A former tea merchant’s warehouse and then billiards hall tucked away at the quiet end of Flinders Street may not perhaps conjure up images of the perfect home for a boutique luxury hotel, yet The Hotel Lindrum far from playing down such humble beginnings, positively embraces it.
It appears this was no ordinary billiards club, but one run by the Lindrum family, a billiards dynasty responsible for no less than four generations of world champions and the full size table gracing the downstairs lobby, restored from the original club, is a fitting tribute.
The original red brick Romanesque exterior remains, but this is boutique luxury in every sense of the word, from the soft and velvety sofas in the lounge clustered around a real fireplace, to the quirky spiral staircase and choice of art bedecking the walls. Even the service is boutique; with staff members fulfilling a medley of different roles from reception to housekeeping. The 59 bedrooms are a triumph, festooned with wooden furnishings, polished floors and Molton Brown toiletries, they are large and airy, and dominated by sink-into king size beds that come with their own pillow menus. The soft lighting and dark decor lends an air of intimacy to the whole production, a perfect setting to return to after a hard day around Melbourne’s fantastic laneways..
The Hotel Lindrum gets it right on so many levels; the welcome glass of Turkish apple and cinnamon tea at check in, the complimentary wifi, the delightful breakfast buffet stacked with just-baked bread and pastries with hot food freshly prepared to order. It’s a hotel in my opinion that will give you a luxury stay without taking itself too seriously. A bit like Melbourne itself I suppose.
You might have to wait a tad for a taxi, as the hotel is a few minutes’ walk away from the action end of Flinders, but then again, it’ll give you time for a frame of snooker while you wait.
What does it cost to stay at The Hotel Lindrum Melbourne
Rates: From £190 per night for a
www.hotellindrum.com.au
E: H8757-RE@accor.com
