The Melbourn Hilton South Wharf is a good location for conference attendees, but for others it might be a little out of the way.
Melbourne boasts two Hilton hotels – the Park Hilton in Jolimont just to the East of the city and near the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground and the newer South Wharf Hilton on the Yarra River across from the refurbished Docklands precinct.
For those attending events at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the South Wharf Hilton is an unbeatable location as you’re right next door to the venue. For most of the rest of Melbourne, the South Wharf Hilton’s a little bit out of the way.
If you’re using public transport, the closest services are Southern Cross Railway station and the tram stops on Flinders Street, both are a reasonable walk and getting to the train station takes you through some depressing and pedestrian unfriendly architecture.
On foot, it can be a slog from the city centre or Crown Casino through the convention centre, ladies with high heels should consider packing a pair of flats or be prepared to hail a cab.
By car and cab, it’s a circuitous route from the city centre, although if you’re coming in from the airport or the highway from the North or West of Melbourne, the hotel’s easy to get to off the freeway.
One of the interesting cultural aspects to Melbourne are the locals’ obsession with views – this probably comes from an inferiority complex over not having a nice harbour like Sydney’s. This means tourist and accommodation marketing often gushes about the views from the windows.
For all of Melbourne’s attractions, views are not the city’s greatest asset and most of Melbourne looks like Minneapolis or any other Twentieth Century high rise city from anything above the third floor.
In the case of my room, the view was of a freeway approach and a massive discount retail outlet complex, in the distance lay the docks and the West Gate Bridge – another manifestation of Melbourne’s civic desire to outdo Sydney in areas the city can’t compete.
Drawing the curtains on this less than inspiring vista was harder than expected and it took a bit of hunting to find the controls for the electronically operated blinds.
The hotel itself is a nice property and the rooms are lovely with comfortable beds. Unfortunately I was too busy with the conference to check out other facilities like the gym.
At both check in and departure the staff were extremely efficient, pleasant and polite.
If you’re attending a conference at the MCEC this is a good hotel to stay at and I’d recommend it, the main drawback is it’s a little out of the way if you’re wanting to explore Melbourne.
Paul travelled to Melbourne courtesy of Xero.