*This post is brought to you in collaboration with Adara Collins.
There's no better time than now to feature our recent staycation in beautiful Melbourne town here. So many people are packing up and moving about on holidays at this time of year but have you ever considered staying locally in your own capital city as a vacation option instead? Familiarity can and does, after all, provide the perfect starting point for an ultimately relaxing holiday.
Regardless of whether you are a local reader or from interstate (or even overseas), if you are contemplating a visit to our incredible town, then read on; I have a stunning hotel to review and an exclusive offer to save you dollars on a stay in Melbourne and some family friendly and touristy ideas to enjoy here while you do.
We were very recently invited to enjoy a complimentary weekend at the glorious
Adara Collins. This stunning city hotel is situated in the very heart of the Melbourne CBD in no other than the magnificent and renown
Paris end of Collins Street
. As a born and bred Melbourner I can attest that this is the very best of the best our fabulous city has to offer.
The hotel itself is housed within the historic
Clyde House and is a slim, tall and elegant late Edwardian era building of intense beauty both outside and in.
Adara Collins is ideally placed, (sandwiched between theatres and high-end European and designer fashion houses) and offers visitors one of the most convenient and memorable stays imaginable. It really has a touch of old Melbourne magic and charm of the highest degree, which is indeed what makes the
Paris end such an elegant draw-card for visitors.
From our incredibly sized and placed bay window (an entire feature wall), our apartment on the fifth floor overlooked the very best that Melbourne has to offer. Standing here, literally beneath our toes, city life on Collins Street below passed by in a mesmerising and ever-changing kaleidoscopic display which provided endless hours of entertainment in its own right.
The amazing tree-lined Collins Street view from our window.
There was nothing quite like recharging from a bout of dining and shopping while taking in the views of Melbourne from this vantage point. In fact, it was nothing short of thrilling to be so close to the thrum of everything and yet feel oddly,
so at home in our city-based room.
Our grand yet homely apartment was
huge, (virtually house-sized) and featured a fully functional kitchen, (including a dishwasher) and two large and welcoming bedrooms. Our apartment comfortably slept five plus our toddler making six, who was provided with a cot. A cleverly designed adjoining bathroom kept both rooms easily accessible or we could simply use the generous sized hallway and entrance area to access our rooms.
Feeling very at home, only, with benefits!
The apartment's lounge room was so large that it really was a family room in every sense. It featured elegantly upholstered sofas with plenty of cushions which made the task of relaxing here so easy. The large, wall-mounted television kept the kids happy and there was plenty of space to stretch out and enjoy. There might even have been a game or two of chasey as the kids sought to maximise the play potential of all that area!
The kids wasted little time and made themselves right at home, right away!
The master bedroom was so inviting; pretty and comfortable and with the sliding door feature built-in to a section of the wall, it was my choice entirely each night as to whether I would shut off my room from the gentle sounds of passing trams and Melbourne nightlife or slide these doors open and draw back the massive bay window curtains to enjoy the stunning lights of the adjacent
Regent Theatre in my room. Now there's a decision I wish I had to contemplate every single night!
On arrival we were treated to a delicious fruit hamper that took care of our needs for our entire weekend thanks to
Adara Collins. As lovely as our hotel room was, it was time to step out and explore the sights and flavours of our home city. We had two whole days to fill during our stay and being in the centre of town meant that we would have loads of ground to cover in that time.
Our first stop was the spectacular
Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. There are over 10,000 marine animals on display here, from exciting sharks to beautiful jellyfish and new exhibits of frogs as well as a
mammoth croc and penguins from Antarctica. There are interactive displays where the kids can get busy petting the treasures in the rock pool displays.
We spent a long and happy day here. There's so much to do and see. Make sure you visit their website for all the latest news on current attractions to help you plan your visit.
A quiet Bourke Street Mall prior to 9am - A city staycation gives you some genuine shopping freedom.
Adara Collins places you right within Melbourne's CBD. A walk of just a few minutes in any direction will take you to so many places to eat, shop, relax and play. We shopped in Bourke Street Mall where all the biggest department stores are to be found. There's lots of culture here too, with plenty of buskers and general city thrum to give you a true feel for the fabulous place Melbourne is.
We enjoyed breakfast daily at
Gordon's Café and Bar, (304-306 Little Collins Street, Melbourne). This great little café tucked away down one of Melbourne's most popular laneways is just a short walk from
Adara Collins and very quickly became a favourite with us all. We dined here three times over the course of our weekend stay! Perfect breakfasts, (highly recommend the Bircher muesli) and delicious, freshly-squeezed juices. Energising meals to power-up extensive touristy pursuits!
My
Gordon's juice was demolished by the toddler who threw a mammoth tanty over the mere suggestion of taking it in a sippy cup! It was a nervous 15 minutes watching her drink from a very large and full glass. Thanks for putting up with us guys! (An alternative family-friendly option is
The Pancake Parlour at Centrepoint Arcade, Bourke Street Mall.)
Every visit to Melbourne must include a trip to the Southbank precinct, perfectly situated on the banks of the Yarra. Great views, dining options and entertainments galore here including Melbourne Sea Life Aquarium and Crown Casino.
For a great family dining experience a little on the luxurious side, try
Gradi at Crown, Southbank. The kids enjoyed a delicious pizza by renown Naples-trained pizza chef Johnny Di Francesco, while I relaxed back with a wine and this delicious
Roast-beef al tartufo e vino rosso. (It was as divine as it looks!)
Absolutely
top service here from friendly and attentive wait-staff and desserts to die for. Highly recommend.
Exploring Melbourne's distinguished malls is a must and very easy to do from
Adara Collins. The Block Arcade is one of Melbourne's oldest and finest, (located at 282 Collins Street Melbourne). Christmas time was even more magical in this very special part of town. The kids were understandably mesmerised by this window display.
More of Melbourne's extensive array of cafés, bars and creative outlets are to be found at
Centre Place, Melbourne CBD. Make a holiday of our fabulous laneways! They're amazing places filled with culture and bustling with activity and fine dining experiences. My kids were thrilled with the sights and aromas in these very special places which was relaxing for me for all these same reasons.
Other places we enjoyed include
Chinatown as well as Melbourne's Greek precinct on Lonsdale Street. (Must recommend
Stalactites Restaurant for some of the finest Greek food in Melbourne - a personal favourite of ours going back decades.) Check out the stunning cakes at
Diethnes Cakes and Coffee (185 Lonsdale Street). They're mouth-wateringly good and so well priced.
Melbourne's expansive shopping district is world-class and barely needs a mention; it's big and it's all here from every corner of the globe plus our own unique stores will keep you entertained too.
Are you planning a visit to Melbourne?
Adara Collins would like to offer readers of Six Little Hearts
an exclusive discount offer which will give you
10% off Adara's best available rate. (Ongoing.)
Use the code: ADARA10.
Adara Collins are located at 182 Collins Street, Melbourne. VIC 3000.
Phone 61 3 9639 1811
*Disclosure: Six Little Hearts were guests of Adara Collins for a magnificent, complimentary two night stay.
In addition, we were guests of Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium and dined with compliments at Gradi Crown.
