Top Melbourne Hotels

Aside from owning much of its charm to the many heritage buildings, and other reminders of the Victorian period, it is also the country’s sporting capital. Not to forget its import as a national and international centre of art, music and multiculturalism. This 'garden city' has more than its fair share of attractions, as well as playing a vital role in international business.

The high level of local education, the good standard of living and the low level of unemployment all contribute to the vibrant milieu of a cosmopolitan 21st century metropolis. It is a city which has recently headed the prestigious list of the world's most desirable places to live. From the moment you arrive you can feel the local sense of pride and reverence. This is, after all, a city which offers its visitors free tramcar rides around some of the very beautiful and fascinating areas in and around the Central Business District.

It is in the CBD that you get a feel for the import of the city within the realm of international finance. Five of the six tallest building in Australia can be found in this area, as can some of the top Melbourne hotels. Heritage architecture abounds in many glorious forms, some of the most luxurious and elegant these Hotels are endowed with a contemporary style and urbane sophistication.

The five star Melbourne hotels located close to or in the CBD offer excellent facilities for business travelers. Conference and banqueting facilities are always of the highest standard. The larger establishments generally offer the greatest variety of function venues, ranging from large venues which can be adapted to numerous needs, to smaller meeting rooms replete with every amenity.

Naturally, luxurious establishments dispose to a number of additional kinds of function, like wedding receptions. Four and five star places will all have expert organizational and catering teams in place to ensure the smooth running of all events. Technologies, which have become so integral to business events, are always available. Few contemporary metropolises are unable to bring state-of-the art communications and audio-visual equipment to any occasion, and the best Melbourne hotels are no exception.

Business travelers to this city of manifold pleasures and distractions are certainly going to want to take time out from the boardroom, loosen their ties and engage in bit of rest and relaxation. For the benefit and pleasure of all guests, the top Melbourne hotels offer a variety of ways to spend leisure time. Whether you prefer to swim laps in a heated-indoor pool, take to the treadmill in a professionally equipped gym with experienced trainers close at hand, or maybe you would prefer to lie back and let the hands of a qualified masseuse revitalize tired muscles before you head to the steam room, there are plentiful ways to restore and invigorate body and mind.

If guests spend their fair share of time sampling the culinary wonders for which the top Melbourne hotels have become internationally renowned, the body may be in need of more care than usual. Like many of the globe's most cosmopolitan and cultured metropolises, fine dining in the 'Garden City' is something of a local phenomenon. Restaurants offering award-winning cuisine can be found all around the city and further afield, but it is in the best hotels in Melbourne that some of Australia's most celebrated chefs are whisking egg whites in order to bring a range of delectable dishes to diners who expect to be surprised and delighted.

From ethnically influenced contemporary haute cuisine to the simple delights of great seafood and prime steaks from the grill, there is a special meal waiting to be devoured. A meal for a romantic getaway, just as there is one to make any business lunch a lingering pleasure. Don’t forget to enquire of the sommelier about the local wines. The Yarra Valley is known for its excellent wineries, some of which have achieved prestigious international awards and a bottle of the good stuff is sure to yield layers of flavor to make any oenophile blush with delight.

The Yarra Valley itself has one or two options for those who seek the leisure and luxury of a five star hotel in Melbourne, but would prefer to absent themselves from the city. The weather in Victoria is famously changeable, a factor which is often observed by visitors who have noted that a day can feel as though it has been through all four seasons, as such a trip to a luxury Melbourne Hotel in the Yarra Valley might bear seasonal consideration.

While you're in the region, you can also experience some of the diverse landscape for which Australia is known. From the gentle vineyards to the encroaching Yarra Ranges from the east, the state abounds with beautiful topography and all the sporting and leisure pursuits which come with it.

But you don't have to venture from the CBD to experience some of Australia's finest flora. The gardens and parks are astounding in their variety, number and rich history. Some offer the simple joy of great place to spend an afternoon amidst cool greenery, while others offer specific enticements.

The Fitzroy Gardens boast the Cooks' Cottage, a historical landmark which was built by the parents of Captain James Cook. While it is believed that he never took up residence in the cottage, he is thought to have spent much there time visiting his parents. For visitors with a interest in nature, the Royal Botanic Gardens offer an expansive space in which is contained one of the world's most illustrious collections of flora, including over 10, 000 species of indigenous and non-indigenous plants and trees.