1 Hotel Melbourne is Now Open

Posted in News on 19 June, 2025

Redefining sustainable luxury in Australia’s cultural capital with a landmark debut.

1 Hotel Melbourne is Now Open. Above: 1 Monument. Top: Penthouse Suite. Credit both images: Mikkel Vang

1 Hotels, the mission-driven luxury lifestyle brand founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, has announced the official opening of 1 Hotel Melbourne. This nature-inspired property marks the brand’s long-anticipated debut in Australia, redefining the future of luxury hospitality in the heart of one of the world’s most forward-thinking cities.

Developed in partnership with Melbourne-based Riverlee, the hotel is set along 220 metres of uninterrupted Yarra River frontage in the revitalized North Wharf precinct. The building is a celebration of Melbourne’s storied past and a blueprint for a more sustainable future, brought to life through biophilic design principles and a commitment to living in harmony with nature. The architectural centrepiece of the project is the restored Goods Shed No. 5, Melbourne’s last remaining heritage goods shed from the city’s shipping heyday. The hotel is also designed to foster connection, creativity, and community, buzzing from day to night with chef-led dining, wellness experiences, and a dynamic lineup of Happenings – from sound baths and DJ sets to zero-waste cocktail workshops.

Crane Bar & Lounge at 1 Hotel Melbourne Credit: Mikkel Vang

“The opening of 1 Hotel Melbourne marks a powerful moment for our brand as we expand in the Asia Pacific region,” says Barry Sternlicht, 1 Hotels Founder and Chairman of Starwood Hotels. “As we grow our global footprint, we’re focused on markets that reflect our values – places where nature, culture, and innovation converge in meaningful ways. Melbourne is a city that not only understands the importance of sustainability, it celebrates it.”

“At 1 Hotels, we’ve always believed that true luxury is rooted in purpose, impact, and authentic experiences,” said Raul Leal, CEO of Starwood Hotels. “1 Hotel Melbourne brings sustainability and style into harmony, with a focus on wellness, local connection, and day-to-night programming that creates a tangible sense of place. From the moment you arrive, you feel like you’re part of the city.”

City Reserve Suite at 1 Hotel Melbourne Credit: Mikkel Vang

River Reserve Suite at 1 Hotel Melbourne Credit: Mikkel Vang

“Through our partnership with 1 Hotels, we have reimagined this heritage waterfront site into a sustainable luxury destination that honors Melbourne’s maritime past while setting new benchmarks for environmental stewardship,” says David Lee, Development Director at Riverlee. “This project perfectly embodies Riverlee’s commitment to creating visionary developments that respect our city’s past while building for its future.”

Design Shaped by Nature and History
1 Hotel Melbourne’s design narrative is anchored in the brand’s nature-first ethos and commitment to biophilic design – an approach that taps into the untamed landscapes of Victoria, from the rugged cliffs of the Great Ocean Road to the lush canopies of the Dandenong Ranges. Here, nature isn’t an escape from the city – it’s a dialogue with it, creating an urban sanctuary that blurs the boundary between built and natural environments, with a deep and immersive sense of place.

At the heart of the design is the site itself: the historic Seafarers wharf, in continuous use since 1855. Its centrepiece is the heritage-listed Goods Shed No. 5. Originally built in 1895, the shed was once a vital part of Melbourne’s maritime economy, processing massive amounts of cargo before falling into disuse in the 1970s. More than 2,000 original elements have been salvaged, catalogued, and reincorporated, including bluestone pavers, steel trusses, timber doors, and window frames. The adjacent Malcolm Moore crane, a 1942 industrial relic and the last of its kind in Victoria, has been restored and repositioned as a sculptural tribute to the area’s shipping past.

From the moment guests enter 1 Hotel Melbourne’s soaring lobby – anchored by a dramatic rock wall constructed from split-faced granite, an industrial by-product that echoes Victoria’s coastal geology – they are immersed in a story of regeneration and renewal. Reclaimed timber is a defining feature, with more than 4,500 square metres (the equivalent of 18 tennis courts) used in the hotel. The reception desk is made with repurposed elm trees from Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel works. In the lounge, decommissioned railway bridges were transformed into a sweeping staircase. And in the signature restaurant, From Here by Mike, the original support beams from the Goods Shed have been repurposed as dramatic portals. Throughout the property, more than 7,000 plants bring Victoria’s biodiversity indoors, reinforcing the hotel’s biophilic approach.

The hotel features 277 tranquil guest rooms, including 36 suites. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame skyline or Yarra River views. Guest rooms feature walls made from discarded railway sleepers across Victoria and New South Wales. Guest room door numbers are displayed on reclaimed timber panels crafted from original subaquatic piers salvaged during the site’s wharf restoration, featuring distinctive marine worm markings and accented with preserved moss above and below. Smart thermostats, energy-saving switches, and low-VOC materials reinforce the hotel’s light-touch approach.

Dining and Celebrations, Reimagined
1 Hotel Melbourne’s food and beverage experiences are guided by the same philosophy that defines the property itself. Every detail – from the sourcing of ingredients to the design of the spaces – has been carefully considered to nourish guests and respect the planet.

From Here by Mike, the signature restaurant, marks the first hotel collaboration for renowned Australian chef Mike McEnearney. The space itself is moody and textural – designed to reflect the raw beauty of the natural world.

Additional venues at 1 Hotel Melbourne expand on the brand’s approach to conscious hospitality. Crane Bar & Lounge serves up botanical cocktails made with locally distilled spirits and a soundtrack of live DJ sets. Neighbours Café is a light, plant-filled space for barista-made coffee, nutrient-dense meals, smoothies, and power-packed energy shots. And then there’s Upstairs, a cocktail bar hidden away on the first floor that trades in word-of-mouth magic. It’s the kind of speakeasy-style place you hear about from a friend, where artfully crafted cocktails, elevated bites, and spontaneous conversations create a night to remember.

1 Hotel Melbourne is also set to become a go-to destination for gatherings that are both beautiful and low-impact, with over 1,000 square metres of flexible event space. The riverside Seafarers Event Space accommodates up to 900 guests and features expansive river views and cutting-edge AV capabilities. Additional meeting suites – including a boardroom and lounge – can be used individually or combined for larger functions. Spaces have been designed using biophilic principles and daylighting strategies, with reclaimed materials and lush greenery. The thoughtful programming includes locally sourced catering menus and zero-waste event planning in collaboration with the in-house sustainability team. The Certified Sustainable Gatherings program ensures each event aligns with 1 Hotels’ sustainable mission.

Pool at 1 Hotel Melbourne Credit: Mikkel Vang

Immersive by Nature
Wellness is woven into every element of the 1 Hotel Melbourne experience. At the heart of the offering is Bamford Wellness Spa, created in partnership with Carole Bamford, a pioneer in organic, sustainable, and holistic living. The spa offers a range of all-natural treatments, as well as a stunning wellness area with an indoor pool, sauna, steam room, and a Jacuzzi-style spa.

Guests also have access to The Field House Gym, a state-of-the-art fitness centre outfitted with cutting-edge equipment, personal trainers, and a variety of movement and mindfulness experiences including yoga and meditation. The gym features locally sourced timber, Troldtekt acoustic panels made from certified wood, and Danish cement – materials selected for durability, performance, and low environmental impact.

Sustainability that Goes Beyond the Surface
At 1 Hotel Melbourne, sustainability is the foundation that guides every aspect of the property – not just within operational systems, but with the guest experience. While the hotel is on track to achieve LEED Silver certification with efficient systems like a 50kW solar array and 50kl rainwater harvesting, what makes this property unique is how sustainability becomes experiential.

Guided by nature, guests are immersed in greenery, texture, and tone that celebrate Melbourne and create an urban sanctuary where the city feels like an island retreat. Thoughtful details like shower timers and operable windows in 85% of the rooms make mindful living effortless, without compromise.

A New Kind of Stay
1 Hotel Melbourne is built on the idea that where you stay should reflect how you want to live: with style and purpose. It’s not just about checking in, it’s about tuning in to the city, to nature, and to what truly matters.

For more information, visit www.1hotels.com/melbourne

ABOUT 1 HOTELS
As a mission-driven luxury lifestyle hotel brand inspired by nature, 1 Hotels cultivates the best of sustainable design and architecture, together with extraordinary comfort and an unrivaled level of service. With properties among some of the first to receive the prestigious MICHELIN Key distinction, 1 Hotels is inspired by a simple idea: those who travel the world should also care about it. It is, after all, 1 world. 1 Hotels launched in 2015 with the opening of exclusive properties in Miami’s South Beach and Manhattan’s Central Park, followed by Brooklyn, located on the East River in February 2017; West Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard in June 2019; Sanya (China) in 2020; Toronto in 2021; San Francisco and Nashville in 2022; in 2023, the Hanalei Bay (Kauai) flagship property and Mayfair (London), the brand’s first European property; and Seattle and Melbourne (Australia) in 2025. The brand is expanding with properties under development in Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Paris, Elounda Hills (Crete), Austin (Texas), Copenhagen, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and San Miguel de Allende (Mexico).

1hotels.com.

ABOUT STARWOOD HOTELS
Starwood Hotels, an affiliate of global private investment firm Starwood Capital Group, is a sustainable hotel brand management company that operates 1 Hotels, a nature-inspired lifestyle brand that launched in 2015 with properties in South Beach (Miami) and Manhattan and now includes Brooklyn Bridge (New York City), West Hollywood (Los Angeles), Sanya (China), Toronto, San Francisco, Nashville, the Hanalei Bay (Kauai) flagship property, the brand’s first European property in Mayfair (London), Seattle, and Melbourne (Australia), with projects in development in Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Paris, Elounda Hills (Crete), Austin (Texas), Copenhagen, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and San Miguel de Allende (Mexico); Baccarat Hotels & Resorts, a luxury brand that made its debut in March 2015 with the opening of its flagship property in New York, with projects under development in Rome, Florence, Dubai, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Brickell (Miami), and Maldives; and Treehouse Hotels, which premiered in London in 2019 and now includes Manchester (UK) and Silicon Valley (California), with projects under development in Brickell (Miami), Adelaide (Australia), and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Leveraging its marketing, design, operational and technological expertise, Starwood Hotels is the force behind some of the most groundbreaking and dynamic hotel brands in the world.

starwoodhotels.com.

ABOUT RIVERLEE
Riverlee is a Melbourne based, privately owned property group specializing in development and asset ownership and management across the commercial, residential, and retail sectors. Established in 1993, Riverlee is known for delivering visionary projects that lead the industry, both creatively and commercially, while always honoring the region’s heritage, environment, and community.

Source: PR Newswire and Starwood Hotels