Located conveniently on Exhibition Street in the city, Rydges Melbourne is excellent if you wish to explore the beautiful Melbourne city. The property is just a short stroll away from Chinatown (and delicious Chinese food), the world-famous Bourke Street Mall as well as exclusive Collins Street boutiques. Priority Guest Rewards have now partnered with Global Hotel Alliance so you will now receive the same-tier level of benefits should you visit a GHA property while being a PGR member - more on this in the near future!

I arrived at the property early after taking a night flight on Emirates from Singapore to Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (click HERE to access my review on the Qantas Singapore Lounge). While my room was not ready then, my luggages were well taken care of and I was greeted with the friendliest staff ever. Travelling can be tiring so every little nice gesture plays a big part and goes a long way.

I stayed in a Queen Spa Suite in Rydges Melbourne during my latest visit. The suite includes a Queen-size Rydges Dream Bed and a marble en-suite featuring a single spa bath and a separate shower. There is also separate living area which offers abundant natural lighting and great views of the city. I had a marvellous view of Her Majesty's Theatre which is a 1,700 seat theatre that was erected in 1886.

A large working table with a desk lamp can be found near the entrance of the room. Free WiFi is provided in the hotel so you do not have to worry about paying for expensive internet here. I thought that the desk should be located next to the tall glass windows for optimum daylight but that's just a personal preference. There are two individually controlled air-conditioning and heating units that are located in the living room and the bedroom. The air-conditioning and heating units were definitely due for a refresh as they are rather dated and did not work spectacularly well.

The Queen Spa Suite accommodates 2 guests comfortably and additional bedding can be requested at a nominal charge. My queen-sized Rydges Dream Bed offered me a great sleeping experience especially after a long day out in the city - it's slightly on the softer and fluffier side so that's something to take note. There are also two TVs located in the suite however due to the way the suite is configured, I ended up turning the living room TV on from my room. I guess that's what happens when you only have a false wall separating the two TVs (from the same manufacturer) that aren't particularly far apart.

The single spa bath in the bathroom is definitely the star of the room (besides the location of the hotel of course). Using it is super easy - fill up the tub with water of desired temperature and just press the button to start your in-room spa experience. The bathroom can be accessed via the walk-in wardrobe and the living room so be sure to lock the relevant doors if you have guests in the room. You do not want an awkward situation for sure. Water pressure is great and there's ample hot water (always important in winter!) despite being a rather dated property.

As a Black GHA Member (hurrah to the newly-minted status), I did get a nice upgrade, two complimentary bottles of water (not that water isn't complimentary in the room), a nice bowl of fruits and a late check-out that I did not personally utilise. You also get reciprocal benefits at a participating Preferred Guest Rewards (PGR) hotel like Rydges so I got complimentary (proper) coffee (made by a barista) at the lobby every morning. On another note, if you do have multiple stays planned in a PGR property, it's good to try qualifying for the Black Tier which is awarded upon 10 eligible hotel stays or 30 eligible nights in a year. Being a Black Tier member on the PGR programme gives you the following benefits:

15% off our best rates online
50% off meals and drinks
Earn 20 reward points per eligible room night – 150 points redeem a free night
Complimentary bottle of water or welcome drink
Late check-out of 6pm

You will find an extensive range of snacks, mini-bar items as well as charming toys in your room which can be bought should you require them. I was truly impressed by the variety of snacks and items that are available for purchase. In fact, the prices were actually really reasonable as compared to larger hotel chains where the markup is usually insanely high.

The Rydges Melbourne is a great hotel that is located in the city. It is also just a short stroll away from many major attractions and city sights. There's also a bonus room credit for F&B if you do decide to be sustainable and therefore will not be needing that room service (valid from second night onwards). If you are looking for an affordable and accessible hotel to explore the Melbourne City for a couple of days, I would most definitely recommend this property. You do get a better rate as a PGR Member so be sure to sign up for that.

Rydges Melbourne
186 Exhibition St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
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