Rydges Melbourne

Overview

After more than a year of exhaustive renovations, Rydges Melbourne has been reborn as an entirely new and thoroughly modern hotel in the city's theatre district. From the outside perspective of Exhibition Street it looks like little has changed from the 70s — but the interior has been totally gutted and transformed.

You've got a handful of stay options among the 370 luxurious new rooms at Rydges Melbourne. Choose from a classic king room, a larger suite or one of the apartments that come equipped with a kitchen, laundry and heaps of living space. The design is understated, comfortable and chic. And the views aren't bad either, looking out over Chinatown and Her Majesty's Theatre.

The latest tech has been installed throughout the hotel to create a seamless guest experience, including an effortless check-in process in which one of the many tablets dotted in the lobby which will spit out your room key for you.

The revamped amenities at Rydges Melbourne include the stylish rooftop pool (heated to a pleasant 28-degrees in winter), a sleek new gym with a terrace that's set to be home to yoga classes when the weather warms up, and the Bossley Bar and Restaurant.

At Bossley you can feast on the breakfast buffet, grab lunch or dinner, or just pop down for some of the team's signature cocktails. Our pick? The Bossley martini made with Four Pillars Olive Leaf gin, vermouth, sherry and a few drops of miso and saltbush infused olive oil. A carefully curated list of Australian and New Zealand wines also features.

In the coming months, Rydges Melbourne also hopes to open another bar on its second-floor terrace where you can sip on negronis while looking out over Exhibition Street and down the red lantern-lit China Town. It's definitely one to watch.