With hundreds of options across the city, choosing the right hotel in Melbourne can often feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Whether you’re a visitor on a weekend getaway or a resident considering a staycation, it usually involves dozens of internet browsers open as you hunt down a place that ticks all the boxes – comfort, location and amazing service that you’ll remember.
Even as a Melbourne local whose job it is to stay across the best hotels I find it challenging! For a recent staycation for our wedding anniversary, I ploughed through pages and pages of hotels online, finally deciding on the Lancemore Crossley St. But those hours of research were worth it – we couldn’t have chosen a better hotel.
As someone who has trotted the globe and stayed in hundreds of hotels for business and fun, I like to think I’ve developed a keen eye for what makes a hotel stand out. My recent stay at the Lancemore Crossley St not only met but exceeded my expectations.
Here’s my review of the Lancemore Crossley St to help you decide if it’s also the perfect choice for your next visit or staycation in Melbourne.
This blog post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you).
The rundown
Tucked down Little Bourke St, Lancemore Crossley St is a chic Melbourne boutique hotel that’s quite hidden. I had no idea a 4-star hotel was there until we pulled our bags up the steps.
Walking into the hotel, the first thing that struck me was the design – a huge chandelier hanging from the low ceiling looks like it’s crashed to the floor, the theatre-style lighting and the dark, velvet drapes backing the reception area. It’s very glamorous.
The theme continues through the artworks in the hotel. Including the quite eerie video in the lifts portraying Frederick Federici as he puts on his makeup in preparation for a performance. The hotel is in the theatre end of the city, of course – and Federici famously haunts the Princess Theatre.
There are only 113 rooms at the hotel, so it feels intimate and the staff remembered us every time we popped back in.
While we were there on a staycation to celebrate our wedding anniversary, I think the hotel is great for business and leisure travellers alike. During our stay, we saw couples and friends checking in, as well as people who were clearly in town for business.
My overall rating
Overall, I give the hotel a rating of 9/10.
Read on for the details of why I give it such a great rating!
BOOK THE LANCEMORE CROSSLEY ST HOTEL
The location
Address: 51 Little Bourke St, Melbourne
The hotel is in a great part of the city. It’s between Exhibition and Spring Streets, so you’re within walking distance from Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Princess Theatre. A quick jaunt through the Crossley St laneway and you’re on Bourke St.
Chinatown is just down the road – but you’re not in Chinatown, so you don’t have to deal with all the foot traffic.
The best thing about it is that you’re super close to some of the best restaurants in Melbourne. We could see the iconic neon sign of Pellegrini’s from our window (a classic Italian eatery that’s been around since 1954), and Bodega Underground (great Mexican) is directly under the hotel.
Personally, I prefer staying at this end of the city because it’s close enough to all the action, but it’s a bit quieter. (If you’re looking for hotels outside of the CBD, check out my Melbourne neighbourhood guide.)
The rooms
The hotel has a range of rooms, ranging from 24m2 to 62m2, and the larger rooms have balconies.
The rooms are minimalist in design, with neutral colours and quirky artwork. The Design King Rooms have glass brick walls that really give those rooms the wow factor.
We had a King Room, the smallest of the rooms available, but we still had plenty of room to move around. Unlike many smaller hotel rooms, I didn’t feel like we were confined to sitting on the bed when we were both in the room together – and we weren’t tripping over each other.
The highlight of the room? The bed!
It was hands-down the comfiest bed I have ever slept in. Every morning on our two-night stay I had to force myself out of the pillowy yet firm cloud that had formed around me.
I did find it strange, however, that the doona cover didn’t fully encase the doona. It was open on all but one side, which I’ve never seen in a hotel room before.
If it’s just two of you and you plan to be out all day exploring everything to do in Melbourne, then a King Room is perfectly fine.
The bathroom was tiny – but still fine for one person at a time to be getting ready. The rain shower head was fantastic (I’m now looking for something exactly like it for an ensuite reno we’re doing). The shower didn’t have a door, which always frustrates me as water ends up going everywhere.
Despite the bathroom being quite small, it didn’t feel tiny. I think that’s because they’ve cleverly designed it with no enclosed cabinets, giving it a more open feel. The same goes for the room – there aren’t any large, unnecessary wardrobes that make a room feel claustrophobic. Clothes are instead hung up on an open clothes rack.
What I wasn’t impressed to see in our bathroom was miniature hotel amenities. While I know many people love these (and take them home with them), many hotels are now moving to bulk toiletries that are more sustainable. I’ve just done research on this as part of my master’s degree in sustainable tourism, so hopefully the hotel will be looking at changing this.
The facilities
While there are many great things about the Lancemore Crossley St, it’s the complimentary happy hour that got me. Who can say no to free bevvies every evening?
Each night, guests gather in the lobby for an hour of bubbles, beer and snacks. It’s a great way to mingle with other people staying in the hotel (or just have a few free drinks before you head out for the evening).
The rooftop terrace is another highlight. While it’s only on the fifth floor of the hotel, it’s still got city views, comfy day beds and a fireplace. If you don’t have a balcony in your room or an openable window, I always love having the option to escape somewhere for some fresh air. There’s more art here, with a sculpture by local artist Laura Woodward and a colourful mural by Melbourne artist Tristan Kerr.
While there’s no pool, there is a teeny-tiny gym – I think you’d have to be hardcore into fitness to train in the small space! The hotel can provide recommendations for other gyms if that’s important for your stay.
There’s no parking on-site, but you can access a car park just off Bourke St a few minutes’ walk away. It costs $25 per day (unlimited entry and exits) – unless you get free parking thrown in with your stay.
The dining
The Lancemore is a small hotel, so there’s no on-site restaurant.
But you can get room service from Bodega Underground, or arrange delivery through Ubereats or DoorDash.
Breakfast is served from 7am to 10.30am in the lobby, terrace or your own room. Given the hotel has no restaurant, I thought it’d be quite a basic breakfast, but the menu has hot, fresh meals. We didn’t try the breakfast as we wanted to get out and try brunch at some nearby restaurants, but what we saw on other guests’ plates as we walked through the lobby looked good.
The service
We actually almost didn’t make it to the Lancemore Crossley St. Our Melbourne staycation anniversary weekend (already belated as we were celebrating three weeks after the actual date) was thwarted by a case of the spicy cough.
We called up the hotel on the morning of our original trip, fully expecting to not get a refund – we’d booked through Qantas using points and had missed the cancellation period. The Lancemore staff, however, worked with Qantas to reschedule our trip, which I hadn’t expected at all – a sign of great customer service.
The woman I spoke with was just so kind and compassionate. I could tell that she felt really bad for our situation. I’m sure it’s something hotel staff are used to given the pandemic, but it was really appreciated.
Unfortunately, that meant we had to downgrade our room from the Junior Suite we’d originally booked (because of the points we had available), but we were still happy with our King Room.
And I love a hotel that leaves a handwritten note and a bottle of bubbles for a celebratory occasion!
Final thoughts on staying at the Lancemore Crossley St, Melbourne
A hotel can either make or break a weekend away – and that’s especially more so when the weekend is for something special like an anniversary or a birthday.
The Lancemore Crossley St exceeded our expectations for our staycation. While I’m always keen to check out other hotels in Melbourne (so I can provide more useful, honest reviews like this one), I’m quite tempted to go back there for another staycation soon!
I think the hotel is great for a special weekend in Melbourne or a business trip. It’s best suited for anyone who wants to be close to amazing restaurants and attractions – but just out of the noisiest parts of the city.
BOOK THE LANCEMORE CROSSLEY ST HOTEL
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What questions do you have about staying at the Lancemore Crossley St?
Related posts
Before you go… you might like these Melbourne hotel reviews:
- Best Hotels in the Melbourne CBD: 11 Great Options for all Budgets
- The Best Boutique Hotels in Melbourne: 14 Cool Places to Stay
- 15 Luxe 5-Star Hotels in Melbourne: The Finest Stays for the Ultimate Getaway
- Where to Stay in Melbourne: The Coolest Melbourne Neighbourhoods
- 30 Awesome Things To Do in Melbourne
Best Melbourne resources
- Check out my Melbourne travel guide for everything you need to know about planning a trip to Melbourne
- Look for flights to Melbourne on Skyscanner.
- Book accommodation on Booking.com or Expedia for your Melbourne trip. The Ovolo Laneways Hotel is a good choice in the CBD.
- You won’t really need a car in Melbourne, but if you do want to get out of the city, then rent a car through DiscoverCars.
- Pick up a copy of the Lonely Planet Pocket Melbourne to help plan your trip.
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