1 Hotel & Homes in Melbourne’s reimagined Seafarer’s Precinct - A new chapter is unfolding along Melbourne’s Yarra River, as the Seafarers precinct transforms a once-forgotten stretch into a vibrant riverside destination. At the heart of this revitalisation is Australia’s first 1 Hotel & Homes, promising a luxury experience that transcends anything the city has witnessed. Construction of the structure’s halfway point was completed in late 2023, with anticipation building for the topping out early 2025.

Once open, the sustainably designed 1 Hotels & Homes Melbourne will boast 280 guest rooms and a new option for business events with a 1000-seat function space, environmentally-responsible hospitality, a wellness spa and gym, spectacular lobby bar and waterfront views. It will be the only hotel in Melbourne’s CBD to be serviced by a 3,500-square-meter public park.

1 Hotel Melbourne will encapsulate a luxurious, yet natural feel. Using recycled materials including the salvaged timber from the wharf restoration works, as well as native greenery and industrial steel, the design will be sympathetic to the history of the site and will offer guests a local experience.

StandardX - The boutique 125-room StandardX opened in the heart of Fitzroy in February 2024. Located in one of Australia’s most vibrant and eclectic neighborhoods, the hotel is set amidst vintage boutiques, independent restaurants and art galleries.

The Lyall South Yarra - The reimagined Lyall Hotel South Yarra unveils a new level of elegance and sophistication in April 2024. The "all-new" Lyall Hotel evokes a unique sense of place, providing grand hotel service and design on a more intimate scale. This privately owned five-star hotel offers a stunning blend of style and intimate luxury in the upscale suburb of South Yarra.

Hannah St. Hotel - Construction is already well underway on an exciting new boutique property, the Hannah St. Hotel, set to open in Southbank in September 2025.

Convenient to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Yarra River, city centre and the Melbourne Arts District, the $150 million, 188-room Hannah St. Hotel will be operated by TFE Hotels and will sit under the Collection by TFE Hotels brand.

The hotel will occupy 10 levels of The Queensbridge Building and will include a neighbourhood bar, restaurant and a rooftop bar, which will double as an events space. The building will also feature 367 residential apartments, with residents and hotel guests to share the building’s swimming pool, gym, coworking spaces and podcasting rooms.

Six Senses Burnham Beeches - In mid-2025, Six Senses will open its first Australian property in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, located 40 km (24 miles) from Melbourne near the Yarra Valley. Set in a heritage Art Deco mansion, Six Senses Burnham Beeches will initially offer 43 guest rooms, as well as a welcome lounge and terrace, a restaurant, a library bar, and a rooftop retreat.

Major dual-branded hotel and convention centre in Docklands - Construction is set to begin early 2024 on a major new dual-branded hotel complex and convention centre in Melbourne’s Docklands.

The $340 million development is a partnership between TFE Hotels and Capital Alliance and is due to open by 2026. The 200-room, yet-to-be-named Collection hotel will join the ranks of other purpose-built Collection by TFE Hotels properties in delivering personalised service and bespoke hospitality experiences.

The project will feature the largest rooftop infinity pool in Australia and a 1000-pax capacity event conference centre, located on a sky bridge that connects the two accommodation towers. With spectacular 360-degree views of the city, the centre will add another dimension to Melbourne’s high-end conferencing options.

Complementing this offering, the 105-key premium A by Adina hotel – the first of the brand to launch in Victoria - will deliver a perfectly suited balance between a hotel and a private city apartment.
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​The site is located on 28-38 Pearl River Road, Docklands and will also feature a day spa, retail shopping, and restaurant offerings.

Levantine Hill Estate boutique hotel - Acclaimed Yarra Valley winery Levantine Hill Estate is set to open a new A$20 million boutique luxury hotel on the property in 2024. The 33-room hotel will be located a short walk from the existing cellar door and restaurant buildings connected by the Village Green, a helicopter-landing area located within a landscaped network of pathways and integrated sculpture. Plans for another 47-room lodge are already underway.

Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong - Geelong, located on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula, welcomed a brand-new hotel in September 2023 – the Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong. Located in the heart of Geelong’s art precinct it features 180 rooms, an indoor heated pool, conferencing spaces, a fitness centre and Maestro, their signature restaurant and bar showcasing local produce and beverages from the surrounding regions.

Batard

Well-known Melbourne restauranteur Chris Lucas, the mastermind behind iconic venues such as Chin Chin, is set to open a $10 million French-themed restaurant, Batard, on the Paris end of Bourke Street in spring 2024. Housed in a Victorian-era terrace, this exciting new foodie offering will span three levels plus a rooftop, oyster bar on the ground floor and a moody new basement space for late nights. Watch this space.

Tomasetti House

Justin Hemmes hospitality group, Merivale, will open its first Melbourne restaurant in Tomasetti House on Flinders Lane later in the year, and is expected to showcase contemporary Chinese cuisine. It has been rumoured Executive Chef Jowett Yu has been spending lots of time in Taiwan and Hong Kong doing research. Another watch this space!

Mercato Centrale

A long-awaited Italian market hall is expected to open in 2024 in the heritage-listed Macpherson building on Collins Street. Mercato Centrale will be home to 23 artisans over two levels.

Moon Dog Beer Hall

Craft brewers Moon Dog are set to open their three-level Footscray beer hall in March on the original Franco Cozzo furniture showroom site. The space will channel the Wild West across food and design, from a mechanical bucking bull to a pianola bar to a cacti-filled rooftop bar.

Askal

Fine-dining star and Kariton Sorbetes co-owner John Rivera is set to open a Filipino-inspired restaurant in Melbourne’s CBD in early autumn. A cast of Filipino culinary talent has been gathered for the contemporary restaurant and bar that will showcase dishes from The Philippines’ many regional cuisines. In addition to ground floor dining, private dining options will be available on level two with an anticipated bar to open on the top floor.

Reine & La Rue

The latest offering in Melbourne’s luxury dining and events scene, Reine & La Rue is housed in the original 1890s neo gothic stock exchange of Melbourne. This heritage-listed space has been transformed into an elegant restaurant and cocktail bar known as The Cathedral Room, where delegates can experience French-inspired fare or sit at their 10-metre long bar for a cocktail. The Cathedral Room is available for exclusive hire and can accommodate up to 110 guests seated in a magnificent and grandeur setting.

Atria at The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne

Located on the 80th floor of Melbourne’s new luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel, with views overlooking Port Phillip Bay, Atria is a culinary adventure that honours sustainable harvesters, growers, graziers and fishermen through a respectful connection to place and a considered understanding of the seasons.

Olivine in the Pentridge Precinct

Replacing the former cells of the historic Pentridge Prison is a new intimate wine bar. Led by sommelier Liinaa Berry, there’s over 500 wines to choose from and pair with their snacky but flavourful menu.

North & Common in the Pentridge Precinct

A new upscale restaurant has opened in the former mess hall of the historic Pentridge Prison. Headed up by ex-Cumulus chef Mark Glenn, the seasonal menu highlights local produce with dishes like spanner crab risoni, honey pudding and more.

Apollo Inn

Gimlet’s sister venue and Melbourne’s newest 28-seat cocktail bar opened in June 2023. Dedicated to the refinement of great spirits, the intimate venue is old-worldly, moody and focused on its signature cocktails, curated wine list and paired back menu. With martinis four ways and punchy bite sized snacks, it’s the perfect spot for a night cap.

Interlude Cocktail Bar

Melbourne’s Chapel Street welcomed its first female and proudly Aboriginal cocktail bar and restaurant in April 2023. Grounded in community, they’re celebrating native ingredients with signature cocktails like the Davidson Plum Sour, Kakadu Plum & Mango Martini and more.

Black Kite Commune

A new cocktail and wine bar opened in the heart of the CBD in May 2023. Taking inspiration from 20th century supper clubs, the cocktail menu is a boujee symphony of flavours while the menu sits somewhere between pre-theatre snacks and late-night bites.

THERMAL HOT SPRING EXPERIENCES

Two thermal hot spring experiences opened in 2023, as part of an emerging 900km wellness tourism trail linking hot springs, mineral springs and sea baths in Victoria, known as The Great Victorian Bathing Trail:

Metung Hot Springs - Opened in 2023, Metung Hot Springs is East Gippsland’s newest wellness destination. Overlooking the magnificent Gippsland Lakes, Metung Hot Springs offers bathing in geothermal waters, spa treatments and glamping.

Alba Thermal Springs - Also opened in 2023, Alba Thermal Springs is located in the heart of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. Visitors will benefit from the deep restorative powers of Alba’s geothermal springs - whether it be an invigorating rain pool or the subtle indulgence of their herbal-infused botanical pools. The spa offers luxurious full day self-care packages to half-day rituals and treatments. Visitors can also enjoy dining at restaurant At Thyme, with an all-day menu focused on locally-sourced, seasonal produce created by well-known Melbourne chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television presenter, Karen Martini.

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES

"Dinner in the Sky" with MCG Events

MCG Events are bringing sky high dining to the MCG in 2024, elevating event experiences to new heights. This new to Melbourne, dining concept is now available to book through MCG Events as a brand activation, or as a flight throughout scheduled operating periods. Working with ‘Dinner in the Sky’ the bespoke table, catering to 22 guests is elevated over 35 metres into the air, taking in the Melbourne CBD skyline, and looking out across the Yarra Park and Melbourne Sports and Entertainment precinct. With views stretching cross the home of the Australian Open through to the Royal Botanical Gardens Victoria.

Notre-Dame de Paris, the Augmented Exhibition

New immersive exhibition relives the spectacular history of the Notre-Dame de Paris in an augmented takeover of the Long Room at Immigration Museum opening in December 2024 to align with the restored cathedral reopening in Paris following the devastating fire 5-years ago. This Augmented Exhibition is a 3D, 360-degree journey through the cathedral's immense history and ongoing restoration.

this spectacular exhibition will grant singular access to Notre-Dame for visitors on the other side of the world, right here in Melbourne.

Marvel Stadium launches new premium event spaces

As the Southern Hemisphere's sole stadium with a retractable roof, Marvel Stadium has made a name for itself in the realm of arena experiences, with the capability to accommodate anywhere from 7 to 70,000 guests for intimate or mega formal dinners, gala affairs and conferences, and up to 10,000 guests on the arena alone.

The Stadium currently offers a selection of more than 20 purpose-built, distinctive event spaces, however the excitement is set to soar to new heights in 2024 as Marvel Stadium prepares to launch its remarkable $225 million redevelopment project. This undertaking is set to shake the landscape of premium events and experiences, further solidifying the Stadium's status as a premier destination for all occasions.

Australian Open courtside event space

The Australian Open (AO) has added an additional day to the 2024 tournament making it the first ever 15-day tournament, drawing hundreds of thousand of fans to Melbourne Park. The Australian Open has also launched the AO Courtside Bar - a double-storey bar overlooking Court 6 with a capacity of more than 400 - expected to quickly become known as the ‘Party Court’.

Supported by an Opening Week packed with tennis, entertainment and fun, the Australian Open is effectively a three-week festival held during Melbourne’s sultry summer.

The Australian Open joins Melbourne’s blockbuster summer of events alongside the Boxing Day Test, Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, BBC Earth Experience at The LUME and Australian exclusives – Groundhog Day The Musical, and TITANIC: The Artefact Exhibition.

Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre district

Full construction work is expected to begin late 2023/early 2024 on the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre district, with the Centre and hotel expected to be completed by early 2026.

One of the biggest developments in regional Victoria, the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre district will include the construction of a purpose-built convention and exhibition space, incorporating a 1000 seat venue, two large exhibition spaces, meeting rooms, conference facilities and flexible event spaces.

The district will also be home to retail spaces for food and beverage offerings, a large public plaza that promises to become a feature of the Geelong waterfront and a 200-room Crown Plaza hotel.

Melbourne Arts Precinct transformation

With construction underway, the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation is the largest cultural infrastructure project in Australia’s history. The Victorian Government is investing $1.7 billion to transform the precinct into one of the greatest creative and cultural destinations in the world.

Expected to open 2028, the new Melbourne Arts Precinct will include The Fox: NGV Contemporary. The Fox will be Australia’s largest gallery of contemporary art and design. An awe-inspiring and timeless design, it will feature more than 13,000 square metres of dedicated display space, including exhibition galleries and an expansive rooftop terrace and sculpture garden with stunning views of the surrounding public gardens and Melbourne’s skyline.

The transformation also includes significant upgrades to Arts Centre Melbourne’s heritage Theatres Building and an expansive 18,000sqm public urban garden. The garden’s spaces will feature restaurants, bars, lush green spaces, and public art. The parklands will connect NGV: International, The Fox: NGV Contemporary, and Arts Centre Melbourne in an immersive cultural experience that will cement Melbourne Art Precincts’ reputation as one of the finest cultural destinations in the world.