The Lyall Hotel

The Lyall Hotel is an absolute standout and one of the finest boutique hotels we’ve stayed at in Melbourne. From the moment you arrive, you’re welcomed with genuine warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail that immediately sets the tone for a wonderful stay. The rooms are spacious, beautifully designed, and immaculately maintained, with thoughtful luxury touches that make you feel completely at home. The private balconies, high-quality amenities, and overall calm, refined ambiance create a perfect balance of comfort and elegance. The staff deserve special mention — friendly, attentive, and always willing to go the extra mile. Their personalised service truly elevates the experience and makes you feel valued as a guest rather than just a booking. The location in South Yarra is superb — quiet and sophisticated, yet just steps away from excellent cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and public transport. Dining at the Lyall Bistro was a highlight, with delicious breakfasts in a relaxed setting. Surrounded by great restaurants, boutiques, and cafés, the South Yarra location is ideal. The Lyall Hotel offers luxury without pretence, exceptional comfort, and heartfelt service. Highly recommended — we will definitely be back.

Loved our stay at the Lyall. The staff were all truly so lovely and kind. We really enjoyed chatting with all of them and they went above and beyond with service. The rooms were beautiful, and I’ll be dreaming about their beds. They were sooo comfortable with the nicest sheets. Gorgeous outlook from the room with lots of calming greenery from trees. Lux bathroom and shower too. Perfect location, so much to do and beautiful walks to go on. Can’t wait to come back.

Found the bedrooms a bit small to be five star. Normally luxury hotels have slightly bigger rooms. But the beds are simply amazing. Most comfortable hotel beds I have slept in … for a long time. Remind me of the same experience at four seasons. But what I truly love about this place is the location. A short walk out of Murphy street you have Toorak where there are a lot of nice restaurants and cafes. So you never really get hungry here. A short walk down Toorak and u can turn into Chapel for more interesting shops. A walk up Toorak will land you near Melbourne Botanic Gardens which is one of the most beautiful and relaxing places for your morning walks!

Unfortunately I won't be able to leave a review about my time here, thanks to the 'technicalities' of maximum occupancy. When locking in three nights to stay at the Lyall Hotel, I was over the moon. I had finally found what seems to be a beautiful hotel to stay the night before and night of my wedding. This included the day of - where I planned to have my bridal party (consisting of three women, aged 18, 15 and 32) along with my mother and future mother in law, to prepare for my big day together. Locking in the second largest suite, at 86sqm, I believed for it to be a perfect size for my soon to be husband to spend the night but also for a small group to be together for a couple of hours before I get married. However - despite being upfront and honest with the Hotel staff, I have been declined any chance of having more than the maximum occupancy, which is sleeping 2, permitted in the hotel room at any given time. Now, I can understand during the night to avoid wild parties and unwanted guests. However, when I approach you with 100% honesty and you repeat the same generic line with no option of a minor exemption for allowing me to have my small bridal party with me to get ready for a room costing over $3,000 for three nights - well guess you've just lost my business. For anyone looking to stay here ahead of an event, for your wedding or anything in between. Know that there is no room for any empathy or emotion for your special occasion. I feel even more stupid, because before I was advised that this was not permitted my fiance and I had even convinced ourselves to treat ourselves to the largest suite, at over $4,000 and 100msq in size. But what's the point?

My sister and I are delighted with our 11-night stay at the Lyall. Not only are the rooms comfortable but the lounge is so inviting that each time we returned, we automatically draped ourselves on one of the lounge seats. It's such a luxury to be able to order drinks or complimentary water until 9pm to be served at the lounge. We specially picked the Lyall for its scenic and convenient location in South Yarra. Train station and tram stop is a short walk away and helpful reception staff are available to call a cab or uber. The hotel's proximity to shops, eateries and the Prahran Market is second to none. We will not hesitate t check into the Lyall on our next visit to Melbourne.

Despite the rather small twin bedded room we got, my sister and I enjoyed our 11-night stay. Suggestions for improvement is heavier duty bed and adding a bidet. The single beds moved easily when sitting at the edge of the foot of the bed which is disconcerting. Addition of a bidet fitting to the toilet seat would improve comfort and reduce toilet paper usage. We love the homey atmosphere of the hotel with their inviting lounge...simply does not feel like a hotel at all but a holiday home. The staff are all friendly, helpful and enthusiastic which contributed to the feel good vibe of the hotel. The Lyall's location is ideal; you are enveloped in the leafy suburb of South Yarra and yet so close to shops, restaurants, Prahran Market, South Yarra train station and tram stop. The hotel has a restaurant cafe for residents and serves breakfast, lunch and drinks until 9pm. Residents can ask to be served water. We will return to The Lyall on our next visit to Melbourne.

I recently stayed at The Lyall Hotel after surgery, as I couldn’t manage the stairs at home, and I couldn’t have chosen a better place. From the moment I arrived, Harry, Bosky, and the entire team went above and beyond to make me feel comfortable and cared for. Their kindness and attention made such a difference during my recovery. The rooms were absolutely incredible! Spacious, beautifully designed, and very peaceful, which was exactly what I needed. Everything about my stay was seamless and stress-free, and I felt truly looked after. I can’t recommend The Lyall Hotel highly enough. Not just for the gorgeous rooms, but for the warmth and professionalism of the staff. They turned what could have been a challenging time into a really positive experience.

The warm, friendly, responsive and efficient team at The Lyall (especially Olivia and Ray) deliver a first-class experience. Rooms are very well thought out, spacious, and have every amenity one could want. I recommend an Executive room with balcony. And the location is also fantastic. A short stroll to some of Melbourne's best restaurants (Bar Carolina, France-Soir, Yakikami, etc.) and cocktail bars (Gracie's Wine Room, Cancutters, Nobody's Baby, La Splendide, etc.)

Location , location, location! This is what the hotel offers. Champagne bar is nothing special - anything smaller than a full bottle comes from opening a piccolo bottle. The choices are nothing special. Yes, the front desk and bar are cosy and intimate, and oh so friendly. While I loved the attention, it seemed a little contrived and I was happier to stay inside my room and enjoy the space and amenities inside my room. It will be my first consideration for any other stays I need to look for in Melbourne in the future.

We were so excited about this place as it was the cap to our three week trip to New Zealand and Australia. Arriving early for our reservation, we were quickly greeted by a friendly porter who grabbed our luggage and happily agreed to hold our bags for us while we waited for the room to be cleaned. When we finally checked in, the room was dated and dirty. The bed should have been replaced years ago. The sofa was dirty, as were the walls and carpet. What's worse is that I called the front desk immediately to ask for another room and was informed that none were available. At check-in, I was charged for one nights stay -$250 US. So, upon our quick exit from the hotel, I inquired about the night I was charged and was told I'd see a refund on my Visa card within 3 days. It's been almost two weeks and no refund! We ended up staying at the The Olsen (very close to the Lyall) and it was lovely and the bed was dreamy. The Lyall was obviously loved when it was new but now neglected by the owner.

I would not recommend this hotel. It is worn, the wi-fi works intermittently at best and there is construction going on next door starting at 7:30 AM sharp.

Our family had an absolutely delightful stay at the Lyall over the New Year's holiday. We debated whether to stay in downtown Melbourne or at the Lyall in South Yarra, and I am so glad that we decided to stay at the Lyall. The hotel is located in the heart of vibrant South Yarra, which is bustling with incredible restaurants, cafes and shops. The service was top notch and always so friendly and courteous. Beyond a doubt, the service was at the level we have received staying at Four Seasons, Ritz Carltons and Fairmonts around the world, though with an even more personal touch. The accommodations were excellent and we luxuriated in the space of our two-bedroom suite. We also loved the inviting common areas of this boutique hotel, which made us feel more like we were guests in a well-appointed home than in a hotel. We explored both in and around Melbourne as well as in greater Victoria, and the hotel was the perfect launching point for all our adventures. We were able to easily explore the neighborhoods immediately surrounding the hotel on foot as well as by borrowing bikes from the hotel. We secured a rental car nearby and took several day trips within an hour or two of the hotel to some of the most stunning beaches and view points we have ever visited anywhere in the world (including traveling down Great Ocean Road). My husband and I agreed that this was one of our favorite vacations we have taken in 20 years! Many thanks to the staff at The Lyall!