{"id":11318,"date":"2023-02-22T11:55:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-22T00:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/?p=11318"},"modified":"2024-02-23T12:50:25","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T01:50:25","slug":"best-melbourne-staycation-hyatt-centric","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/luxuryescapes.com\/inspiration\/best-melbourne-staycation-hyatt-centric\/","title":{"rendered":"This Quietly Confident Melbourne Laneway Hotel is a Staycation Sensation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Joining the ranks of the city\u2019s go-to hotels, Hyatt Centric is a gem hidden in classic Melbourne style: down a laneway.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m an advocate of the staycation. It\u2019s a little taste of escapism when time or budget won\u2019t allow for further-flung endeavours. Rediscovering your city takes on a new freedom with the knowledge you can stay out as late as you like, a welcoming bed just steps away. You can even start each morning in true holiday style with a swim at the hotel pool and breakfast you didn\u2019t have to cook for yourself: bliss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Downie Street, a laneway adjacent to one of Melbourne\u2019s most famous brunch spots, The Hardware Soci\u00e9t\u00e9, is the blink-and-you\u2019ll-miss-it entrance to Hyatt Centric<\/a>, which is as unassuming as the hotel itself. Vibe-wise, it\u2019s stylish and modern, but in no way shouty or ostentatious: quiet, earthy tones, clay tiles and leafy fronds create a pocket of calmness right in the city grid. Adding to the chilled-out atmosphere is the tinkle of live music from the lobby; an acoustic guitarist is perched on a stool strumming Latin American-sounding melodies. It\u2019s a little touch that eases you instantly into vacation mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"King<\/a>
King Bed View Deluxe, Hyatt Centric Melbourne. Source: Simon Shiff.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My 21st-floor King Bed Deluxe Room is like an ode to the city. A coffee table book, Melbourne I Love You<\/em> by local photographer Chris Cincotta, is beside the bed, with the rug under my feet bearing names of landmarks from Queen Victoria Market to Tower Rialto and Southern Cross Station. Skyscrapers glisten beyond the curtains, adding allure to the hotel\u2019s catchphrase \u2013 \u2018you are here, now go anywhere\u2019. And the bed? It\u2019s as if a cloud has wafted in through the open window. There\u2019s a Nespresso coffee maker and the minibar is on-request (which is a blessing in disguise to avoid any impromptu snaffles).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After settling in, I set off, the city my freshly shucked oyster. The shops of Bourke Street, the first attraction on my stay-cay wishlist, are a 20-minute stroll away. En route, I become reacquainted with the city\u2019s Victorian-era arcades and newly acquainted with laneways I\u2019ve never stumbled across before, making mental notes to return for coffee at quirky spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a walk back to the hotel with my purchases (all wholly unnecessary, but hey \u2013 I\u2019M ON STAYCATION), I ascend to the 25th floor to the sky-high Langlands Restaurant and Bar, which is quite the hidden gem. Slipping under the radar amid the fanfare and buzz of new openings in the city, this could be Melbourne\u2019s best-kept secret: sensational skyline views aren\u2019t even the star of the show, it\u2019s the menu, thoughtfully designed around local ingredients sourced from small producers and farmers across Victoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Langlands<\/a>
Langlands Restaurant and Bar, Hyatt Centric Melbourne. Source: Simon Shiff.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Gippsland lamb shank falls apart under my fork, the tender meat perfectly complemented by green pea risotto, creamy Persian feta and zingy gremolata. Light, moist barramundi is golden-crispy on the outside, nesting on a bed of crushed kipfler potatoes finished with burnt butter, citrus and fried oysters. The truffle fries are the most indulgent I\u2019ve ever seen, piled high and seasoned with daikon, Swiss browns and green onion, and a level of Parmesan shavings best suited to those who believe the limit does not exist. Service is kind and faultless \u2013 I\u2019m even provided with a Polaroid snap to commemorate my visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the city slips into darkness around the panoramic windows, it\u2019s time for lights-out on my day of indulgence and to rest my weary shopping feet. The next morning, a slow start is a luxury in itself; the generous checkout time of 11am invites me to linger a little longer. I head down to check out the wellness area. The black-tiled pool, infinity-style with a rolled edge, is calm and spa-like in design, lined with leafy greenery. Soft cushioned bolsters are divided by brick columns, for a sense of privacy you don\u2019t find at many hotel pools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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