Breathing new life into Melbourne’s cherished laneway

Today Architectus and Hecker Guthrie celebrated the official opening of Australia’s first Hyatt Centric, a contemporary 277-room hotel in the heart of Melbourne’s vibrant Flinders Lane. 

Inspired by the surrounding heritage masonry buildings, the 6-storey podium and 20-storey tower at 25 Downie Street connects guests with the best of Melbourne’s CBD. The city’s vibrant laneway culture and history come alive in all boutique guest rooms, health and wellness facilities, a ground-level lobby lounge and bistro, and a highly anticipated top-floor restaurant and bar, which offers sweeping views of the city.  

Architectus Principal and National Commercial Sector Leader, Matthew Smith said, “This hotel connects guests with Melbourne’s cultural identity and breathes new life into the southern end of Flinders Lane. Like Melbourne, the design is neither brash nor ostentatious, it is subtle and sophisticated and waiting to be discovered. Guests are welcomed through a discrete laneway entry with a podium level picking up the scale and rhythm of the heritage context. The views from the rooms are beautiful, spanning Port Philip Bay as well as the grittier port and transport precincts.  

“We’re proud to have delivered the first Hyatt Centric in Melbourne and, together with Hecker Guthrie, we’re thrilled to think of travellers returning to Melbourne post-pandemic to experience this new hotel which is all about Melbourne.” 

Interior design practice Hecker Guthrie created a distinctly Melbourne-made series of spaces, mirroring the city’s reputation for design, fashion and food. Melbourne’s notable city grid is reflected in the custom-designed room rugs, while Victorian-era brickwork has a refined presence in the lobby. 

Hecker Guthrie Associate Stacey Van Harn said: “We celebrate Melbourne’s unique history through the careful selection of artisanal objects across the hotel, including curated artworks and Gold Rush-inspired lighting and objects by Melbourne makers Volker Haag and Suzie Stanford. It was a delight to deliver interiors that recognise the past and present of one of Australia’s most culturally-remarkable cities.”  

Delivered by Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Little Projects, the opening marks the first Australian Hyatt Centric – a global hotel collection that embraces lifestyle and destination by creating boutique accommodation in the middle of the action. 

Learn more about Hyatt Centric here.