You can now stay in the heart of Melbourne's laneways - without spending a fortune
You can now stay right within Melbourne's famous laneways and buzzing retail scene - and you don't have to blow the budget.
Two IHG hotels have opened side-by-side on Melbourne Walk, a new shopping arcade between Bourke Street Mall and Little Collins Street and beside the historic Royal Arcade and Mecca's record 4000sqm store.
Hotel Indigo Little Collins and Holiday Inn Bourke Street are also just several hundred metres from Melbourne's iconic Flinders Lane, Hosier Lane, Hardware Lane and Manchester Lane.
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The bar at Hotel Indigo Little Collins. Supplied
The new IHG hotels are located on Melbourne Walk. Supplied
Hotel Indigo Little Collins
I thought that such a central location might mean the hotels would be a bit noisy, but we didn't hear any outdoor sounds from the rooms.
It even felt peaceful on the outdoor terrace of our room at Hotel Indigo.
We were surprised and delighted to have such a big private open-air space in the middle of the city - it was probably bigger than the room - and certainly a highlight of our stay.
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Our private outdoor terrace at Hotel Indigo Little Collins had a lounge area and a dining table for two. Supplied
Sitting on the comfy lounges up near the skyline, we almost had no idea of all the hustle and bustle happening down below.
For those who don't book one of the rooms with a terrace, the hotel also has a large outdoor courtyard on level two of the hotel to serve as another quiet retreat in the city centre.
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The outdoor courtyard at Hotel Indigo Little Collins. Supplied
Hotel Indigo is the trendier of the two hotels, with 181 hotel rooms starting from $230 a night, while Holiday Inn is more affordable and suited to families, with 272 rooms starting from $197 a night.
Hotel Indigo's colourful, modern decor is inspired by Melbourne's laneways, with graphic art on the walls of the rooms.
Cute monkey statues can be found all around the hotel - even serving as the bedside lamps - as a reference to E.W. Cole, the eccentric owner of Cole's Book Arcade, whose monkey-filled menagerie was once located on the site.
Monkey statues serve as the bedside lights. Supplied
I appreciated the stool by the makeup mirror. Supplied
The room felt fresh and modern and, most importantly, the bed was comfy.
I particularly liked the layout, which had the wardrobe located inside the bathroom area, and a stylish bar near the entryway.
I also appreciated the hotel's pillow menu and the little indigo stool that was located next to the makeup mirror.
Holiday Inn Bourke Street
Next door, Holiday Inn is a more low-key hotel, but it was modern, colourful and spacious - perfect for families.
It does also have the luxury of the pillow menu, though.
The bathroom at Holiday Inn Bourke Street. Nine
Both hotels offer restaurants for all meals of the day.
I really enjoyed my dinner at the Holiday Inn's Greenery - pork belly with a red wine jus and apple salad.
The hotels also have a gym and meeting spaces for all travellers' needs.
The writer and her partner stayed as guests of IHG Hotels.
