Hyatt Centric Melbourne: Amazing new property

[Berlin]

What an amazing brand new property!

Having stayed at Centric hotels in Montevideo and Miami before, I was curious to see how the new Melbourne property round stack up. Staying here in the first week of opening, I’m delighted to say that it’s amazing. Great location, just a block from Southern Cross station, amazing super modern rooms and a great breakfast on the top floor which was luckily free for Globalist members, otherwise quite overpriced for the tiny (but tasty) portions. Received an amazing upgrade to a one bedroom suite with bay views.

We love this concept- way more modern than traditional Hyatts but still a classy high quality luxury experience. But like an Andaz but maybe one grade down from there. Only a few little glitches with housekeeping during our stay but that was all fixed quickly and I give them some slack during the first week. We loved the modern, very clean design throughout and the fancy indoor pool which was great for a splash or to hang out and relax even- we loved that they played current EDM/pop music rather than the usual retiree stuff you have to endure usually in these places.

All in all a great new addition to Melbourne- we solidly loved it and have already booked our next stay in March.

 

[jakeseven7]

50 metres down Flinders Lane I can also recommend another brand new Melbourne hotel - the Quincy which is the first of its kind outside Singapore.

Very funky cool, breakfast *almost* as good as a Melbourne cafe. Very different to the Centric but worth a look!

 

[desafinado74]

Both the Hyatt and Quincy look great, but personally i don't like that end of town. Pretty boring at night, and you need to take a tram down the middle of the CBD.

 

[jakeseven7]

Both the Hyatt and Quincy look great, but personally i don't like that end of town. Pretty boring at night, and you need to take a tram down the middle of the CBD.

You don’t like State of Grace?

But in general I agree, the New York district is still developing but is rapidly changing to catch up with the Paris end, so many new hotels going in and new restaurants. Needs a few more years. Better for business trips.

 

[Berlin]

You don’t like State of Grace?

But in general I agree, the New York district is still developing but is rapidly changing to catch up with the Paris end, so many new hotels going in and new restaurants. Needs a few more years. Better for business trips.

New York vs. Paris- yes, it feels a bit like that! I actually don't mind as a visitor- it's within the free tram zone and an Uber or Didi is less than $10 to pretty much anywhere, even in rush hour as I just noticed. And the new Centric is such a nice hotel- I think I've found my new 'Local' here in Melbourne.

Look at that awesome breakfast, even the coffee is decent (for a Sydneysider, not sure if it would stand the Melbourne test...)

 

[desafinado74]

New York vs. Paris- yes, it feels a bit like that! I actually don't mind as a visitor- it's within the free tram zone and an Uber or Didi is less than $10 to pretty much anywhere, even in rush hour as I just noticed. And the new Centric is such a nice hotel- I think I've found my new 'Local' here in Melbourne.

Look at that awesome breakfast, even the coffee is decent (for a Sydneysider, not sure if it would stand the Melbourne test...)

Wow, the breakfast looks great ! I may have to do a staycation here one day. As for the coffee, haha, don't worry, i am not a coffee snob. The overall coffee standard in Melbourne is pretty good anyway.

 

[desafinado74]

You don’t like State of Grace?

But in general I agree, the New York district is still developing but is rapidly changing to catch up with the Paris end, so many new hotels going in and new restaurants. Needs a few more years. Better for business trips.

I only just found out about State of Grace after you mentioned it, hoho. I will have to check it out one day. I do agree with you re the "NYC v Paris " districts. For sure, it is a big improvement from say, 10 to 20 years ago. The nearby Quincy and Movenpick hotels look very nice too. And further down, past Southern Cross station, Collins Square and that part of Docklands are pretty decent too.

 

[jakeseven7]

I only just found out about State of Grace after you mentioned it, hoho. I will have to check it out one day. I do agree with you re the "NYC v Paris " districts. For sure, it is a big improvement from say, 10 to 20 years ago. The nearby Quincy and Movenpick hotels look very nice too. And further down, past Southern Cross station, Collins Square and that part of Docklands are pretty decent too.

Breakfast at the Quincy throws shade on the Hyatt - give it a go! It’s Melbourne cafe quality food. Coffee not quite there though!

 

[Berlin]

Wow, the breakfast looks great ! I may have to do a staycation here one day. As for the coffee, haha, don't worry, i am not a coffee snob. The overall coffee standard in Melbourne is pretty good anyway.

Yea- one of the best hotel breakfasts I had in a long time though the portions were a bit odd (some huge, some tiny and the menu didn't really make this clear). Liked that it was all flavoured a bit different from the usual- North African spices on the eggs, pita bread with the Avocado- suited the overall hotel very well.

And 'staycation' is exactly what I'm planning for my next work trip to Melbourne- the pool area in particular lends itself perfectly to this.

 

[penegal]

Since when was that ever known as the "New York" end of the city? New York as in drugs on the street? i.e. meatpacking pre-gentrification, or east village at 3am, or Morningside on a bad day, or upper upper upper east side? - maybe at a pinch;

Otherwise it's just the "cough" end of the city to me, or the "legal district" because the courts are clustered around William St, or the "stripper district" because of King St... Just because a foreign developer built an apartment building called "Upper West Side", we are suddenly NYC? Although to be fair, that part of town has certainly been gentrifying, although my big fear is that the state government has pushed that back a decade with the lockdowns of the past two years. The whole CBD feels a hell of a lot more dodgy than it used to. And most of those office buildings are [mostly] empty most of the time.

On topic - I haven't stayed at the Centric yet... I actually want to, so may book a staycation at some point soon.

Hopefully the continuing development at that end of town will help to gentrify things further. The new 1Hotel / Seafarers development looks pretty cool, although the old WTC will be very dated, and looks out of place now. Wasn't that temporary anyway? Remember? LOL

---

Melbourne is certainly doing our best to emulate New York City rush hour traffic, but using far fewer cars. The real big problem with Melbourne now is the City of Melbourne and their stupid anti-car traffic restrictions. One lane each way, with no spots to pull over or park, or turn corners destroys traffic flow because:

• Cars turn corners... Cars can't turn left while pedestrians are crossing, therefore at intersections, we need more than one lane each way at an intersection if you want more than ~3-4 cars to make it through a light change.
• Taxis and Ubers/Didi/Ola/Whatever stop / prop [illegibly] (for pick up and set down of fares / passengers). If there are no spaces for them to pull over, they will stop in the middle of the road, or half pull over, but not leave enough space for a car to get around them and stop traffic.
• Cars can't move onto the tram tracks, even temporarily to pass a stationary vehicle, because we have build concrete barriers to stop this.

Also the Flinders Street closure for the metro tunnel means significantly less West to East traffic flow.

For those playing at home... In peak traffic times you are best terminating your ride on the edge of the Hoddle grid and taking the free tram the "last mile". This travel tip could save you 45 minutes in heavy peak - Friday / Saturday early evening (no exaggeration).

 

[penegal]

Whilst Aura may be home to a few too many people who's photographs appear on the wall of a building just up Spencer Street, it isn't all bad.

I can highly recommend:

State of Grace - incorporating street level restaurant, "fall from grace" cellar bar, and rooftop bar. (as mentioned upthread). This is the new location of the old State of Grace for those familiar.
27 King Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Mr Huang Jin - Taiwanese restaurant
24 Katherine Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000

Insignia on Flinders - lovely family run pub on the King/Flinders corner. Tell mum I sent you.
502 Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000