1 Hotel Melbourne

We check in and check out the country's hottest hotel openings. This month, we visit this new North Wharf hotel, where industrial-cool meets biophilic design.

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The once-industrial shell of the Goods Shed No.5 has been reborn as 1 Hotel Melbourne, but not before its bones were respectfully salvaged. Railway timbers reappear as rich architectural details, while bluestone floors echo the city's pavements. Towering ceilings and organic curves give the spaces room to breathe, while cleverly placed foliage guides your gaze through the ground floor. A palette of soft neutrals combines with warm light, and joinery designed to be touched, for a result that's modern without feeling clinical. Conferencing rooms and a ballroom – plus a Docklands location offering easy access to the Exhibition Centre – mean you're likely to see tech types and startup founders tapping away on MacBooks in the leafy atrium.