Where to Stay in Melbourne During Your Visit (Updated 2023)

Posted: 3/7/2023 | March seventh, 2023

Melbourne might be my favourite metropolis in Australia. While Sydney boasts the extra iconic vacationer points of interest, Melbourne is extra laid-back and a hub for arts and tradition.

Home to over 5 million individuals, it has a various inhabitants and one thing of a European really feel, residence to loads of festivals, artwork exhibitions, dwell music, beautiful road artwork, chill bars and cafés, and scrumptious meals. You might simply spend over every week right here and solely scratch the floor on the subject of issues to see and do.

While public transportation goes in every single place, Melbourne is a bit sprawled out, so it’s vital to decide on the realm the place you keep fastidiously, in any other case you’ll spend most of your journey in transit.

To show you how to resolve the place to remain in Melbourne, on this publish, I’ll spotlight the most effective neighborhoods under so you possibly can select the realm that fits your journey model and funds because the neighborhoods on this metropolis all have their very own really feel.

But, earlier than I get to the specifics, listed here are some frequent questions I get requested about neighborhoods in Melbourne:

What’s the most effective neighborhood for first-time guests?
City Center, or “the CBD,” as locals are liable to name it, has one thing that can please most vacationers. It’s filled with nice museums, monuments, cafés, eating places, and bars. It’s probably the most central spot for doing plenty of sightseeing.

What’s the most effective neighborhood for households?
St. Kilda is an previous bohemian swath that occurs to have the very best variety of eating places on the town. But the neighborhood can also be residence to Luna Park, the world’s oldest theme park, plus it’s located proper on the ocean. (Note that is additionally an excellent space for backpackers too!)

What’s the most effective neighborhood for procuring?
Shopaholics can be in heaven alongside boutique-lined Chapel Street in South Yarra.

What’s the most effective neighborhood for foodies?
Fitzroy is laden with unbelievable eateries — from traditional and conventional bites to cutting-edge spots. I additionally assume that is only a cool space to hang around in too.

What’s the most effective neighborhood for feeling like an area?
Richmond, situated east of the middle, has a various variety of issues to do this locals partake in, like consuming, consuming, and procuring. Plus it’s residence to “Little Saigon.”

What’s the most effective neighborhood total?
It’s laborious to pinpoint only one Melbourne neighborhood as “the best,” however City Center matches this class due to its location and since it has a bit little bit of every part for everybody, it doesn’t matter what your pursuits are. That mentioned, I additionally love St. Kilda too.

With these questions now answered, here’s a extra particular breakdown of every neighborhood — with urged lodging for every so that you’ll know the place to remain in Melbourne.

Where to Stay in Melbourne for First-Time Visitors: City Center

“The CBD” (an acronym for “Central Business District”) might not have a very attractive title, but it surely does have one thing most different neighborhoods in Melbourne don’t: a bit bit (or in some instances an entire lot) of every part. Shopping, eating, museums, cafés, galleries, and even nightlife are all represented right here. Start on the iconic Flinders Street Station, which was the busiest railway terminal within the Southern Hemisphere within the Twenties, after which fan out and discover the middle of Melbourne, together with the favored Federation Square and close by National Gallery of Victoria.

Best Places to Stay in City Center:

• BUDGET: Mercure Welcome — Smack within the middle of all of it, it is a good budget-friendly spot. Mercure could also be a world chain, but it surely’s additionally a reliably good one too, and this location isn’t any exception. The 330 rooms are tastefully bedecked with plus-sized beds, minibars, and desks. Some rooms have nice views over the town too.
• MIDRANGE: Brady Hotels Central Melbourne — This boutique resort has a health club, self-service laundry, and rooms with gentle, queen-sized beds, minibars, balconies, and Urban Skincare Co. bathtub merchandise.
• LUXURY: Treasury on Collins — Arguably probably the most elegant resort within the CBD, the heritage-listed Treasury on Collins affords rooms which are condominium model: giant, multiroom lodging with kitchens, sofas, desks, king-sized beds, washing machines, and extra. If you need to really feel such as you’re quickly dwelling in Melbourne, it is a fairly good place to do it.

Where to Stay in Melbourne for Families: St. Kilda

An previous bohemian hang-out that was additionally at one time the red-light district, St. Kilda is a beachside swath that’s residence to Luna Park, the world’s oldest theme park that’s enjoyable for all ages. There’s a beachside boardwalk to discover and a enjoyable arts-and-crafts honest on Sundays. It additionally occurs to boast the very best variety of eating places on the town. Start out on Acland Street, the place the blocks are lined with eateries.

Best Places to Stay in St. Kilda:

• BUDGET: Sixty Two on Grey — Just a couple of minutes stroll to the closest tram cease and a 12-minute stroll to Luna Park, Sixty Two on Grey has apartment-style visitor lodging with kitchens and really comfy beds, all for a budget-friendly value.
• MIDRANGE: Tolarno Hotel — Founded by artist Mirka Mora and her husband, who arrived in Melbourne after fleeing Poland throughout World War II, the Tolarno has been a St. Kilda fixture for many years. Each of the retro-furnished rooms is exclusive, the partitions of that are bathed in a distinct coloration and bedecked with items by native artists.
• LUXURY: Quest St. Kilda Bayside — The 56 suites at Quest St. Kilda Bayside supply every part a household would need for a keep on this enjoyable neighborhood, together with kitchens, washing machines, and a number of bedrooms. The resort is inside strolling distance of all of St. Kilda’s points of interest, together with Luna Park.

Where to Stay in Melbourne for Shopping: South Yarra

South Yarra boasts sculpture parks, artwork galleries, and verdant gardens, however the primary purpose to plant your self right here for some time is for the superlative procuring. Don’t miss Chapel Street, a highway flanked by boutique retailers, the place you possibly can max out your bank card (or a minimum of window-browse native and European designers). The space additionally has a number of indie espresso retailers too!

Best Places to Stay in South Yarra:

• BUDGET: South Yarra Hostel — Set in a Victorian home, this hostel has an enormous kitchen, a barbecue space, and an spacious frequent room. It’s small and comfortable, with a brilliant pleasant workers.
• MIDRANGE: The Claremont Guesthouse — Housed in a Victorian constructing from 1886, the Claremont affords numerous room sorts, from absolutely geared up residences to double rooms, with ceiling followers and flat-screen TVs. Breakfast is included.
• LUXURY: The Olsen — Set proper on Chapel Street, the Olsen is completely positioned to make the most of the South Yarra procuring scene. The resort is art-themed, together with works by panorama artist Dr. John Olsen (for whom the resort is known as) sprinkled across the property. Rooms boast large, comfortable beds and distinctive artistic endeavors, plus there are two eating places and a day spa.

Where to Stay in Melbourne for Foodies: Fitzroy

Once a solidly working-class neighborhood, Fitzroy has blossomed right into a magnet for food-loving locals and guests alike. The streets are actually flanked by eating places of each stripe — from these dishing up various non-Australian fare or domestically sourced, domestically impressed dishes to pubs serving elevated grub and cutting-edge, trend-setting eateries. Start on Gertrude Street, which is one thing of a microcosm of this culinary enclave itself.

Best Places to Stay in Fitzroy:

• BUDGET: The Nunnery — Life on this constructing was as soon as very completely different than it’s now. Housed in an erstwhile convent, The Nunnery as we speak is a enjoyable, lively hostel the place vacationers of all stripes hand around in the massive guestroom between meals. The sleeping choices embrace dorm-style rooms — with wherever from 4 to 12 beds (together with some female-only rooms) — in addition to non-public rooms for one or two individuals.
• MIDRANGE: Royal Derby Hotel —Over a century and a half previous, all of the rooms listed here are spacious and embrace a kitchenette with a toaster, microwave, and fridge. The in-house pub is among the finest within the neighborhood.
• LUXURY: Lyf — Located on the border of Fitzroy and Collingwood, Lyf is a hip, 128-room property that features a absolutely geared up frequent kitchen and a laundry facility for friends to make use of. The apartment-style rooms will make you’re feeling such as you’re dwelling within the coolest a part of Melbourne.

Where to Stay in Melbourne for Living Like a Local: Richmond

Richmond is an up-and-coming space that, like Fitzroy, is brimming with scrumptious eats. Unlike Fitzroy, although, it’s extra of an area affair, full with its personal Vietnamese enclave often known as “Little Saigon.” If you need to really feel like an area and get away from most vacationers, it is a nice neighborhood to do it in.

Best Places to Stay in Richmond:

• BUDGET: Knightsbridge Apartments — Located simply west of Richmond, Knightsbridge is among the solely reasonably priced choices within the space. The no-frills rooms are cozy, and embrace free Wi-Fi, AC, and a small kitchenette.
• MIDRANGE: Lanbruk Richmond Hill — The 26 rooms and suites on the Lanbruk are fashionable and huge, with espresso machines, toasters, teakettles, and desks. Some supply unbelievable views of the neighborhood. There’s additionally a rooftop terrace with scenic views over the realm.
• LUXURY: The Motley — This five-star resort celebrates Richmond’s previous as the middle of Melbourne’s vogue and textile trade. The inside of the resort — its foyer, halls, and rooms — are bathed in coloration and accented with wealthy textiles. The resort can also be residence to works by many native artists. The fashionable and spacious rooms have huge gentle mattresses, high-end furnishings, and superb showers.

Melbourne is a energetic, enjoyable metropolis excellent for backpackers and funds vacationers. Since it’s so unfold out, it’s vital to select a neighborhood that most accurately fits your pursuits so that you reduce time getting round. But, regardless of the place you keep, you possibly can’t actually go fallacious since in every single place in Melbourne is superior!