Flack Studio has fitted out Melbourne's Hannah St Hotel with rich artistic touches.
Tyson Beckett checks into Hannah St Hotel, a deluxe design destination encompassing everything that attracts you to Melbourne.
Location: Occupying 10 floors of a A$500 million, 65-storey apartment development at 19 Walker St, the 188-room Hannah St Hotel stands proudly in Melbourne’s thrumming Southbank.
Perfect For: Visitors to Australia’s cultural capital who want the city’s best attractions on their doorstep, and stellar eating options inside it.
First Impressions: Check-in is from 3pm, but you can get the formalities dealt with online before you arrive. The same painless portal handles requests and queries during your stay.
The brand-spanking new hotel sells itself as sitting at the junction of grit and glamour, where heritage meets modernity. That’s evident from the outset – my 20-minute Uber from the airport pulls up under a stark highway overpass and I duck into a sensory-rich lobby – welcomed by Mirror Sheila, an ochre-hued shamanic sculpture by Australian artist Justene Williams.
Throughout Hannah St, displays of bold, textural materiality are anchored by unfussy textural elegance, the type synonymous with high-end architecture practice Flack Studio, which design buffs will associate with Troye Sivan’s home or the Ace Hotel in Sydney.
A study in contrast and character, Hannah St Hotel fits right into TFE Collection’s Australasian compendium of deluxe design properties – alongside Brisbane’s The Calile, The Eve in Sydney and The Hotel Britomart in Auckland.
The room: Perched in the pointy prow of the wedge-shaped building, the 45sqm lookout corner suites have floor-to-ceiling glass windows that frame the city, from sunrise to night.
In addition to the panoramic outlook, the supersized suite’s other details lend an unhurried air: there are soft light fixtures, warm timber, and an upholstered reading chair to sink into. The generous living zone has slouchy banquette seating and a stupendously large 65″ smart television with Chromecast.
Bathroom: It’s sans bath, but the bathroom is not without room – it’s the definition of capacious. Frosted glass doors separate the shower and toilet from the main area which is stocked with discerning amenities like Malin + Goetz products. Even the plush pinstripe robe reflects the wider balance of comfort and considered design.
Facilities: Striking stripes tile the 25m lap pool, tempting lap-swimmers and casual bathers alike on Level 9. Referred to as ‘The Clubhouse’, this floor comprises several sunny spaces designed towards both mental and physical restoration – unwind on the outdoor terrace, in the sauna and steam room or re-energise in the fully equipped gym before taking on the city again.
Multifunctional spaces like the Carriage Lounge and the conservatory Terrace Lounge cater stylishly to those catching up with work or friends. There’s even a podcast studio to delight digital nomads.
Food and drink: The hotel has five eateries and bars that operate from first coffee to last drink.
Hannah St Coffee’s street window fuels days of exploration and on return, lobby level Bar Hannah serves tipples and bar snacks.
Across the day the marvellous, marbled-lined corner bistro and bar Coupette offers a seriously unmissable Franco-Italian menu.
The breakfast menu (available 7-11am) starts with buttery croissants ($8) and dainty oat cups ($16) and ends with more fortifying full breakfasts ($34), green goddess bowls ($27) and eggs every which way. Many of the dishes (including a supremely silky and spicy blue spanner crab omelette, $28) are also available on the in-room dining menu.
Come evening, moreish wine-bar-style snacks prelude superb bistro classics like hangar steak frites, $42, and market fish with clam tartare and beurre blanc, $MP.
A standout tartare sees ruby jewels of beef studded with jolts of horseradish, a combination so enamouring I was onto my second mouthful before the unflappable waiter could say “served with beef tendon crisps”. Tasty, crunchy and savoury - I was instantly sold.
Unbelievably, the best bit was yet to come. “Would you be interested in our secret menu martini shot service?” a server with a glint in their eye asked while clearing our tray of oyster shells. A frosty cold shaker arrived at the table to dispense a micro martini into the empty shell. Like the rest of the meal, the saline sip was a timeless classic served in playfully surprising style.
Also tailored to an adult palate, the minibars are a cut above. Filled with local treats and drinks let guests savour the city without leaving their room.
In the Neighbourhood: The hotel’s location reflects the urbanist concept of the 15-minute neighbourhood, where food, wellness, education, and cultural amenities are within a quarter-hour walk or bike ride.
A kilometre away, South Melbourne Market is the city’s oldest. Beloved by locals and visitors for a lively mix of fresh produce and street-food favourites. Don’t miss a memento from the analogue photo booth.
I mosey to Melbourne’s Sports and Entertainment Precinct, to catch the Australian Open along the river promenade, passing through the cultural corridor with art lovers flocking to the NGV’s Westwood Kawakubo exhibition and the Arts Centre for Diva.
Shoppers will delight in the fact that the CBD’s fashion boutiques and emporiums are within hauling distance, just over the river.
Sustainability: Hannah St doesn’t yell about green gestures. Instead, sustainable practices are integrated holistically into the form and function of the 5 Star Green Star building. Passive design principles maximise daylight and reduce energy demand. Water conservation efforts include harvesting rainwater for toilet flushing.
Accessibility: The hotel offers a range of disability-accessible features that support greater inclusivity and convenience. Public spaces and the gym are accessible, and an access lifter is available to assist pool guests.
Platform lifts are at both entrances and main elevators have audible indicators and braille buttons. Signage throughout features high-contrast lettering.
The hotel has 14 rooms designed which provide comfort, safety, and independence for disabled guests – designs tailored specifically towards mobile, speech or hearing, and vision impairments.
Staff are trained to serve guests with physical and cognitive disabilities.
Price: Booking six weeks out, you can expect to pay $700 for a night in a lookout corner suite.
Contact: hannahsthotel.com
The New Zealand Herald travelled and stayed courtesy of TFE and Visit Victoria.