Flared concrete portal columns announcing the entrance on Flinders Lane give W Melbourne its most legible gesture toward the street — a pair of splayed forms that frame the lobby threshold like a stage proscenium and signal, against the backdrop of Melbourne's Edwardian Port Authority Building opposite, that this tower has no interest in deferring to its neighbours. The building, designed by Woods Bagot and completed in 2021, rises 28 floors above the CBD with 294 rooms, the facade a curtain of floor-to-ceiling glazing hung with perforated metal screening that catches light differently across the day. Interiors by Nic Graham carry the same appetite for sensation through every level. Guest rooms layer black-and-white tartan carpet against brass-framed bed platforms, chunky hand-knitted throws in acid yellow or magenta providing colour punctuation against otherwise controlled palettes, perforated copper screens filtering the entry to some configurations. The WET deck pools its reflections across a mirror ceiling suspended above a marble-tiled terrace, the sinuous white reception desk and brass bistro furniture giving the space the atmosphere of a 1970s Italian resort reimagined at altitude. Most theatrical is the rooftop bar, where a canopy of radiating timber ribs fans overhead in a structural gesture somewhere between a whale skeleton and a tensioned timber vault, backlit LED strips running along each rib to illuminate the curved dark-oak bar below — a room that makes Melbourne's skyline feel like borrowed scenery.

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Melbourne’s first luxury lifestyle hotel with its rebellious Flinders Lane address is now open. W Melbourne takes its design cues from the streets of Australia’s cultural capital, holding the back-lane entrance keys to what’s New/Next in the city, revealing a playground where the early risers to the late-night revellers can turn up the tracks. Extending the laneway culture inside, 294 bold rooms and suites peel back the layers and revel in the city’s history. 828 square metres of ultra-modern event space sets the stage for epic events. Four restaurants and bars will amp up the experience; with Warabi set to shake up Japanese dining, Lollo to take you from day, night to beyond under the culinary creative direction of Adam D’Sylva, Curious is the the bar to see and be seen in and Culprit will be a café come bar that serves up your double shot latte, to an afternoon spritz. Detox in our state-of-the-art FIT gym then retox with a dip and a sip in our WET® pool. Detox in our state-of-the-art FIT gym, then retox with a dip and sip in WET® the pool. Both are located on level 14 with panoramic views across the city skyline and are available to you 24/7. WET transform to an Adult Only (+16 years) space from 5PM to 6AM.