When it opens it doors on 19 June, 1 Hotel Melbourne will herald a new era of Australian luxury with a keen sense of excitement building, both domestically and internationally, around the brand’s local debut.

Rooted in sustainability, biophilic design, and a deep connection to place, the hotel is the latest addition to the global 1 Hotels portfolio, part of the Starwood Hotels stable of brands, but with a distinctly local feel, Starwood’s Area Managing Director for Asia-Pacific Region Damon Page explained at a preview event held at Kitchen by Mike in Sydney this week.

With the hotel’s June launch looming, the initial signs are incredibly positive, Page told LATTE. “Interest is strong particularly from the retail travel advisor segment, which is great,” he said. “We’re also excited by the amount of corporate travel.”

With the Melbourne Convention Centre opposite the luxury hotel on the banks of the Yarra River, the potential for collaboration is huge. “We’ve got our own 1,000 square-metre ballroom. It’s a fantastic venue where event organisers can drive cars and trucks into,” he said. “A lot of big corporations are looking at the space.”

Page also revealed that while 80% of business for hotels in Australia is typically domestic, interest in the property from Starwood’s international client base is building. “Americans have noticed that now there’s a 1Hotel in Melbourne, so we are certainly benefitting from the strength of the Starwood portfolio, absolutely,” he said.

Meanwhile, Starwood brand 2.0 is centred on “making sure we have the right partners in the right places and the right products”. “It’s really about identifying the right locations we want to place the products,” he said, confirming new destinations will be announced this year.

“We’re currently operating in China, we’re building in Adelaide with the Treehouse, brand we’ve got Tokyo that will open in October as well, and there’s about seven or eight other projects that are all in great destinations.”

Nature and wellness-inspired

With the focus now firmly on the new hotel’s launch, Page took the opportunity to share a more in-depth look at the new property. “The key essence of everything that we do around 1 Hotel worldwide is around the biophilic design,” he explained. “It’s really about nature-led. So a lot of our decisions are made purely based on where nature is going to be used.”

The hotel rises from the restored bones of the historic Goods Shed No. 5, a heritage-listed building that had lain dormant for more than 40 years. “Over 80% of that building has been repurposed,” he shared. “The concrete, the rail was brought back, original struts, the trusses… all being brought back to life.” More than 1,200 original bluestone pavers now grace the surrounding terrace areas, weaving a tangible sense of history into the guest experience.

Guests arriving at 1 Hotel Melbourne will first encounter a 3,500-square-metre urban park and a façade made from reclaimed railway sleepers and ridge capping. It’s an unusual experience in a CBD setting, Page said.The concept of luxury here is redefined in line with the times. “Luxury these days… is more about what’s felt rather than what’s seen,” he remarked. “Rolling up in a swag in a bush is luxurious. Sitting in some open space is luxurious.”

Culinary offerings at the hotel are helmed by celebrated chef Mike McEnearney known for his concept, Kitchen by Mike. Dining at the hotel will take a more high-end approach than his traditional canteen-style experience, McEnearney confirmed, although the new concept From Here by Mike will share the same focus on local producers and seasonal cooking. Guests can expect a carefully crafted a la carte menu, breakfast, lunch, and dinner service, as well as in-room dining.

Wellness at 1 Hotel Melbourne is another key pillar, with elements throughout the property. From over 4,000 plants, including a towering four-and-a-half metre tree in the Green Bar, to “moments” incorporated into each guest room, the aim is to help guests “breathe” and reconnect.

With 1 Hotels committed to delivering “social impact”, the hotel also offers a “One Less Thing” donation program in partnership with Sacred Heart Foundation, allowing guests to leave behind unused items for a meaningful cause.

Unlike cookie-cutter developments, this hotel is designed to be a tribute to Melbourne’s landscape and culture. “Could you put 1 Hotel Melbourne in Sydney? Absolutely not,” Page insisted. “It’s designed with local intention.”