Where to Stay in Melbourne

Melbourne, Australia is often referred to as the world’s most livable city. From a vibrant street art scene, interesting architecture, loads of live music, outdoor space and a fun foodie scene.

This coastal capital of Victoria should be on your travel bucket list. Deciding where to stay in Melbourne shouldn’t take up all your planning time, so we’ve compiled a list of the best areas and hotels to choose from.

We will cover off how to decide where to stay in Melbourne Australia 2023, Melbourne neighborhoods guide, different styles of Melbourne accommodation including Melbourne hostels, cheap hotels Melbourne, serviced apartments in Melbourne and general Melbourne hotels and many many more. So when you’re looking for the best area to stay Melbourne, this guide has you covered.

Below are 16 of the best neighbourhoods in Melbourne to help you make the right decision when trying to work out best suburb to stay in Melbourne for you.

We have tried to make the guide as easy to follow as possible, starting in the Melbourne City and working in an anti clockwise way around the city and local suburbs, ending with the beach town of Brighton.

We have also included some things to do or places to visit as well as some eatery suggestions of either our favourite places or some funky places to eat at within the areas in Melbourne so you can use this as a go to guide.

Melbourne City – Where to stay in Melbourne for Shopping

As you might imagine, the central business district or CBD is Melbourne’s main downtown city area. The city is best place to stay in Melbourne for shopping, as Melbourne is considered Australia’s fashion capital.

Southbank and South Yarra are just around the corner of the CBD with lots of Melbourne hotels and restaurants and is a short walk from everything, with a train station for easy access to other parts of the city.

Bourke Street Mall is the main closed off shopping street within the city which intersects with Swanston and Elizabeth Streets; which are both shopping streets.

Bourke Street Mall and the surrounding streets have a lot free standing stores as well as a number of larger shopping centres including Melbourne Central, Emporium Melbourne and The Strand Melbourne.  It’s very easy to shop til you drop here!

The public transport system in Melbourne isn’t bad compared to other Australian cities, you can easily jump on a tram and get from A to B. The Melbourne CBD is the best area to stay for your trip to Melbourne because it’s so central.

You dont need to hire a car but if do you want to hire a car in Melbourne, it can have its changes with all the tram ways and strange hook turns; which are right hand turns that you take from the far left hand side. Overall it is a fairly easy place to navigate with GPS or Google Maps these days or jumping on a tram. 

Melbourne’s renown for restaurant or cafe in laneways, a few popular laneways are: Liverpool St, Meyers Place, Hardware Lane and Degraves Street. Dining along one of these laneways is a bucket list must when visiting Melbourne.

The Melbourne Sea life aquarium which is located on the banks of the Yarra River, is a great activity for families, there’s approx 4 levels of sea life to enjoy. For those who like a little adrenaline rush, I’d recommend checking out the “shark dive extreme” where you get to dive in the tank with the sharks and come face to face – no shark cage needed!

If sharks of you the willies then you can go for the much cuter option of getting up close and personal with a colony of penguins!! Both of these experience sod require advance booking so they can plan your experience so keep that in mind.

If you’re looking for a bit of history in Melbourne, then you’re in luck because just down the road from Sea Life, short walking distance is the famous Flinders Street Station. It’s famous as being the first steam rail station in all of Australia!

Where to stay in Melbourne CBD

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Melbourne City:
Flinders Backpackers
Europa Melbourne
The Village Melbourne
Space Hotel

Budget Hotels in Melbourne City:
YTI Garden Hotel
Mercure Welcome Melbourne
ibis Budget – Melbourne CBD
Best Western Melbourne City

Mid-Range Hotels in Melbourne City:
Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne
Brady Apartment Hotel Flinders Street
Jasper Boutique Hotel
Causeway 353 Hotel

Family Friendly Hotels in Melbourne City:
Wyndham Hotel Melbourne
Brady Apartment Hotel Hardware Lane
Oaks Melbourne on Collins Hotel
Imagine Lighthouse

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Melbourne City:
The Langham Melbourne
Grand Hyatt Melbourne
W Melbourne
InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto

Docklands – Best place to stay in Melbourne for Tourists

Docklands is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, it’s a great spot to stay if you want to go shopping or having a lazy day enjoying a bite to eat at one of the number of cafes along the bay.

Melbourne Docklands is home to the “Marvel Stadium” where you can catch a game of Australian rules football also known as Footy or a music concert.

Docklands is only a short 2km walk to the city if you want to head in for dinner or go for a wander around. You can also utilize the nearby Southern Cross Station to get to and from the airport or other areas within Melbourne or country Victoria.

Docklands is best places to stay in Melbourne for tourists who want to be close to the action but can stay in a more chilled out environment.

If you’re wondering where to stay in Melbourne for a weekend? Docklands is where I’d recommend as it has a much more relaxed vibe than the city center and is in my opinion the best place to stay in Melbourne city for the first time as it’s not as overwhelming as the city centre but close enough to wander over for the day.

A lot of riverboat and Kayak tours leave from docklands, hop on a tour to see Melbourne from the waterways. Since Melbourne’s weather can be very unpredictable, you could always try out GlowGolf which is a glow in the dark black light mini golf!

Melbourne is synonymous with art, fashion, food and being quirky as hell (in the best way), which is why Urban Valley Brewpub is so popular in Docklands. They offer craft beer tasting flights and and modern interpretations of traditional pub classic foods with 3-4 areas to dine in.

Berth restaurant is one of my personal favourites, the restaurant itself sits out on the water to a degree and the views over the Docklands and a bit of Melbourne are really nice. They serve modern Australian dishes, paired with great Aussie wines.

Best Places to Stay in Docklands

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in Docklands:
Melbourne Central YHA

Budget Hotels in Docklands:
Orange Stay at Melbourne Quarter
Travelodge Hotel Melbourne Docklands
Quest Docklands
Orange Stay Townhouses

Mid-Range Hotels in Docklands:
AKOM AT Docklands
Docklands Private Collection – Digital Harbour
Quest NewQuay
Orange Stay at Collins Wharf

Family Friendly Hotels in Docklands:
Four Points by Sheraton Melbourne Docklands
The Sebel Melbourne Docklands Hotel
ACD Apartments
Nesuto Docklands

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Docklands:
Melbourne Marriott Hotel Docklands
Peppers Docklands
Melbourne Private Apartments – Collins Wharf
Platinum Apartments at The Victoria Rooftop Penthouse

South Bank & South Melbourne  – Where to stay in Melbourne near the City

South Melbourne is an upscale inner suburb in Melbourne approx 3 km from the city centre. This area has a wide variety of chic boutiques, eateries and art galleries to choose from, most of which are located on Clarendon Street.

The popular South Melbourne Market on Coventry is an indoor market that offers fresh food produce, cafes and a few small fashion boutiques. Open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 8am. Grab some fresh produce and head to Albert Park Lake for a picnic by the lake.

The Kettle Black is a sophisticated cafe restaurant hybrid, which is a local hotspot for breakfast and lunch. Their coffees are to die for and are made out of a custom Darling Blend, if you’re looking for something with a bit more of a kick, try one of their signature cocktails.

Tempura Hajime is an upscale intimate dinning option, where you can enjoy tempura and sushi plates in front of diners at a stylish 12-seat chef’s table. Bookings are a must as there are set seating times for both lunch and dinner. Tempura Hajime is situated in Park Street, South Melbourne.

Calling all Gin lovers…. Patient Wolf Distilling Co. is an independent producer of one of Australia’s favourite gins. This distillery bar offers gin tastings and world-class cocktails inside the fully functioning distillery within Southern Melbourne. The venue offers a behind the scenes look at the distilling process in intimate gin masterclasses, which can be pre-booked before you arrive (highly recommended).

Located on South Bank, near the Yarra River is Melbourne Skydeck, which offers the best views of Melbourne from 285 metres high above the city. A lot of people also use the Skydeck to propose as well which is super sweet (they even have a special package for this!), but if that’s not your jam, you can always just enjoy a cocktail at Bar 88 or dinner at Eureka 89 with a view.

The Skydeck is now the only place you go can to get great views over Melbourne as the Melbourne star observation wheel is permanently closed.

Just down the road from the Skydeck is the Crown Melbourne casino complex, compromised on hotels, the casino, eateries, live entertainment and a number of shops.

Best places to stay in South Bank & South Melbourne

Budget Hotels in
 South Bank & South Melbourne
Sunday Escape
Historic Cottage
City Park Hotel
Lily Sands Inn

Mid range Hotels in
 South Bank & South Melbourne
Coppersmith Hotel
Quest on Dorcas
Saint Domain
Ink Hotel Melbourne Southbank

Family Friendly Hotels in
 South Bank & South Melbourne
Melbourne City Apartments – Teri
IMSA Group Apartments
Shadow Play by Peppers
Clarendon Hotel

Affordable Luxury Hotels in South Bank & South Melbourne
Oakwood Premier Melbourne
Pan Pacific Melbourne
Crown Metropol Melbourne
Crown Towers Melbourne

Port Melbourne – Where to stay in Melbourne for Cruise Ships

Port Melbourne is an upscale coastal suburb, South West of Melbourne city. Port Melbourne features fancy high-rises apartments and converted warehouses and is surrounded by the Yarra River on one side and Port Philip Bay on the other side.

The Spirit of Tasmania ferry arrives from Port Melbourne along with a lot of the international cruise ships dock here.

Princes Pier is a well know 580 metre long historic pier, with old wooden structures set out to sea. It’s a fantastic spot for sunsets and the old wooden pylons are very photogenic against the Port Philip Bay sunsets.

It’s not currently recommended to swim in in the bay due to the water quality but there are plenty of other water activities such as jet skiing and fishing you can enjoy around Port Melbourne.

Looking for something for the family to do? I’d recommend BlocHaus, it’s an indoor boulder climbing gym. They have a dedicated space for kids, although adult supervision is required. Blochasu has approx 16 different sectors to climb and these change around regularly.

They do offer day passes for adults and kids. Port Melbourne is best place to stay in Melbourne with family due to its family friendly activities and close proximity to the city.

Looking for lunch or dinner option while staying in Port Melbourne? CBCo Brewing was founded in Margaret River in 2004 and since then we’ve been brewing quality craft beer that represents the taste of modern Australia.

They have opened up a brewery/bar in Port Melbourne so, grab a craft beer from Colonial Brewing Co. Port Melbourne and something from their yummy menu, relax and enjoy! 

Love Itiali cuisine? Ciao Cielo, is a contemporary Italian restaurant serving up house made pasta and a range of delicate and delicious dishes. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday and is located in the old Port Melbourne courthouse!

Best places to stay in Port Melbourne

Mid range Hotels in
 Port Melbourne
StayCentral Port Melbourne – on Nott
BOUTIQUE STAYS – Zinc 501

Family Friendly Hotels in
 Port Melbourne
StayCentral Port Melbourne Townhouse on Union
StayCentral Spacious Seaviews Port Melbourne

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Port Melbourne
The Hamptons Apartments – Port Melbourne

Footscray – Where to stay in Melbourne for Food and Arts

Footscray is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, 5 km west of Melbourne’s city. Footscary is generally know for (no big surprise here) but great food and an ever growing contemporary arts scene. As far as food fairs go, you can enjoy Chinese, Vietnamese and North African gastronomic experiences.

If you’re looking to stay in Melbourne long term or want to be able to stay in an Apartment and cook for yourself. I’d recommend heading to the Footscray Market, which is an indoor market with stalls for fresh fruits & vegetables, seafood, meats & Asian ingredients.

Maribyrnong Valley Parklands isn’t too far from Footscray, it’s a great place to enjoy a picnic, walks along the extensive network of trails, fishing, canoeing and bird watching.

Footscray is also extremely close to Flemington Racecourse, which is home to the Melbourne Cup, which is the popular horse race held in Melbourne. If you’re not sure where to stay when attending the Melbourne cup Footscray is a good spot.  

Looking for somewhere cool to have breakfast or brunch? Rudimentary is the epitome of cool, they are located on Leeds street and made up of a few shipping containers and a working kitchen garden. Rudimentary is a café and community space.

Discover modern Filipino comfort food in West Footscray with Chibog at their gastronomy bar located on the popular Barkley Street in Footscray.

The Ube Macapuno Colada cocktail here is to die for and the food menu is not overwhelming, they offer 6-8 entrees and mains, along with a few sides.

Best places to stay in Footscray

Budget Hotels in
 Footscray
Footscray Motor Inn and Serviced Apartments
Plough Hotel
Lovely older home
Palms Motel Footscray

Mid range Hotels in
 Footscray
The lively City 2bed 2 bath APT @Footscray
Convenient Apartment with Sensational City views
Modern 1BR1BA in Footscray Pool+Gym

Family Friendly Hotels in
 Footscray
Blue Door – 3BR Unit in the heart of Footscray
Bright & Electric Home / Footscray, VIC
Best view 2BR2BA in Footscray with pool and carpark WIFI

Brunswick – Where to stay in Melbourne for Young People

Brunswick is a chilled out and laid back multicultural suburb, just North of the Melbourne city (approx 6km away). It’s known for live music, upbeat pubs and beer gardens.

Sydney Road is the main thoroughfare, filled with eateries such as Middle Eastern and Mediterranean eateries and cafes. Lygon Street and Nicholson Street are also filled to the brim with bars, restaurants and cafes too. 

While not directly in Brunswick, the Melbourne Zoo is located only 2.4km away. Open daily from 9am to 5pm, it’s a great activity, if you’re looking for something to do in Melbourne with the kids. The Melbourne zoo offers some pretty cool animal encounters and behind the scene experiences including; seal, lemurs,giraffes, tigers, gorillas and otters (to name a few).

Waxflower Bar is a wine bar with great food, coffee, local beers on tap, and carefully selected wines. They are also a soundbar/audiophile listening space that adds an element rarely considered important in our local establishments.

Los Hermanos, Located on Victoria Street in Brunswick, is a great place to enjoy tacos and quesadillas in a vibrant late-night joint with brick walls, timber decor and bar stools. They are super affordable and price themselves on being ridiculously delicious!

The Jazzlab, located on Leslie Street Brunswick. Jazzlab prides itself on presenting local, national, and international performers of the highest quality in an intimate setting nightly! You can enjoy drinking from the bar along with a small menu of bar snacks while you enjoy the gift of Jazz.

Best places to stay in Brunswick

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in
 Brunswick
Landing Pads Brunswick

Budget Hotels in
 Brunswick
Brunswick Tower Hotel
Parkville Place Serviced Apartments

Mid range Hotels in
 Brunswick
Artel Apartment Hotel Melbourne
Stylish Inner-City Apartment in Great Location
StayCentral – Brunswick Vibe Parkville
East Brunswick Hotel

Family Friendly Hotels in Brunswick
Exclusive Inner-City Townhouse in Brunswick
Modern Oasis
Spacious Brunswick Apartment
Luxe 3-Bed Apartment Near Lygon St

North Melbourne – Where to stay in Melbourne for Uni Students

North Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, only 3 km north-west of Melbourne city. Its close by to Melbourne University, so there are plenty of young people studying hard and cafes so they can get their hit of caffeine when needed! North Melbourne is a coffee mecca!

Explore the Queen Victoria Market, it’s one of North Melbourne’s historic landmark, an open-air market. The QVM boarders North Melbourne and Melbourne city, technically it’s located at the edge of the city but it’s really at the edge of both suburbs.

The Queen Victoria Market sells a lot of souvenirs, fresh foods and bits and pieces such as household goodies, gifts and clothing.

Victoria Street near the market is a great spot to to browse through collections of old and new vinyl at Heartland Record.

Joe Taylor is located along Errol Street North Melbourne, it combines classic cocktails, craft beer and stone-fire pizza in a cosy and relaxed environment (aka, everyone’s happy place). Open from 5pm to late, reservations are recommended.

Are you a Vegetarian or like to mix up your meals and enjoy no meat options? Moroccan Soup Bar, located on Boundary Road.

Moroccan Soup Bar is known for Chickpea bakes, they pride themselves on enhancing flavours of their foods rather than compromising them.

Best places to stay in North Melbourne

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in
 North Melbourne
Melbourne Metro YHA
Queen Victoria Hostel
CarricHouse

Budget Hotels in
 North Melbourne
Arden Motel
Miami Hotel Melbourne
Work Sleep Live Melbourne

Mid range Hotels in
 North Melbourne
City Edge North Melbourne Apartment Hotel
Chic Balcony Unit near University, Markets & Trams
Mercure North Melbourne
North Melbourne Retreat

Family Friendly Hotels in
 North Melbourne
RNR Serviced Apartments North Melbourne
Beautiful 2 Bedrooms w Kitchen & Carpark
Apartments on Chapman
Turnkey Accommodation-North Melbourne

Carlton – Where to stay in Melbourne for Food Lovers

Carlton is an up and coming neighbourhood in Melbourne, known as “Little Italy”, due to the Italian scene on Lygon Street, which is lined with old-school trattorias and casual pizzerias.

Elgin Street is really popular with uni students due to the number of cool cafes and eateries.

Nestled within the Carlton Gardens are the 2 main attractions of Carlton; Melbourne Museum and Royal Exhibition Building. The Melbourne museum is a natural and cultural history museum with ever changing exhibits, open 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm.

The Royal Exhibition Building a UNESCO World Heritage site, built in 1879–1880 as part of the international exhibition movement, which presented over 50 exhibitions between 1851 and 1915 around the globe. The Royal Exhibition Building is home to Australia’s first parliament and one of the world’s oldest remaining exhibition pavilions.

Old Melbourne Gaol is a lot of fun for the kids or for history buffs. They offer a 8pm-9pm Ghost tour, enjoy some ghost stories and see if you can see any for yourself!

Heartattack and Vine are European style neighbourhood wine bar and specialty coffee establishment. They are big on Ciabattas, an ever-changing chalkboard menu of cicchetti – tasty tapas-style and of course wine! They are open 7 days a week from 8am and are a walk in only establishment and don’t take reservations.

Dragon Hot Pot is a design your own concept made to cook with over 100 fresh ingredients to choose from, including meat and fish and plenty of options for fellow our veggie lovers to have with flavourful broths or stir frys. Dragon Hot Pot has a number of venues all over Melbourne including one in Grattan St Carlton.

Best places to stay in Carlton

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in
 Carlton
The Nunnery Accommodation
Clocktower Apartment Hotel

Budget Hotels in
 Carlton
Comfort Apartments Royal Garden
Carlton Lygon Lodge
Arrow on Swanston
Happy Post XJH

Mid range Hotels in
 Carlton
BEST WESTERN PLUS Travel Inn
Essence Hotel Carlton
Convenient Apartment in heart of Carlton
Grattan House

Family Friendly Hotels in
 Carlton
Melbourne Carlton Central Apartment Hotel
A Modern & Spacious 2BR Apt Near Melbourne Uni
An Elegant Apt, 5-min Walk to Queen Victoria Market
Carlton Dream: Leafy 2bed 2bath Lygon Str Townhouse

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Carlton
Zagame’s House
The Eminence by CLLIX

Fitzroy – Best Neighbourhood to stay in Melbourne

Centered on Brunswick Street, just north of the city, Fitzroy is the best neighborhood to stay in Melbourne for vintage shopping and alternative anything. This area is popular with students as it is one of the artistic and cultural hubs of Melbourne.

Art is all over Fitzroy including street art along the walls of the buildings. There are also a number of art galleries in Fitzroy, such as Sutton Gallery and the Centre for Contemporary Photography. 

On the weekends, don’t miss the Rose Street Artist’s Market, with handmade food, fashion and accessories such an earrings, for sale.

As for dining options, there is more than enough for every taste and budget range – honestly there is a ridiculous amount of dinning options and bars in Fitzroy.

Transformer Fitzroy, a Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant. At Transformer, they have a plant focused dining experience. Sourcing their fresh foods from local small time growers, supporting organic and biodynamic practices where possible.

Catch them on Rose Street Fitzroy. Transformer is not open on Mondays, they are open Wednesday to Sunday and open for lunch just on Saturdays and Sundays. 

Fitzroy favourite rooftop bar Naked For Satan, serves tapas-style plates of food and infused vodka cocktails and $25 happy hour Sangria Jugs.

Head up upstairs to the bar with crazy views of Melbourne or you can head  downstairs for delicious pizzas.

If you’re looking for a more chilled vibe then I’d recommend the Black Pearl. The bar staff basically have a PhD in making cocktails , the venue itself is super relaxed and cosy, although it can get a little more rowdy over the weekend.

Best Places to Stay in Fitzroy

Budget Hotels in Fitzroy:
Royal Derby Hotel
Melbourne Metropole Central

Mid-Range Hotels in Fitzroy:
Incredible Balcony Duplex in the Heart of Fitzroy
Enjoy Cafe Culture From Chic Warehouse Conversion
District Apartments Fitzroy

Family Friendly Hotels in Fitzroy:
Lambeth Terrace Fitzroy
Colour Pop Fitzroy – Pets, Parking, Balcony, 3bdrm
Elegantly Spacious 4-Bed Terrace House
BOUTIQUE STAYS – Loft on Rose

Collingwood – Best places to live in Melbourne Australia

Collingwood is also an inner suburb, which has undergone gentrification in recent years and is considered one of Melbourne’s hippest neighborhoods.

Once a blue-collar neighborhood filled with warehouses and worker’s cottages, these spaces have now been converted into hip lofts, galleries, cafes and boutiques.

If you are into live music, Collingwood is a great place to stay in Melbourne, with frequent punk and indie shows at venues like the Tote Hotel and along Smith Street, you’ll find more restaurants, bars and vintage boutiques. In fact Collingwood, is considered to be one of Melbourne’s top dining and bar-hopping ‘burbs.

Collingwood doesn’t have a lot of accommodation options for tourists as its a local hang out, and I personally think it’s one of the best places to live Melbourne because of where it is located but also because of the amount of amazing eateries around.

Especially when you consider that it buts up against Carlton and Fitzroy – you will never need to cook your own food again!

Le Bon Ton is has an eclectic tasting in food as well as decor. They pride themselves on being a Smokehouse, Absinthe & Oyster Saloon, Cocktail Bar & Beer Garden. The name  derives from “Laissez les bon temps rouler”, common saying heard around New Orleans, which means “Let the good times roll” and this is the ethos that Le Bon Ton lives by.

If this dining experience isn’t cool then you need to ask yourself, are you even cool…. Easey’s serves Burgers & Beers, five stories up in a rooftop train carriage overlooking Melbourne City. Easey is in fact located on Easey Street in Collingwood. Some of the burgers are so big, you may need to dislocate your jaw to eat them!

Best Places to Stay in Collingwood

Budget Hotels in Collingwood:
City East Motel

Mid-Range Hotels in Collingwood:
Veriu Collingwood
lyf Collingwood Melbourne
KozyGuru Collingwood
Contemporary City Oasis in Collingwood & Fitzroy

Family Friendly Hotels in Collingwood:
The Oxford Warehouse in the heart of Collingwood
Modern 2 bed apartment in trendy Collingwood
MadeComfy Inner City Designer 2-Bed Apartment
Elegant Collingwood Apartment with City Views

East Melbourne – Where to stay in Melbourne near the MCG

East Melbourne is located on the Eastern skirts of the Melbourne city, it’s known for it’s Victorian terraces, art deco buildings and parks.

Ironically, Fitzroy Gardens is located in Eastern Melbourne (not in close by Fitzroy), it’s a great spot to stop for lunch or a relaxing picnic.

The famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (aka the MCG) bring in sports fans who love Cricket and Australian rules football (aka footy). There are a few different tours you can try that show you the behind the scenes of the MCG and gives you a history lesson of this famous cricket ground.

Next to Fitzroy Gardens are the Old Treasury Building and Parliament House. The Old Treasury Building was once one of Melbourne’s finest 19th century buildings and has since been turned into a museum, showcasing the history of Melbourne and Victoria.

Parliament House is an active Parliamentary House of elected representatives of the Victorian people. You can take a tour around this historically significant building.

Spring Street offers European-style cafes and varying eateries. I’d recommend this family run rustic Italian restaurant called Geppetto Trattoria, they take pride in creating home style Italian cooking using the freshest of ingredients. They are located on Wellington Street East Melbourne.

Looking for modern fusion of Asian flavours, that are affordable? Izakaya Minami is located within East Melbourne on La Trobe Street. They are best known for their Shabu Shabu, which is a hotpot dish of thinly sliced meat and vegetables boiled in water and served with dipping sauces. 

Best places to stay in East Melbourne

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in
 East Melbourne
The Mansion Melbourne

Budget Hotels in
 East Melbourne
Georgian Court B&B Guest House
Knightsbridge Apartments
Birches Serviced Apartments

Mid range Hotels in
 East Melbourne
Quest East Melbourne
Comfort Hotel East Melbourne
Quest Jolimont

Family Friendly Hotels in
 East Melbourne
Tribeca Serviced Apartments
Mantra on Jolimont
St. Elizabeth’s Home
BOUTIQUE STAYS – Wellington Mews, Apartment

Affordable Luxury Hotels in East Melbourne
The Hotel Windsor
Park Hyatt Melbourne
Pullman Melbourne On the Park

Richmond – Where to stay in Melbourne for the Best Pho

Richmond is a residential suburb and a multicultural hub, 5km from the city centre. The main street within Richmond is, Victoria Street, which is best known as “Little Saigon”, due to all the Asian grocery stores and eateries serving pho and bánh mì.

Richmond is home to 350 retailers, for Shoppers, you can head to Bridge Road factory outlets for clothing, or to Church Street for furniture and design stores.If you aren’t interested in shopping then you can still enjoy graffiti street art along Bridge road.

The Corner Hotel, located on Swan Street in Richmond, is a popular hotspot for live indie gigs including international artists. They also offer a rooftop bar and a pub style food menu, with daily food specials. Their website is regularly updated with their upcoming gigs.

I don’t know about you but when I see a restaurant with a funky name or something that is a little out there, I’m instantly keen to try it! I present to you, LadyBoy Dining + Bar; Don’t worry you’re still in Melbourne, you haven’t “slipped into and fallen” into Thailand by accident.

LadyBoy Dining + Bar is an Thai restaurant and cocktail bar along Bridge Road. They serve modern Thai dishes within a vibrant dining area with playful decor and of course don’t forget the Phuket style bucket cocktails.

Mountain Goat Brewery is brewing hub during the day; but a few days a week they open up the roller door to The Goat Bar. Where you can choose from different 14 taps of crazy beer, including a hand pump to serve beers the classic English way, and Randy, their Randall beer unit where they infuse their beers with new and experimental flavours. Join them for pizza and beer Thursday to Sunday.

Best places to stay in Richmond

Budget Hotels in
 Richmond
Adara Richmond
Homestay – Yarra River Boulevard
151 Hoddle Budget Private Rooms

Mid range Hotels in
 Richmond
Quest Abbotsford
381 Cremorne
Stylish apartment in Richmond
Richmond Studio Apartments

Family Friendly Hotels in
 Richmond
Lanbruk Richmond Hill
Renovated 3 Bedroom Family Home in Richmond
Two Five Zero – Richmond
Family sized home in central Richmond

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Richmond
Amora Hotel Riverwalk

South Yarra – Where to stay in Melbourne near Chapel Street

South Yarra is an affluent and posh suburb only 4km away from the city centre, it’s streets are lined with art deco apartments facing the Yarra River, and well-preserved mansions such as the 1847 Como House and gardens.

Como House and Garden  is an iconic heritage landmark, enjoy a  picnic in the gardens or enjoy a meal by the popular Stables of Como cafe.

This area is filled with fancy pants boutiques, designer-label-driven shopping, art galleries and cocktail lounges. Lining the busy Toorak Road and Chapel Street your can drool over a number of eclectic bistros.

Just on the edge of South Yarra is the vast Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, which is popular with joggers and picnickers. It extends across 38 hectares, featuring fountain islands, Government house, the Shrine of remembrance, and the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden. During summer you can also enjoy the Moonlight Cinema.

48h Pizza e Gnocchi Bar, took out the 2019 title of ‘Best Pizza in Australia’ at the Campionato Mondiale Della Pizza (World Pizza Championships) and they came first as the Pizzeria in Asia pacific in 2022.

Not only do they make some of the best pizzas that you can dine in and enjoy, you can also attend pizza and gnocchi-making workshops to impress your friends and family.

Looking for a dining option that’s a casual approach than the fine-dining? Matilda 159 Domain has been created to have an atmosphere of comfort and warmth.

Delivering contemporary Australian food cooked on an open fire and hot coals. Sunday lunches have now become Sunday roast day, a great way to bring friends and family together over a delicious roast!

A plant-based Latin experience can be found at Lona Misa, this vegan restaurant and bar, works closely with local farmers, providers and producers, to source all freshest ingredients.

Two amazing chefs, Shannon Martinez and Ian Curley came together to create a vegetarian and vegan menu offering, produce led and paying homage to Shannons Latin roots. Lona Misa is located at Ovolo South Yarra hotel.

Best places to stay in South Yarra

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in
 South Yarra
Hotel Claremont Guest House (Also has private rooms)
South Yarra Hostel

Budget Hotels in
 South Yarra
Toorak Manor Hotel
Davis Avenue Apartments
Studio on PUNT

Mid range Hotels in
 South Yarra
Apartments of South Yarra
Ovolo South Yarra
Oaks Melbourne South Yarra Suites

Family Friendly Hotels in
 South Yarra
Melbourne South Yarra Central Apartment Hotel
District South Yarra
Punthill South Yarra Grand
SoYa Apartment Hotel

Affordable Luxury Hotels in South Yarra
Lyall Hotel And Spa
Art Series – The Olsen
The Como Melbourne – MGallery

Prahran – Where to stay in Melbourne for Nightlife

Prahran is an inner suburb of Melbourne, known for boho chic trendy bars, massive foodie scene and late-night clubs and pubs, featuring mainly the live music scene.

Prahran is also very residential, so you can see how the locals live without being overwhelmed with tourists. 

In typical Melbourne fashion (in the literal and figurative sense), Chapel Street is where you’ll find young professionals hanging out at juice shops, it also houses a number of stalls selling vintage clothes and furniture.

The walls of the buildings on Chapel Street feature some of Melbourne’s most epic street art. Keep in mind that Chapel street starts in the suburb of Windsor, goes through Prahran, ends in South Yarra.

While Greville Street has an alternative edge with vintage boutiques and record shops such as Greville Records (oldest remaining retailer on the street!).

It’s roots come from boho-chic aesthetic, and it has worked hard to stay within the bohemian culture. Why not create your own fashion with an artistic flare at Das T-Shirt Automat.

Revolver Upstairs is a Thai Restaurant, Bar and Nightclub rolled into one – only in Melbourne would you find a restaurant in the same space as a Thai restaurant ! OneSixOne is a rooftop bar that specialists in live musics (as well as DJs), the here staff work hard to deliver quality music, hospitality and ambience so you can enjoy your late night adventures.

Firebird is a Vietnamese-style restaurant that boasts their love of cooking with smoke, flame and intense flavours or as they call it, their wood-fired cuisine. Situated along High Street Windsor, literally a few minutes walk from Prahran.

Casa NOM Bar & Dining, a local Mezcaleria for the agave and Latin American enthusiast. Located along Greville St, amongst the cultural boutiques of Melbourne fashionistas! Featuring a food menu of classic and traditional dishes inspired by the culture and flavours of the Americas and the sounds of 1970s Latin America.

Best Places to Stay in Prahran

Budget Hotels in Prahran:
Minimalistic Prahran Apartment with Balcony
Hiigh Apartments
College Lawn Hotel

Mid-Range Hotels in Prahran:
ReadySet Apartments at Glasshouse
Ultra Chic New York-Style loft – Central Chapel St
Quest Prahran

Family Friendly Hotels in Prahran:
Prahran Comfy&Cozy 2 Bedder Close to the City and Everything
BOUTIQUE STAYS – Roxys Place, Prahran House
Readyset Apartments at Marque
Charming 2-Bed Unit Steps From Alfred Hospital

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Prahran:
Art Series – The Cullen

St. Kilda – Where to stay in Melbourne with Family

St. Kilda is a bohemian beach suburb just 6 kilometers from downtown Melbourne. With a laidback vibe, St. Kilda is perfect for those looking to relax on holiday and is one of the best neighborhoods in Melbourne for families as there are plenty of things for the kids to do.

You can stroll the Esplanade Market for jewelry, photography, artwork, and so much more.

Visit Australia’s oldest amusement park, Luna Park. Starting off by heading through the famous Mr Moon mouth and enjoy a day of dodgem cars, the heritage Luna Park carousel, carnival rides and delicious food and drinks that will likely leaving you feeling full, a little sick but so damn happy!

The 19th century St Kilda Sea Baths is one of Australia’s many salt-water pool. St Kilda Sea Baths is an oceanside locale featuring a health centre, day spa, indoor salt-water pool, steam room, health club, kiteboard shop and restaurants.

St. Kilda has a ton of restaurants to choose from as well, with seafood featuring heavily on the menus. St. Kilda is also one of the best places to stay in Melbourne for couples, it has super chilled vibes and a whole lot of beach to relax on!

Three Elephants & Co. located in the centre of St. Kilda, in front of the opulence of the former French Embassy, and opened in July 2019. Three Elephants & Co goal is to introduce Melbourne to the variety and distinctive flavours of Sri Lankan cuisine.

The best cocktails, music, and food in St. Kilda can be found at Flour Child, a brand-new and creative addition to the pizza and bar scene. Flour Child is situated on Acland Street. Their pizza dough is “pinsa romana” along with a unique flour mix. 

From the mixing and kneading process, along with 48 hours of dough proving then adding some of most innovative combinations to make it the best pizza you’ll ever have! Their food and drinks are truly Instagram worthy, they are bright colourful and simple beautiful, almost too beautiful to eat!

Best Places to Stay in St Kilda

Cheapest Backpacking Hostels in St Kilda:
Bayside House
Summer House Melbourne Backpackers
Nomads St Kilda – Base

Budget Hotels in St Kilda:
Tolarno Hotel
Selina St Kilda Melbourne
Adara St Kilda
Redan Apartments

Mid-Range Hotels in St Kilda:
Crest on Park
Sixty Two On Grey Serviced Apartments
The Prince
Como Court Budget Accommodation

Family Friendly Hotels in St Kilda:
Quest St Kilda Bayside
Cosmopolitan Hotel Melbourne
Crest on Barkly Hotel
Rydges St Kilda

Affordable Luxury Hotels in St Kilda:
Ascent Apartment with Ocean Views

Brighton – Where to stay in Melbourne for a Weekend

Brighton is a beachside suburb 11 km south-east of Melbourne’s city. Located on Dendy Street Beach, the 82 characteristic bathing boxes, a row of identically sized wooden buildings lining Brighton Beach’s seafront, are what make Brighton renowned.

The boxes’ distinctive decorations transform Brighton’s seafront into an instantly recognizable, famous beachscape that can change hourly according on the time of year, light, and colour.

Bright is a great spot for your to enjoy Melbourne for a weekend, especially is you’re a local or just want to head somewhere to relax and unwind without having to be stressed out with busy streets and crazy traffic.

In order to give residents of Melbourne suburbs a taste of the good vibes and culture of city night markets, Soul Night Market hosts a festive culinary and craftsmen market. This Brighton Market is usually held on the first Friday of the month in December, January, February and March.

In a historically significant waterfront art deco building, The Baths Middle Brighton provides all-day dining, situated on Brighton’s Esplanade.

You can eat from their modern Australian menu while taking in the fresh air, lapping ocean, and vitamin sea from their beachfront balcony. The beachside footpath directly leads to their pet-friendly front deck.

The Groove Train is a buzzing café during the day and a laid-back restaurant and bar at night. They serve modern Australian cuisine with European influences, which is always prepared fresh to order using carefully chosen ingredients from nearby farms and growers.

Best places to stay in Brighton

Budget Hotels in
 Brighton
Brighton Bay Apartments
Stylish Private Studio, Close to Beach, WIFI, Parking

Mid range Hotels in
 Brighton
Caroline Serviced Apartments Brighton
Brighton Beach House
Brighton House
Brighton Villas

Family Friendly Hotels in
 Brighton
Brighton Serviced Apartments
Quest Brighton on the Bay
BOUTIQUE STAYS – Brighton Abode

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Brighton
52 Black
BOUTIQUE STAYS – The Residence

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