Experience a new centre of luxury in the heart of the city
Following the completion of a recent $45 million redevelopment, Grand Hyatt Melbourne now includes spectacular upper and lower lobbies, the restaurant Collins Kitchen, RU-CO, the bar, and the residence, the hotel’s premium events venue A luxury retail precinct has also been completed and includes flagship stores from Bulgari, Paspaley Pearls and Emporio Armani. Renowned Melbourne chef Greg Malouf’s MoMo restaurant and the opulent Spice Market bar complete the transformation of Grand Hyatt Melbourne as the city’s centre of luxury.
Following the redevelopment of the public spaces, a total transformation of the hotel’s guest rooms is currently underway. The complete interior redesign programme commenced in October 2009, and all 547 rooms will be complete by 2011. The project is isolated floor by floor, ensuring that there is no disruption to in-house guests. The hotel’s premium suites, the Grand Club Lounge and the Club floors (the hotel’s top seven floors), are the first to be completed. Guests will be able to book and experience a brand new Club room from June 2010.
The complete interior redesign includes an update of the carpets, drapery and furniture. Renowned designer Joseph Pang completed the design concept, his brief to match the luxury image of the newly refurbished public areas with a contemporary residential style. All furniture pieces, decorative light fittings and built-in joinery items are custom-designed for a unique look, while the palette of beige, bronze and charcoal is complemented by highlights of lime green, creating an eclectic mix. The use of Australian Blackbean timber for the furniture
and custom-made white linen lampshades creates a warm, relaxing mood, enhancing the residential feel of the room.
The concept enhances the hotel’s uninterrupted Melbourne city views, with the new custom-made beds facing the floor-to-ceiling windows. The new work area comprises an L-shaped sofa, a round table and a leather upholstered armchair, a total departure from the conventional work desk and chair. This comfortable and efficient work area next to the window suits both business and leisure travellers, enabling them to appreciate the Melbourne skyline while watching the LCD flat-screen TV or enjoying in-room dining. The classic marble bathrooms will remain intact, and will be complemented by new tapware, shower screens and Italian porcelain basins.
Along with the interior design, the guestroom redesign program is also an important opportunity for the hotel to extend its water- and energy-saving initiatives. All rooms will be fitted with PIR sensors to determine when the guest has vacated the room. The room control system will then reset the AC system and shut off all lighting until the guest returns. Energy-efficient compact fluorescent lighting will be used throughout all rooms, and water-saving devices will be fitted to the basin and shower. These measures are estimated to reduce energy use by 1,131KwH per day*, resulting in a reduction of 1,105 tonnes of carbon emissions per year, and a saving of 9,840 litres of water per day**. These green initiatives complement the upgrades to plant equipment already implemented to help manage the hotel’s energy and water consumption responsibly.
Upper and Lower Lobbies
Custom-made glass bead light curtains, created by leading lighting designer David Singer, welcome guests on arrival. Australian timbers, custom-designed carpets and furniture, marble and welcoming lighting all feature prominently in the hotel’s new lobbies. These truly grand spaces feature a stone staircase, and a larger, more spacious lounge area with increased seating and capacity for guests.
Lobby ambassadors dressed in stylish uniforms created by Melbourne designers Genae, use new communication technology to provide guests with new levels of service.
Collins Kitchen
The open kitchen at the restaurant serves multiple food concepts, including Deli, Sushi, Crustacean Bar, Grill, Wok, Wood-Fired Oven and Patisserie. The priority at Collins Kitchen is to offer simple, authentic food using the finest local and organic produce. Guests are able to interact with chefs for a dynamic dining experience.
Collins Kitchen offers à la carte menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner and all-day dining. A buffet is available for breakfast and Sunday Brunch, and traditional Afternoon Tea is served daily. The extensive wine list draws from the wine room, which houses 2,700 premium bottles. Collins Kitchen seats 180 guests in a variety of dining areas, including banquette seating overlooking Russell Street, the private “Kitchen Room” for 14 guests and a “Chef’s Table” for ten guests, as well as the Lobby Lounge and the Bistro Bar. Collins Kitchen is open daily from 6:00am to 10:30pm.
RU-CO
RU-CO is Melbourne’s new meeting point, located at the intersection of Russell and Collins Streets. With a modern design and dramatic sculpture artworks by Bruce Armstrong, RU-CO features an outdoor courtyard and an exclusive private area for 18 guests. This dynamic bar offers an extensive list of signature martinis, margaritas and classic cocktails, as well as an impressive list of single malt whiskies and cognacs. The wine list draws from the 2,700 premium bottles housed in the wine room. RU-CO is open daily from 5:00pm till late.
the residence
The residence is a spectacular event venue, unlike any other function space in Australia. Based on the concept of a private mansion, guests are welcomed into the residence as if they were entering the home of a good friend. The residence includes four individually styled rooms - the Courtyard, Verandah, Wine Room and Library - all served by a stunning open kitchen, where guests can interact with the chefs preparing the food. The floor-to-ceiling windows afford stunning views of Collins Street and the atrium ceiling of the Courtyard brings in an abundance of natural light.
