2021 Gallery
Winner: Best Hotel Design
Bates Smart for Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street
18 Little Queen Street
Melbourne, VIC
The Hilton Little Queen Street Melbourne incorporates the refurbished 1931 Equity Trustees building with an additional six levels and a 16-level tower to the rear. It includes 244 hotel rooms and 10 suites, a signature restaurant and cocktail bar, alongside guest amenities such as gym, meeting rooms and function spaces.
Jury Citation
The newly opened Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street seamlessy combines the heritage Equity Chambers building with a modern 16-storey tower and includes two distinct food and beverage spaces. Luci, the hotel’s restaurant, complements original details such as coffered ceilings, ornate plasterwork and carved timber features with rich upholsteries, handsome banquette seating and modern lighting, creating a timeless lobby restaurant experience. Its location, in the original building’s former grand hall, can be viewed from above from the reception area, placing it at the centre of the guest experience. The Douglas Club is the opposite – a charismatic, intimate bolthole anchored by a striking marble cocktail bar. The jury appreciated the contrast between the spaces, which spoke to the overall sophistication and confidence of its interior design. The winner in a healthy category that signals an Australian renaissance for the hotel restaurant and bar experience.
