There are cities that become favorites even if you don’t actually live there. You simply enjoy them for all they have to offer and hope to visit them as often as you can. When it comes to cities that offer what I enjoy, Melbourne, Australia always ranks HIGH on my list. It has a certain charm. The parks, gardens, the arts, the theater and so much more. And yes, the people too! And let’s not forget the great food options 🙂 I don’t get to Melbourne often enough. Yet each time I visit I get to know the city better. Melbourne matches me well!
For my most recent visit I decided to spread my time in Melbourne across a variety of Hyatt properties, one of which was the Park Hyatt Melbourne. I do like to sample different hotels in Melbourne, as well as different areas of the city, so this idea worked well for me.
How I Paid and My Room Assignment at the Park Hyatt Melbourne
Don’t think for a minute that I’ll go easy on the Park Hyatt Melbourne as I pen this hotel and hotel room review. I may be a Hyatt fan girl, but that often means I hold Hyatt properties to a higher standard. After all, first impressions matter and if you’ve not yet stayed here I want you to have the best and most informed impression possible.
I’m not writing to promote Hyatt. I’m writing to inform readers!
Specifics About The Hotel And Some Park Hyatt Melbourne Backstory
The hotel has 245 rooms and 27 suites. I was told that Globalists like this property as a choice for Melbourne stays, and as you read more about the hotel and the amenities, you’ll see why. Interestingly though, it is not necessarily a mostly Hyatt member hotel. Clearly, the hotel is a favored choice among Hyatt fans.
Typical guests stay on average 2.2 days.
In case you’re wondering which months are the busiest and which months might be more off season, here’s your answer. As you might expect, winter time in Australia is their off season at the Park Hyatt. That means June, July, and August. Though Melbourne doesn’t get snow, it does get cold and rainy during those winter months.
Park Hyatt Melbourne lobby grand staircase
The hotel runs around 85% occupancy all year long. Occupancy during my stay was high at almost 100%. There were multiple cruise groups staying at the hotel. The hotel felt lively! As you might know, when big groups stay at a hotel there are also many times of the day when they are out and about and the hotel then feels quiet. That seemed to be the pattern during my stay.
Many think the Park Hyatt Melbourne is a historical building that’s been around for a very long time. That’s not the case. It was built in 1999 specifically to be a Park Hyatt property. It’s celebrating its 25th birthday this year!
The design and motif is meant to reflect the decor of a 1950’s cruise ship. When you first enter, and as you get to know the property better, you’ll see that it pulls off this design intention rather well. I personally love the look and feel of the hotel. It’s a unique building in a grand style that has held up very well!
There have been a series of refurbishments over the years. Five years ago they did a soft refurbishment. This means carpet, curtains, and furniture in the rooms were all updated.
I learned something interesting. Every year the Park Hyatt Melbourne changes out 50 rooms with new beds. This means that 5 years is the oldest any bed in the hotel would be. As with many hotels, there is always something that needs attention. Right now all 13 lifts are all being swapped out and modernized.
My recent stay at the Park Hyatt Melbourne was for five nights. I could have used a World of Hyatt free night award or booked nights with Hyatt points. Hotels in Melbourne can be super pricey. The all cash rate hovered between $400 and $600 USD a night. I decided to use points for my stay.
Remember, if you’re paying cash for a hotel stay, let Pruvo monitor your rate for price drops!
Park Hyatt Melbourne is a World of Hyatt Category 5 property, meaning free nights for me were 20,000 Hyatt points per night.
My Check-In Experience
Checking in to the hotel went smoothly. Check-in is at 3pm. I arrived at 1pm so knew I’d have to wait. That’s fine. It was a short wait of 30 minutes during which I enjoyed sitting in the lobby and people watching. When I arrived I was happy to hear I had been upgraded to a suite. It’s a property that doesn’t hold back Globalist upgrades if they are available!
Park Hyatt Melbourne front desk
Pro Tip: Do you Pruvo all your hotels stays? If not, do what I do and let Pruvo monitor your reservations for price drops. It’s free and it’s the easiest way to save money on all your hotel rooms.
Using my Hotel Room Scorecard I broke down the individual elements of my Park Hyatt Melbourne room which scored a 36 of 40 points.
Location (5/5)
I asked both hotel staff and many people I know who favor this Park Hyatt why they choose this Hyatt property over other Hyatt hotels in Melbourne. Again and again I heard LOCATION location location! People love the area near the hotel because it is both close to the CBD (Central Business District) and yet being a few blocks away it feels like you’re in nature and park heaven. For me this is a huge plus.
In under a half an hour you can walk to the theater district as well.
The hotel location is also within easy walking distance to two neighborhoods you’ll enjoy: Fitzroy and Collingwood. Both areas are trendy and full of shops and eateries worth exploring.
Park Hyatt Melbourne view of park
Not much of a walker? Not a problem. The Melbourne tram system is just up the street. I never mind using the trams at all. It’s an extensive system. In fact, it’s the most extensive tram system in any city in the world!
Lighting (4/5)
The suite did have natural lighting, with two floor-to-ceiling windows and doors, one in the bedroom and one in the living room. Besides overhead lighting there were two standing lamps, one in each room.
The brightest areas with the best lighting were the bathroom and the closet. Why is that, I wonder.
Park Hyatt Melbourne table in suite room with fireplace
I had mixed feelings about the lighting because when it got dark in Melbourne I still needed to work. Brighter lighting or at least adjustable lighting works better for me.
The flip side of this is that because the lighting was a bit dim at night, it did encourage me to relax and have an earlier quitting time 🙂
Yes, I recognize that the average guest stays maybe two nights, but there are guests who work or just want to sit on the couch and read with proper lighting.
Window Access (5/5)
Having floor to ceiling windows in both the bedroom and suite living room area made a big difference. Natural lighting in a hotel room makes for a whole different experience.
And having doors that opened with views of trees and St. Patrick’s Cathedral was wonderful. Quiet streets and fresh air make for an awesome combination!
Park Hyatt Melbourne view of church
There are two levels of window shades, one for sun/privacy and one for black-out darkness.
Bed Comfort (3/5)
The bed was too soft for me, but not as soft as some beds at other hotel properties I’ve stayed at.
The pillows worked well and there were already different pillow types on the bed, so I was able to choose which worked best for me. Too often all the pillows are the same, but not in this case.
Park Hyatt Melbourne King Suite bedroom
Park Hyatt Melbourne bedroom chair and table
Park Hyatt Melbourne King Suite bedroom side table
Bathroom (5/5)
I’ll say right up front that this was a great bathroom design and layout. Spacious, windows for natural light, and a separate area with a sink and toilet. It had a shower/tub combination area. The tub was a jacuzzi as well.
Park Hyatt Melbourne bathroom jacuzzi tub
One of my pet peeves in newer hotel shower stalls is that there is no place to put your sundries other than on the floor. Having a ledge for sundries is a simple thing that those of us who are now (or always did) bringing their own sundries when they travel might really appreciate. In this case there was a shelf behind the shower head as well as a bench with hooks for towels. Spacious, indeed!
Park Hyatt Melbourne King Suite bathroom
There was no double light in the bathroom. There was only one switch and it provided VERY bright light. I can’t recall the last time I was in a hotel room where the bathroom didn’t have lighting options. It’s handy to have a nightlight in a bathroom.
Park Hyatt Melbourne King Suite bathroom
Interior Appointments and Furnishings (5/5)
One of the other draws to this hotel is that the rooms are large. So coupled with the location, room size is often a deciding factor when opting for a Park Hyatt Melbourne stay.
My suite matched the one you’ll see online, both in design or layout. That’s a good thing because too often guests’ expectations are set by photos they see on hotel websites. And when the photos don’t match the reality it makes sense that guests take issue.
Park Hyatt Melbourne living room with couch and table
I felt the suite design, with the two rooms separated by a long hall, worked well.
The living area had a warm homey feeling. The gas fireplace worked, though being summertime in Melbourne, I tested it but didn’t keep it on.
Park Hyatt Melbourne suite room with table and chair
The artwork, with one small piece in each room, was minimal. I prefer this because taste in art is so individual and I prefer that hotel rooms don’t overdue it on the art.
The living area had a very functional round table as well as a table by the couch. I requested an extra chair for the table and it came within minutes of my request.
The living room wasn’t very large but it had just the right amount of furniture. The hardwood walls were balanced by the non-wood walls. This, coupled with the doors that opened and natural light, made it feel like home. Super comfortable and functional!
The long hallway had mirrors along one wall. On the other wall was the spacious closet area. The coffee/tea/snack area was also along this wall. The fridge, oddly enough, was in the bedroom under the TV screen.
Park Hyatt Melbourne hall between rooms in King Suite
Park Hyatt Melbourne hallway in King Suite
The peep hole on the entrance door is placed just right for the average height of women. That’s rare. This has long been a pet peeve of mine. Do only men check who’s knocking or ringing the bell? I think not. Easier for a guy to bend down than a woman to grow a few inches to see who’s at the door 🙂
Electronics (4/5)
Plugs and outlets were adequate. Not great but adequate. There were outlets near the bed but NO universal plugs and USB charging ports. If you need to borrow an adapter, one is provided in the room. This is a welcome touch.
Amenities (5/5)
The hotel does send welcome amenities to Hyatt Globalists. I received a bottle of carbonated water and chocolates. Simple and perfect for me. Who doesn’t love a bit of chocolate 🙂
YES on providing a Yoga mat! I’ve started requesting Yoga mats when I stay in hotels. If you’ve ever taken a close look at the “need anything extra” card presented in your hotel room, you’ll notice Yoga mat is often listed. I’m starting to notice, though, how few hotels actually have mats.
The property provides water, and it was super generous whenever I requested more. It was also generous with whatever supplies you needed. That always leaves a positive impression on a guest.
When writing hotel reviews I often review the minibar and available snacks. The minibar and coffee area was well-equipped with a kettle and Nespresso style coffee maker. I also enjoyed the brand of tea bags (Aurora) the hotel provided. I’d not heard of them before. There was a good size fridge underneath the bedroom TV. No complimentary snacks.
Park Hyatt Melbourne coffee maker and cups
Breakfast Options
For breakfast there is a restaurant area just off the lobby. Hotel guests use the restaurant as do many locals. It offers a full buffet. And I do mean full!
There was whole fruit (which I very much prefer over assorted fruit cups prepared by a hotel) and an egg station, which was more like an egg restaurant with cooked-to-order egg dishes. There was also a large area with salad options—plenty of greens and veggies as well. I wish all hotel restaurants would offer salad for breakfast!
Naturally, fresh breads and baked goods (plenty of cold cereal options) as well as a cheese and assorted meats station. A large fridge had an assortment of yogurts and fresh avocado. There were also fresh juices on offer.
Nothing was missing from this buffet! There was table service for coffee and whatever else you might need.
During my stay, because the hotel was fully booked with people in transition between cruise stops, there were times when the restaurant during breakfast time was overwhelmingly busy. The staff handled it incredibly well. The breakfast hours were extended and the service remained top notch. Not an easy situation when you have a large crowd clamoring for breakfast!
Breakfast is 48 AUD if not included in the room rate. As a Globalist breakfast was included with my room. My sense is that if you enjoy breakfast buffets, you’ll be very pleased with the one the Park Hyatt offers.
There are many large common space areas at the hotel. There is a large cafe style beverage and small plates area and the restaurant does serve dinner. They are well used by hotel guests.
What Guests At The Park Hyatt Melbourne Complain About?
When I review a hotel I always wonder what complaints hotel guests have, so I ask the hotel team. This hotel’s chief complaint is one I’ve come across a few times before. Apparently, guests who frequent the Park Hyatt Melbourne are quite attached to certain rooms. The chief complaint management receives is that people who visit want the same room they had before and naturally that’s not always possible. Part of this is that many people frequent the hotel time and time again!
Let me add one more thing for you to take note of.
If you’re at the hotel on a Sunday St. Patrick’s Church just across the street rings its bells. I don’t mind hearing church bells at all. However, in this case it goes on and on, stops and then starts again for a very long time. Maybe a few hours. Or at least it felt that long. So just take note if you’re someone who likes to sleep in on Sundays and have a quiet morning. Then again, if you attend mass on Sunday, for sure you won’t miss this reminder 🙂
Fitness and Spa Facilities At The Park Hyatt Melbourne
For me this was a wonderfully surprising benefit. It added tremendously to how much I enjoyed my stay. For some odd reason I didn’t remember this from my previous stay. Maybe I didn’t use the spa but for sure made up for that miss on this stay!
The gym is well equipped, the pool is 25 meters, the poolside jacuzzi is large, and the women’s locker room (I assume the same for the men’s side) has both a steam and sauna. The pool was never busy and neither were the steam/sauna. Is it fair to wish for these kinds of amenities at more hotels? If you’re someone who will use the spa, pool, and gym, you will NOT be disappointed!
Who Is Mr. Walker?
Have you stayed at a hotel with an ambassadog yet? If not, you’re missing out. Mr. Walker is a lovable pooch and the head of the welcoming committee at the Park Hyatt Melbourne. You won’t meet a sweeter Labrador. He brings a smile to every guest’s face as they approach the front steps of the hotel. Even though he was on the mend from an injury for the first few days I was at the Park Hyatt, he recovered well and I got to watch him in action. He’s just one of the many things that make this property unique and well-worth a stay.
Park Hyatt Melbourne room key with Mr. Walker photo
Hotel Service at the Park Hyatt Melbourne
You can tell I was thrilled with the hotel room and thought the design and layout were very much to my taste. I was also pleased with the service! This really does tie into my being impressed with the hotel. I had stayed at the Park Hyatt Melbourne before, though some years ago. I had memories of enjoying my stay and it’s often the case that an hotel doesn’t live up to that initial memory. In this case it exceeded my memory!
Housekeeping was always quick to deliver whatever I requested. If you’ve been traveling much these past few years you might have realized how short-staffed many hotels are. I did not find that to be the case at the Park Hyatt Melbourne at all.
There was never anything I asked for from housekeeping, the front desk and concierge team, the hotel management team, or the restaurant team where the staff didn’t happily oblige. I thoroughly enjoyed the friendly, warm and very helpful environment.
Final Thoughts On The Park Hyatt Melbourne
The Park Hyatt Melbourne is an unusual and wonderful hotel from a time gone by. The hotel decor, large rooms, the spa, gym, and pool area—I don’t think they build hotels like this anymore.
It is an expensive property, whether paying cash or using points. You’ll have to think as to whether it is a great value on points or when paying cash. I think it’s well worth the value, especially on points.
There are now multiple Hyatt properties in Melbourne, so it can be a toss-up as to which property to choose. What it offers and the service were both excellent. For sure having the spa and pool available to me made a huge difference.
The location can’t be beat. That I agree with. It is a classic hotel with a certain vibe. If that suits you, you’ll enjoy the property. If you’re a fan of Park Hyatt properties, which I am, this one ranks up there with any other I’ve stayed at. Every Hyatt hotel is different, every staff is different, and every guest is different, right? Some properties are bound to work better than others for what you’re looking for.
Would I stay here again?
Absolutely! Putting together this review was fun because it brought back memories of an enjoyable hotel stay in a city I’m quite fond of.
I think of the Park Hyatt Melbourne as a hotel for people who enjoy mixing their hotel stay with a great, though less central, location. If you enjoy spending time in a more local area of Melbourne rather than in a super touristy area, this property is for you. That certainly includes me and if it includes you, by all means gather up your travel gear and give this hotel a try and see what you think for yourself.
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2 comments
Great review. Is the lounge closed?
Thanks for reading and your question, Matthew. There is no lounge at the PH Melbourne. Globalists take breakfast at the buffet in the restaurant. Happy travels!