The Local Edit: Get to Know This Little Collins Street Neighbourhood
Laneways filled with art, stories etched into historic buildings and a hotel that puts you right in the middle of it all.
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If Melbourne's famous for anything, it's a sense of discovery. Nothing beats the absolute thrill of ducking down a laneway, following the scent of coffee, and stumbling into something you didn't even know you were looking for.
In one particularly special part of the city — Little Collins street — that discovery will bring you to Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins. The hotel and its close neighbours are stitched together from historic buildings that once housed everything from Turkish baths to grand music retailers. Inside, things get even cooler. Its interiors are threaded with local stories, from a statement spiral staircase inspired by the drapery sold by Sidney Myer (yes, the founder of the eponymous department store) to a huge lobby mural by renowned Melbourne artist Lisa King.
Best of all, the hotel's position on Little Collins street puts you right in the centre of Melbourne's CBD. Here's how to plan your next weekend exploring the neighbourhood.
Begin in the Laneways
Forget Google Maps for a while. The best part of this Melbourne neighbourhood is its grid-like layout, meaning it's almost impossible to get lost. In fact, the laneways around Little Collins are best explored without a plan. Hosier Lane is the obvious icon, its walls splashed with artwork and graffiti. But veer off course and you'll also stumble upon AC/DC Lane with its nod to Aussie rock, or Centre Place where tiny cafes and restaurants are packed with the local lunch crowd.
Take Coffee Seriously
It might sound cliché, but in this neighbourhood coffee really is the fuel that keeps everything moving. Pellegrini's, which opened in 1954, is a time capsule of Melbourne's espresso beginnings, when Italian immigrants kickstarted the city's coffee culture. Nearby, Brother Baba Budan is instantly recognisable for the chairs hanging from its ceiling, and Dukes on Flinders Lane is where the locals queue for their morning fix. Staying nearby means you're never more than a few minutes from a genuinely great cup.
Dine Like a Local
Melbourne is nothing if not a food city and around Little Collins, you'll find flavours from every corner of the globe within walking distance. Fern Bar and Dining, tucked inside Hotel Indigo, is a slick all-day spot where menus lean into seasonal Victorian produce and good vibes. It's perfect for a pre-theatre bite or early-morning brekky. Venture outside the hotel and you're spoiled for choice: Cumulus Inc serves refined share plates in a converted warehouse, Grossi Florentino is your go-to for old-school Italian, and Embla is the best place to crack a bottle of natural wines and seriously good bar food. Our best advice? Come hungry.
Soak Up The Architecture
From gothic banks to Victorian-era buildings and Art Deco beauties, Melbourne's skyline is a result of decades of boom and reinvention. Design lovers will want to check out the Gothic Revival spires atop the Manchester Unity Building, look up at Gaunt's Clock in Royal Arcade, and explore the intricate mosaic floors inside the Block Arcade. If you're planning a trip for next winter, Open House Melbourne also gives you the rare chance to peek inside heritage buildings usually closed to the public. Around here, even the spaces between buildings are just as interesting as what's inside them.
The Perfect Base
When you're done wandering, Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins makes for a fitting place to land. Home to 179 modern, stylish rooms, it's built in a historic building and filled with nods to the neighbourhood. With a beautiful lobby area, luxe outdoor courtyard garden, and views across the city from almost every window, the space feels less like a cookie-cutter hotel and more like a continuation of the streets outside.
Want to stay in the thick of it? Find out more about Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins here.
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