bendigo. Along the way, you’ll encounter granite outcrops, eucalypt forests, rolling farmland and remnants of the region’s mining past.

As it passes through the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung people, the track shares gold rush history and Indigenous stories brought to life by interpretive signs. Walk or ride the full trail or choose from one of its three distinct sections. With cosy stays, cafes and pubs, it’s easy to mix wilderness with comfort.

Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne delivers comfort and chocolate indulgence