With a bold personality and richly layered design language by Flack Studio, plus a streetside coffee shop to boot, Hannah St Hotel is Melbourne’s hottest new hotel – and a microcosm of the city itself.
Urban boutique hotels today are working overtime as not only places to crash after a long day sightseeing, but as microcosms of the cities they inhabit, distilling local character across every touchpoint. Hannah St Hotel does exactly that.
The headline: its interiors are designed by Flack Studio, the multidisciplinary practice behind stylish spaces across Australia and beyond (think Bistro Livi in Murwillumbah and Ace Hotel Sydney), whose aesthetic is anchored by an intentional use of colour, material and mismatching that strikes a sweet spot between contemporary, creative and elegant.
Hannah St Hotel is something of a homecoming for the Melbourne-based firm helmed by David Flack, and it’s every bit the love letter to his home town you’d hope for.
The 188-room hotel is part of Collection by TFE Hotels, whose portfolio is made up of independently owned properties that hero design and strong connections to their local communities, including The Eve Hotel in Sydney and The Calile Hotel in Brisbane.
Where is Hannah St Hotel?
Hannah St Hotel is situated in the heart of Southbank.
Hannah St Hotel sits in Melbourne’s Southbank and forms part of the area’s ongoing cultural revitalisation. It’s positioned within a 15-minute neighbourhood at the crossroads of the CBD, the Yarra River, South Melbourne and the Arts Precinct.
The 10-level hotel occupies the new mixed-use Queensbridge Building, which cuts a distinctive wedge-shaped – or bullnose – footprint likened to New York City’s 1920s Flatiron Building.
Tucked under the Kingsway overpass, it initially feels a little like an urban jungle – but within minutes the concrete gives way to the Southbank Promenade. Soon I’m strolling along the Yarra, passing a hub of eateries, riverside bars, sketch artists and street performers on the sunny Saturday I’m here.
Within 15 minutes I reach Princes Bridge. A walk over the water takes me into Fed Square and the CBD, while heading south along St Kilda Road brings me to NGV International within a few minutes.
What is the style and character of Hannah St Hotel?
Step into Melbourne’s hottest design-led stay.
The accommodation blends creativity and personality.
Hannah St Hotel is big on personality, as flagged on arrival. Its main entrance, discreetly tucked beneath the overpass, is given a playful makeover in Barbie pink and polka dots. Guests are greeted by a three-metre sculpture, Mirror Sheila (2024) by Justene Williams – part of the hotel’s art program – as they step into the lobby.
Flack Studio draws on a diverse set of influences – from French Modernism and mid-century Italy to American Deco and the Industrial Revolution – to create a one-off design that embodies Melbourne’s richly layered spirit. It’s grit and glamour and vintage-style signage flickering neon. Tactile textiles, gestural shapes and bold colours offset against industrial finishes. Just as things tip towards nostalgia, a bolt of contemporary snaps you back to the present.
The vibe is welcoming and accessible. Playful and cool without trying too hard.
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What are the facilities like at Hannah St Hotel?
Unwind at the Parisian-style Terrace Lounge.
Designed to be a neighbourhood in its own right, Hannah St Hotel has everything you need without straying far. There’s a streetside hole-in-the-wall, Hannah St Coffee, for your caffeine fix, and Coupette Corner Bistro & Bar, which does triple duty for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Ample public spaces encourage lounging, imbibing and working (or all three), including the rail-inspired Carriage Lounge, chic lobby hang Bar Hannah, the top-level Terrace Lounge – influenced by the garden cafes of Paris and boasting a rooftop bar – and a dedicated co-working space.
Dive into the 20-metre lap pool.
There’s also a fully equipped gym, a 20-metre lap pool with vertigo-inducing city views through floor-to-ceiling windows, plus a steam room and sauna.
What are the rooms like at Hannah St Hotel?
The French and Italian-style interiors were designed by Flack Studio.
The Terrace Balcony Suite is equipped with a freestanding bath.
Hannah St Hotel’s 188 boutique rooms and suites are each carefully curated.
Ranging in size from 29 to 58 square metres – from bijou Local rooms and Balcony Terrace rooms through to the ultimate Hannah Suite – they feature custom furniture, Malin + Goetz amenities, minibars, pod coffee machines, smart TVs with Chromecast, Bluetooth Marshall speakers, bespoke robes and slippers, and skyline views.
My Lookout Corner Suite makes the most of those views, its unique angular shape bestowed by the building’s irregularity offering a sweeping panorama.
Generously proportioned, it has a king bed and a separate living area crowned by custom-made banquette seating that wraps around the room’s unusual footprint. Quality finishes are stitched into every surface, from blush-coloured carpets that squish underfoot to the concrete ceiling with exposed piping offset against the statement reading chair in Yves Klein blue.
A minibar is stocked with artisanal snacks and local wines, beer and soft drinks.
Space is used efficiently throughout the distinctive layout, including a wardrobe and stowage area tucked into the gallery-style hallway that leads to a generous bathroom – rendered in grey and blue with terrazzo flooring, complete with separate shower and toilet.
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What are the dining options at Hannah St Hotel?
The rail-inspired Carriage Lounge is the perfect spot for drinks.
Melbourne hospitality stalwarts The Mulberry Group, led by Nathan Toleman, oversee Hannah St Hotel’s food and beverage offering across five distinct venues designed to take guests and locals alike from morning coffee through to late-night cocktails.
There’s Bar Hannah and the adjoining Carriage Lounge for drinks and snacks, ground-level Hannah St Coffee, and the rooftop Terrace Lounge for lingering over cocktails – soon to be joined by chef residency program Propeller.
Coupette Corner Bistro & Bar is the star of the show: a ground-level eatery that moves from breakfast to lunch and dinner as the day progresses. The menu is overseen by executive chef Andrew Beddoes and offers a playful take on the European bistro, with a distinctly Melbourne skew.
Breakfast is bright and buzzy – order anything from pastries and almond oat cups to avocado toast with goat’s cheese topped with radish and herbs, a blue swimmer crab omelette or French toast laced with blueberries, maple syrup and burnt orange curd.
Lunch brings a tight menu of bistro staples, while dinner dials the mood to elegant and pushes the food offering further: think steak frites, lamb rump and market fish with beurre blanc. The wine list spans local to Euro.
Is Hannah St Hotel accessible for guests with disabilities?
Hannah St Hotel offers several room types designed to meet specific accessibility needs. All public areas, including the pool, are wheelchair accessible.
Is Hannah St Hotel family-friendly?
Hannah St Hotel nods to the city’s energy and urban pulse.
Guests under 18 are welcome when accompanied by an adult. Rooms accommodate up to two guests, with interconnecting rooms, baby cots and rollaway beds available on request.
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Imogen Eveson is Australian Traveller’s Print Editor. She was named Editor of the Year at the 2024 Mumbrella Publish Awards and in 2023, was awarded the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) Australia’s Media Award. Before joining Australian Traveller Media as sub-editor in 2017, Imogen wrote for publications including Broadsheet, Russh and SilverKris. She launched her career in London, where she graduated with a BA Hons degree in fashion communication from world-renowned arts and design college Central Saint Martins. She is the author/designer of The Wapping Project on Paper, published by Black Dog Publishing in 2014. Growing up in Glastonbury, home to the largest music and performing arts festival in the world, instilled in Imogen a passion for cultural cross-pollination that finds perfect expression today in shaping Australia’s leading travel titles. Imogen regularly appears as a guest on radio travel segments, including ABC National Nightlife, and is invited to attend global travel expos such as IMM, ILTM, Further East and We Are Africa.
More than just a stopover, Albury Wodonga is an elevated city escape immersed in nature.
Perhaps best known as a road trip stop between Sydney and Melbourne, Albury Wodonga offers a combination of natural beauty, cultural experiences and a vibrant food scene that make it well worth its own journey.
Nestled on the banks of the mighty Murray River and surrounded by famed wine and gold rush regions, this riverside town packs a broad punch. Discover how best to spend your days on the border.
Exploring the Murray River
1. The Crossing Place Trail
Admire sculptural works from local Indigenous artists.
Head to the original crossing places of the Murray River since 1848 – at the junctions of Bungambrawatha Creek and Oddies Creek. Today, these crossings are still used by cars and cattle, but the five-kilometre Crossing Place Trail loop connects the two bridges for bike riders and walkers.
Wander through gum trees, and maybe even spot local platypus and birdlife. Stop along the way to admire sculptural works from local Indigenous artists, see evidence of a scar tree and learn about the importance of this billabong environment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
2. Canoe The Murray
Hire canoes or kayaks and get out on the river.
What better way to get a feel for the Murray River than by getting out on its waters? Hire canoes or kayaks from Canoe the Murray, then explore solo or join one of the offered tours. Get up early for a Sunrise and coffee tour, watch the sun dip below the water on a sunset tour or choose one of several daytime trips.
Stand-up paddleboard hire and other water sports, fishing and swimming are also available to river explorers.
3. Noreuil Park Foreshore
Cool off at Noreuil Park Foreshore. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Just outside Albury’s CBD, the riverside Noreuil Park becomes a hub of activity as the weather heats up. Set up on picnic tables under shady trees, use the public barbecues (or pop into the nearby cafe) and cool off with a float down the river.
4. Mungabareena Reserve and Water Works
Spend time at Mungabareena Reserve. (Image: Visit Albury Wodonga)
Delve into nature and culture at the beautiful Mungabareena Reserve. Recognised by state law as a ‘Declared Aboriginal Place’, it was once a historical meeting point for trade and journeys to Mount Bogong for the local Wiradjuri people and still holds deep significance.
It’s another popular spot for fishing, swimming and picnics, while the nearby Water Works area is a great place for spotting wildlife. Try your luck seeing platypuses, wood ducks or rainbow bee-eaters.
Adventuring on Lake Hume
1. Walk the dam wall
Enjoy the view from the dam wall. (Image: Visit Albury Wodonga)
The majestic Lake Hume – a massive man-made reservoir on the Murray River – was once the largest dam in the Southern Hemisphere.
A great way to get acquainted is by walking along the dam wall, taking in views of outflows, electricity turbines and the transmission plant from above. Not to mention vistas of the lake and the Murray. It’s a particularly gorgeous spot for sunsets and sunrises.
A wide sealed walkway gives easy access to the wall, and informative signs and displays along the way educate on the dam’s construction.
2. The High Country Rail Trail
This 44-kilometre trail hugs the shoreline. Stop along the way at the historic town of Tallangatta, relocated to its current position in the 1950s after its original location was flooded. Cross the lake over the bright red Sandy Creek Bridge. Enjoy a lakeside picnic or go for a swim at Ebden, Ludlow’s or Huon Reserve.
3. Water sports
Dive into water sports on Lake Hume.
Lake Hume is a popular local spot for boating, fishing, and swimming. Drop a line or dive right into the clear waters.
Sip and Savour
1. Dux Albury
Sit down to delicious meals and wine at Dux.
Those looking for a high-end dining experience need to book a table at Dux Albury in the heart of Albury Wodonga. Sit down for curated wine lists, cocktails and share plates. Think starters like burrata with beetroot, chervil, caper berry and sherry, mains like Wagyu sirloin with Café De Paris, red wine and caramelised onions and all manner of fresh seafood.
2. Murray Towns Brewing Co.
Recharge at Murray Brewing Co.
Perched on the banks of the river, Murray Towns Brewing Co. has come a long way since two mates started experimenting in their backyard chook shed. With all beer brewed onsite and a sun-drenched beer garden to drink them in, it’s a perfect stop along a bike ride or walk.
3. Temperance and General
Step into Albury’s original laneway bar, Temperance and General. Set inside a historic building, but offering a modern vibe, the bar is locally famous for its cocktail list. Stop in before or after dinner for a creative tipple.
4. BeanStation Cafe
Dine on a modern Australian menu.
Dine on a modern Australian menu, inside the historic Wodonga train station building, dating back to 1873. Pop over in the morning and line up with the locals for great coffee and all-day brekkie, or head over after midday to swap the beans for local wines and Aussie boutique beers.
5. River Deck Cafe
Soak in views and good food at Riverdeck Cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Another dining destination next to the Murray, the award-winning River Deck Cafe provides a large deck covered in dappled sunlight that makes for the ideal long lunch spot. Here, menus focus on natural, native and local ingredients sourced from regional farmers and producers across Albury Wodonga and surrounds.
Museums, murals and more
1. Albury Wodonga Public Art Trail
Gain a sense of Albury Wodonga’s vibrant arts community while wandering the Public Art Trail. Works range from sculptures and murals to wrapped infrastructure. Be sure to check the council map before you head out, so you don’t miss a thing.
2. Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA)
Stop into one of the most visited galleries outside of Sydney. (Image: Visit Albury Wodonga)
MAMA forms the heart of art and culture in Albury Wodonga, some may say the entire Murray region. In fact, it’s one of the most visited galleries outside of Sydney. What makes it so lauded? The museum has earned a reputation for curating innovative, original exhibitions from some of the best contemporary Australian and international artists.
3. HotHouse Theatre
Originally built in 1928 as the Butter Factory Theatre, HotHouse Theatre has been a home of performance since 1997. Stop by to see the best of new Australian theatre. Continue to explore unique architecture on the Historic Building Walking Tour of Albury, the perfect way to round out your stay.
