Novotel & Ibis Styles Melbourne Airport were designed by renowned Australian architecture firm Fender Katsalidis.
Stephanie Holmes checks into the new Novotel and Ibis Styles Melbourne Airport
Room Check: Novotel & Ibis Styles Melbourne Airport
Location: A short walk from Melbourne Airport’s Terminal 4
Style: Modern airport hotel designed by renowned architecture firm Fender Katsalidis, with interior design by Woods Bagot, both Melbourne-based.
Price: From AU$250 ($272) per night for the Novotel (from AU$190 for Ibis Styles)
Perfect for: A luxurious layover on your way to or from another destination
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First impressions: Airport hotels aren’t often remarkable, but this new building, opened in July, has memorable architectural design from Fender Katsalidis, the company behind notable Australian buildings such as Melbourne’s Eureka Tower and Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art (Mona). The lobby and public spaces sit under a cylindrical roof that resembles an aircraft hangar. This is also where you’ll find Aerofoil, the hotel’s co-working space. Two connected wings house the two hotel brands – Ibis Styles on one side, Novotel on the other.
The lobby is full of natural light and surrounded by greenery, giving an instant change of scenery to the bustle of the airport.
There are self-check-in kiosks as well as manned reception desks. I used the kiosk and was promptly checked in with no fuss.
Rooms: I was staying in the Novotel, a 4.5 star hotel with 248 rooms, spanning six different room types. On the eighth of nine floors, my view was of the airport’s multi-storey car park building and the runway beyond – great for plane spotters. I was travelling alone but at 21sq m, my deluxe king room felt spacious enough for two people. Muted tones of soft grey, racing green, dark wood, and black gave the room a sophisticated feel and the floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall window provided excellent natural light. The windows aren’t completely sound-proof so you will hear some rumblings from planes landing, taxiing and taking off. However, the noise wasn’t enough to disturb me, and even though flights arrive and depart 24/7 thanks to Melbourne Airport’s curfew-free status, I slept soundly through the night.
The king bed was comfortable with crisp white linen and huge squishy pillows, and there was plenty of storage space, table and chairs, large wall-mounted Philips smart TV, luggage rack, tea and coffee facilities, and mini bar. The only artwork adorning the walls was three framed photos of Australian landscapes and vintage planes from acclaimed Australian photographer Bruce Postle.
Bathroom: Modern and stylish with walk-in shower with rainhead and power shower heads, one sink, and toilet, and a large circular mirror sitting inside a ring light. The Deep Nature spa toiletries in a Fresh Ocean scent were in wall-mounted refillable bottles and there were no complimentary amenities, reducing waste.
Food & drink: There are currently two hospitality venues on-site – Small Holdings cafe, open Monday to Friday, 6am-3pm for coffees, cabinet food and lunch menu; and Boccata, an all-day Italian eatery and wine bar, open for breakfast for hotel guests, then from midday to 10pm for meals, snacks and drinks. From September 30, Amber State Taphouse & Kitchen will also open on site, serving from midday until late.
I enjoyed a feast of a dinner at Boccata, tucking into the AU$80 tasting menu, which featured the restaurant’s signature deep-fried lasagne (wickedly indulgent), a mortadella pizza, rigatoni pasta, and the most amazing soft serve ice cream with olive oil and Murray salt for dessert. Staff were super friendly and, this being an airport hotel, I didn’t feel out of place dining alone as there were lots of other people doing the same. The breakfast buffet in the morning had plenty of choice, from make your own vege juice, to mueslis and fresh fruit, to eggs, bacon and hashbrowns, to fresh pastries and breads.
Facilities: The hotel has its own health and wellness centre, Higher State, with high-tech gym, swimming pool and spa treatment rooms. The gym and pool are complimentary for hotel guests and are a great way to help work off any jetlag or stretch cramped limbs. A range of spa treatments can be booked for an extra charge. I had a blissful full-body massage from spa therapist Inkula, which really set me up for a weekend of indulgence and relaxation. The gym has all the machines and equipment you’d expect, as well as two rooms where you can take virtual guided fitness classes. If you’re staying at Ibis Styles, single entry to the gym is AU$15; a casual pass for non-hotel guests is AU$25.
The hotel also has co-working spaces, conference and meeting rooms, a shuttle to the terminals for those who don’t want to walk, and 90 minutes’ free parking for anyone dining in the restaurants.
In the neighbourhood: For Kiwis travelling to Melbourne for a long weekend or holiday, staying at the airport might seem like an unusual idea as most of the city’s attractions are closer to the CBD. But if you’re transiting through Melbourne as part of a big long-haul trip, an airport hotel is a great option. Especially a hotel like the Novotel, where you can get a relaxing massage, stretch your limbs at the gym, and have a lie down on a comfortable bed. There are some interesting attractions in the local area too, like UrbnSurf, Australia’s first surf park. Beginners can take lessons and experienced surfers can enjoy consistent waves, from easy to advanced to expert levels.
There’s also the Melbourne Airport Golf Course, and the Living Legends centre, home to former champion race horses that visitors can feed and pat.
Where: Auckland Airport has the Villa Maria estate nearby, Melbourne Airport has Arundel Farm Estate, a family-owned restaurant, events venue and vineyard, situated on more than 120ha . For context, that’s the area of 89 MCG stadiums. As well as a cellar door offering table-service wine tasting, the authentic Italian cuisine and warm hospitable service make for a welcome day out, just 10 minutes’ drive from the Novotel. There’s live acoustic music every Friday evening and fantastically friendly staff.
Family friendly: Deluxe rooms with two double beds are suitable for four people. Extra beds and baby cribs can be requested. As standard across all Novotel properties, children aged up to 16 stay and eat breakfast for free when sharing a family room with their parents.
Accessibility: Mobility rooms are larger than standard rooms (25sq m v 21sq m). They have features including visual fire alarms, step-free shower recess, movable handrails in wardrobes to adjust to wheelchair height, and custom kettles to ensure safety with hot water. The Novotel has 8 speech-enabled rooms and 4 vision-enabled rooms, each having special features for hearing or visually impaired guests. All food and beverage venues, including meeting and events rooms have ground floor access, and Higher State wellness centre has an accessible lift, as well as a chair lift for swimming pool access.
Sustainability: You won’t find any single-use plastic at the hotel, as Novotel’s parent company Accor phased them out across all its brands in 2022. Carbon emissions are monitored, and the hotel uses 100% renewable electricity, supplied from APAM, Melbourne Airport’s 19,000sq m solar farm.
Contact: novotelmelbourneairport.com.au
When there's nothing as far as the eye can see, you may appreciate the company.