"Set the scene. An almost cubist façade amid historic red-bricks and mansions, with textured concrete walls and dangling light sculptures inside, and criss-cross velvet sofas by Patricia Urquiola. Few Melbourne addresses have a location as compelling as this 12-suite hotel—a highly personal project overlooking the Royal Botanic Gardens in chic, residential South Yarra. What’s the story? United Places was born after its founder, real-estate developer Darren Rubenstein, realized he never had the right hotel to recommend to friends and colleagues passing through Melbourne. So he created a space that had the best in design and food, as well as one that was sustainable and overlooking the city’s beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens. This is the first in what Rubenstein plans on developing into a small group of hotels. What about the rooms? Unlike many Australian hotels, which lean on old-fashioned design motifs, this riffs on the best interior-design trends from Scandinavia and New York with tactile materials such as deeply colored velvet, Italian marble, and polished hardwood. The rooms are generously sized and whisper-quiet. There are Le Labo bottles in the bathroom and organic iced teas in the mini bar. The largest suites have deep soaking tubs overlooking the treetops. An intuitive tablet takes care of most controls. How about the food and drink? Downstairs, local hot-shot chef Scott Pickett has opened Matilda 159 Domain —a restaurant based on charcoal and wood-fired cooking—to instant acclaim: The smoked spanner crab with charred flatbread and prawn butter is already being called a Melbourne classic. Guests also get exclusive, complimentary breakfast baskets with yogurt and chocolates from Pickett. Who comes here? Glam Australians with exceptional taste, as well as those visiting Melbourne for its strong arts and cultural scene. They wear McQueen, sip whisky, and likely have a string of rose-gold studs up one ear. What about the neighborhood? The hotel is about two-and-a-half miles from the CBD in South Yarra but the surrounding streets contain plenty of great independent shopping and dining. The Royal Botanic Gardens are vast, with plenty of open green space and a scenic running path. Is it worth it? This is one of the few truly luxurious small hotels in Australia and will delight those with cosmopolitan tastes." - Dan F. Stapleton
