I think most music lovers would be lying if they said they’d never visited a hotel in the hope of meeting their favourite musician. I’m only slightly embarrassed to look back on the moments I spent loitering around a Melbourne hotel bar trying to spot Human Nature, or that time I stayed in the same hotel as John Mayer in Sydney. So I figured I’d put together this guide of the best hotels for star-spotting in Melbourne.
4. The Olsen: Trendy Boutique Accommodation
Superior service and a quiet neighbourhood have helped make the Olsen a celebrity favourite. This boutique Art Series hotel isn’t as flashy as many star magnets, but that’s actually part of its appeal. Until the word gets out, paparazzi don’t expect the big stars will stay here, so they can go about their stay without being pestered. A few years back a handful of Justin Bieber fans were lucky enough to get autographs from the Canadian singer when he emerged from the Olsen; most of his followers were sure he’d be at the Langham. Dead Daisies singer Jon Stevens also says the Olsen is the only place he’ll stay in Melbourne.
3. The Langham: Kanye West’s Favourite Hotel
Image via Flickr by Traveloscopy
When Kanye West and his wife Kim Kardashian visited Melbourne as part of 2014’s Yeezus tour, there was just one place they wanted to stay: the opulent Langham. The Kardashian-Wests rented the hotel’s presidential suite and the entire 23rd floor for the duration of their stay for the princely sum of $10,000 a night. If you visit, make sure you remember Australia’s musical past with a meal at Melba Restaurant, named after Melbourne-born opera great Dame Nellie Melba.
2. Park Hyatt Melbourne: Parkside Luxury Hotel
Some of the world’s most famous female singers love the Park Hyatt Melbourne. Both Pink and Lady Gaga have stayed at this five-star hotel just a block back from Fitzroy Gardens. No doubt they loved its quiet location on the outskirts of the CBD, and its three entrances which made it easier for them to evade the paparazzi.
1. Crown Towers: Five-Star Celebrity Magnet
Image via Flickr by a.meins
It costs big bucks to stay here, but if you can swing the room tariff you’re almost guaranteed to run into a musician at the Crown Towers. After all, this is the place where Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown were shown the door after trashing their suite. Its Palladium Ballroom is the home of the Logies, so those international acts that we always fly in always stay here. In recent years, Crown Towers has also hosted Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Kings of Leon, Andrea Bocelli, and our own Kylie Minogue.
If you do happen to bump into a musical superstar while you’re around one of these Melbourne hotels, just remember to be respectful. They might be supremely talented, but they’re also human beings entitled to space during their downtime. Treat them as you’d hope to be treated, and you might just have a special moment with one of your favourite stars.
This post was written as part of the #HipmunkCityLove project. Have you ever had a hotel encounter with a musician you love? Let me know in the comments!