1 Hotel Melbourne – Review

Mindful living has never looked as good or as easy as it does at 1 Hotel Melbourne, on the Yarra River waterfront in Docklands. Opened in June 2025, the hotel encompasses the heritage-listed Goods Shed No. 5, which was built in 1894 and played a central role in the Victorian capital’s maritime past. Inside the 277-key property’s glassy exterior, laidback luxury meets industrial chic with more than 7000 plants woven throughout the space, where reclaimed timber, granite rescued from landfill and original steel trusses are matched with soft natural textiles. As well as a decadent spa – complete with a heated indoor pool, steam room and sauna – there are two inhouse bars and the hotel’s crown jewel: the onsite restaurant From Here by Mike, helmed by award-winning chef and author Mike McEnearney. Read on for our full review.

Where is 1 Hotel Melbourne?

A 22-minute drive south of Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine), the hotel lies beside the Yarra River in Docklands, a rapidly evolving urban hub that’s just two kilometres from the CBD. 

What’s near 1 Hotel Melbourne?

From here, you’re a 13-minute walk to Marvel Stadium, about 15 minutes by car from the National Gallery of Victoria and a 10-minute drive to the high-end boutiques of Little Collins Street. If you’re keen to explore like a local, the hotel is nestled within the city’s Free Tram Zone and there are multiple tram stops within walking distance. 

Room types

1 Hotel Melbourne’s 241 rooms and 36 suites span 10 floors of the 18-storey building, ranging from the 35-metre-square City King room to the opulent 149-square-metre River Penthouse suite (above), which includes a generous living area complete with a hanging swing lounge, a freestanding bathtub and water views. While the default bedding arrangement is designed for couples, connecting rooms and two-bedroom accommodations are available upon request.

The first thing you’ll notice on your way down the hallways is the panels of living moss marking the entryway to each room or suite. Once you’ve stepped inside, you’ll be greeted by floor-to-ceiling windows offering views out to the water or city skyline, reclaimed timber wall panels and matching desk, a sustainably-made king-sized bed and at least four glossy green plants (all nourished by recycled water). On a more practical level, each room is kitted out with a filtered water tap, cotton robes, a miniature chalkboard for taking notes (you won’t find paper tucked in any of the drawers), an umbrella and yoga mat, amenities supplied by the hotel’s inhouse spa and St. Ali coffee pods and coffee maker.

Restaurants and bars

From Here by Mike marks Sydney chef Mike McEnearney’s first foray into Melbourne, where he’s brought his signature low-waste approach to ethically-sourced local produce to the hotel’s ground floor. At the entrance you’ll find a chalkboard marking the provenance of the day’s ingredients and inside, original steel beams that line the ceiling and timber furnishings adding warmth. While the restaurant can seat 100 guests, clever partitions embellished with recycled concrete sculptures by Sydney-based artist Jamie North and upholstered banquette seats create cosy nooks. 

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day except Sunday nights, From Here by Mike offers a modern Australian menu and a low-intervention-focused wine list, where more than half the bottles are from Victorian vineyards. Expect deceptively simple dishes such as woodfired fermented flatbread topped with creamy almond ricotta and an umami-rich shiitake mushroom XO sauce; Portarlington mussels glistening in a fragrant cider butter emulsion; and tender roasted Valenca porchetta garnished with golden raisins and hazelnut sweet and sour sauce. At breakfast the menu is designed to please any early riser, with pastries from Melbourne bakery Cobb Lane, blue crab omelette draped in fermented chilli and even a collagen broth brewed from lion’s mane mushroom, ginger and turmeric. 

Next to the hotel’s flagship restaurant, sunsoaked Crane Bar & Lounge – which includes alfresco seating by the water – is peppered with plush lounges ideal for sinking into over a pre-dinner aperitif. While Crane Bar & Lounge’s medjool date-infused Old Fashioned, Sustainable Espresso Martinis and DJs spinning tunes on Friday and Saturday nights might tempt you to linger, don’t miss popping into the aptly named Upstairs bar, tucked away on level one. The dimly lit gem offers light snacks such as freshly shucked oysters in a finger lime pearl mignonette and fried chicken topped with creme fraiche and caviar but the highlight is the drinks that include the theatrical banana-infused, whisky-based Gorillas in the Mist, which arrives under a glass cloche filled with smoke. In the morning, swing past the lobby and into Neighbours Café for a coffee, cold-pressed juice or pastry before heading out. 

Sustainability

Eco-conscious living is gently encouraged throughout the hotel, from the subtle hourglass in the shower reminding you to conserve water to the filtered taps in each room removing the need for disposable plastic bottles. Guests can book the inhouse e-bikes to explore the area and, should you find you’ve purchased more keepsakes than your suitcase can handle, you’re also encouraged to leave behind a garment or two, which the hotel will then ensure makes its way to a local charity. On a larger scale, the property draws power from solar and harvests rainwater, energy-efficient switches and thermostats ensure optimal power usage, while hallways automatically dim when not in use.

Accessibility

All areas of the hotel are accessible, with four elevators servicing the property and extra-wide entrances to rooms and restaurants. There are also audio and visual alerts in place of room doorbells.

Travel for work

Should you need to work during your stay, all rooms are equipped with a generous desk. Alternatively, set up camp at one of the dining tables at Crane Bar & Lounge downstairs and make use of the fast wi-fi that’s available throughout the property. For company events and offsites, there are a range of options available, from the 10-seater Paperbark Boardroom to the 1000-square-metre riverside Seafarers Ballroom.

Spa, pool and gym

The third floor of the hotel is a temple to wellness: offering a 18-metre-long heated indoor pool in the shape of the number one, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. The swimming area overlooks the city skyline and is fringed by daybeds reserved for hotel guests only, with access available from 6am to 10pm. After a day of exploring the city, take relaxation to the next level and drift into the Bamford Wellness Spa – created in partnership with holistic living and sustainability guru Carole Bamford. Unwind with a 90-minute Signature Bamford Ritual, where Swedish and Shiatsu massage techniques come together with facial acupressure to reset the body, or settle into a Glow HydraFacial, which incorporates LED light therapy and lymphatic drainage massage. On the same floor, the Field House Gym is equipped with Technogym gear and a personal trainer is on hand for coaching sessions, while complimentary activities such as guided yoga and meditation classes are also regularly scheduled.

What you need to know

The property’s ethos is about immersing guests in the 1 Hotel lifestyle. Think pop-up experiences such as tarot card reading at Upstairs bar to celebrate the winter solstice; a guided run club with therapist-led wind down sessions; wine and cheese evenings at Crane Bar & Lounge and more. The Happenings calendar is often changing – and of course, entirely optional – so it’s best to check what’s on ahead of your visit. Bonus: the entire hotel (barring the onsite restaurants and bars) is pet friendly.

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