Crown Metropol Melbourne

‘Ambitious’ might not even cover it. The Crown Metropol is a purpose-built 600-plus-room luxury hotel in a chic modern style, towering 28 floors over Melbourne — this, in just about any city, is the kind of project that’s becoming more and more rare. Which is a shame, considering the results. It’s a tribute to Melbourne’s hotel scene that it inspired the Crown’s owners with the confidence to pull it off. The Metropol aims to be a modern grand hotel in the vein of something like a Park Hyatt, providing a bit of homegrown competition for some of its neighbors.

Most of the rooms are the standard king or twin-queen variety, with plenty of space, far-ranging views, generous work space and indulgent bathrooms with oversized showers. Studio and loft up the spatial ante, and begin to feel ever more residential, a feeling which comes to its culmination in the very modestly named Apartment — most hotels, considering the lavish amenities, the separate entrance, the lounge and dining room, and the butler kitchen (!), would call it a presidential suite.

The full-service spa is quite complete as it is, but also offers spa suites for those who prefer a more seamless transition. A pair of Gordon Ramsay restaurants ensure the Metropol will be a fixture on the Melbourne dining scene, and the rooftop lounge, 28, is a unique space in a city that’s not exactly accustomed to skyscraper-top living.