Melbourne’s shiny QT hotel is design driven and full of whimsy. But the emphasis on style doesn’t mean a lack of substance, as food and travel writer Melissa Leong discovers. Check in for the first in our series exploring the global trend of hotels that are becoming one-stop shops you’ll never need (or want) to leave. Photos by Jason Loucas.
If you’re after a stylish place to bed down in the centre of Melbourne, the city’s glamorous QT Melbourne has your back. Built with an emphasis on design and decadence, the property unites the energy of the surrounding city with the QT group’s signature style. From laneway street food to a quintessentially Melbourne rooftop bar, this is a vibrant showcase of a few of the things that make this city tick.
Think of QT Melbourne as that handsome, stylish friend who always dresses a little better than you. Art Deco features echo in textured glass panels, gilded light fixtures and clean, geometric lines, while industrial details such as cool, polished concrete and matt-black surfaces harmonise to create a chic space to hang your hat. Add mood lighting and plush finishes in jewel tones and you have an atmosphere that sings sexy low-key luxury with a little glam rock thrown in for good measure.
Rooms and suites are sleek and well appointed. Frosted sliding doors lend privacy, but open to create a grand sense of space. Malin+Goetz toiletries and decadently fluffy towels make bathing a pleasure, as does a tub in the centre of the room (for those splashing out on upscale digs). Add Bluetooth Bose speakers to the mix and you’re unwired for sound.
Post soak, pop on your swanky Kashwére robe (black, of course) and raid the well-stocked minibar while primping for dinner. If you feel peckish but lazy, the in-room dining menu runs the gamut from guilt-free to indulgent, including more than one type of cheese toastie and a great-for-the-indecisive breakfast option that features freshly baked pastries, crispy prosciutto, smashed avocado and a pot of granola-topped yoghurt. The vintage Champagne menu is a nice touch when celebrations are called for, though we think a bubble bath while binge-watching Netflix is reason enough to pop a cork.
In a city that loves a rooftop bar, QT Melbourne doesn’t fail to deliver. Take your tall drink of water to Rooftop at QT for a sunset gin and tonic overlooking the city skyline while contemplating your next move.
It’s darker and moodier downstairs at Pascale Bar & Grill, where there’s plenty of space to sip and people watch. The extensive dining menu is signed off by restaurant-industry stalwart Robert Marchetti and takes you on a trip around the world in bistro staples. From French favourites and Mediterranean antipasti to fancy Brit pub fare and contemporary Australian, it’s eclectic, if perhaps a little challenging to navigate. Pascale is open all day, from truffled scrambled eggs in the morning to wood-fired rib-eye at lunchtime to post-supper peach clafoutis.
Should a mid-afternoon slump strike, head to The Cake Shop in the lobby for a sugar hit – this place is a shrine to all things glazed, sweet and buttery. Fans of tasty bar snacks should make a beeline for Hot Sauce, an izakaya (Japanese pub) in QT’s Portland laneway, with a menu featuring Japanese and Korean favourites. Best visited late (and preferably with a rowdy group of friends), Hot Sauce specialises in sticks from the robata grill, friedchicken- stuffed bao and plenty of cold beer. As you’d expect, the house hot sauce packs a real punch.
A Japanese knife shop with the air of a jewellery boutique, Tanto is full of sharp ideas – literally. The store’s artisan blades, curated by the expert eyes of 10th-generation sword-makers, are essential for anyone with an appreciation for Japanese craftsmanship and a razor-like obsession with perfection.
If you do decide to let loose, QT is within easy reach of theatres, galleries, boutiques and some of the best restaurants and bars in town. Here are a few of our favourites. Supernormal J-pop vibes unite with Andrew McConnell’s dynamic menu of Asian-driven party food. A meal at the bar, replete with pickles, dumplings and spicy salads, is a Melbourne rite of passage. (180 Flinders Lane) Tipo 00 You’d be hard-pressed to find a better plate of pasta and glass of wine in the city. Next door, sister restaurant Osteria Ilaria is also worth a visit. (361 Little Bourke Street) (pictured) Embla Favourite hangout of many of the chefs during The World’s 50 Best, this cosy wine bar also offers seriously good food. (122 Russell Street)
French Saloon Expect French bistro classics executed with delicious finesse. Order a Lillet Blanc or Le Spritz for complete cultural immersion. (L1, 46 Hardware Lane) Bar Lourinha Latino snacks and fiesta fun brought to you by celebrated chef Matt McConnell. (37 Little Collins St) Soi 38 Authentically spicy Thai noodle soup served from a hole-in-the-wall eatery inside a car park? How very Melbourne. (38 McIlwraith Place)
