Melbourne has always done cool better than any other city in Australia. There is no ostentation, it’s all about great design, art, fabulous food and places with their own distinct personality. Ovolo South Yarra perfectly fits that mould. Colourful, creative and with a definite rock ’n’ roll vibe, it feels like exactly the kind of hotel Melbourne should have – stylish without taking itself too seriously and perfectly in tune with the city’s famously artsy reputation,
Situated on Toorak Road, moments from Chapel Street, the hotel was created in collaboration with award-winning interior design studio Luchetti Krelle, who looked to the glamour, music and creative freedom of the 1970s for inspiration. The result is a playful mix of retro and contemporary design, where graphic wallpapers, gleaming chrome, plush upholstery and strong colour sit alongside raw concrete, sculptural forms and contemporary art.
Rather than recreating the decade literally, the design plays with the idea of retrofuturism – the way the future was imagined through the lens of the past. Pop Art, bold geometric patterns and nostalgic references are mixed with modern art and technology, giving the hotel its own distinctive identity.
It’s a fitting addition to the Ovolo portfolio. Founded in Hong Kong by entrepreneur Girish Jhunjhnuwala in 2002, Ovolo has built its reputation around hotels that reject the cookie-cutter approach. Its properties across Australia and Hong Kong each have their own identity, connected by the group’s focus on design, art and what it calls ‘effortless living’. At South Yarra, that philosophy has been given a particularly flamboyant Melbourne spin.
The personality is apparent from the moment you arrive. Rather than the restrained palette often associated with luxury hotels, the lobby plays with colour, art and unexpected combinations. Pop Art meets retro glamour, while the furniture and finishes reference an era when interiors were a little more adventurous. It feels social rather than formal, setting the mood for a hotel designed as much around having a good time as having somewhere stylish to sleep.
Art plays a major role throughout. Works by local and international artists including Mr Brainwash, Punk Me Tender and Australian artist Ben Tankard are integrated into the interiors, giving corridors and communal areas the feeling of an unconventional gallery. The collection works naturally with the broader concept, bringing street art and contemporary Pop Art into a setting already filled with references to music, fashion and popular culture.
Across 123 guest rooms and suites, the retro influence continues, albeit in a slightly more relaxed form. Curved upholstered bedheads, geometric wallpaper, chrome details and rich colours give each room its own character, with categories carrying appropriately playful names including Go Go, Boogie and Groovy. The Go Go rooms are the most compact, while Boogie and Groovy options provide more space for guests wanting to settle in for a longer Melbourne stay.
For the full Ovolo South Yarra experience, there are four Rockstar penthouse suites inspired by two of music’s most famous couples – Sonny and Cher, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Bold patterns, custom joinery, plush furnishings and retro references celebrate the creative energy of their namesakes, taking the hotel’s rock ’n’ roll theme to another level.
Downstairs, Lona Misa brings just as much personality to the dining experience. The restaurant draws on Latin influences with a menu centred around seasonal, shareable vegetarian and plant-based dishes. The interiors continue the hotel’s expressive approach, with timber, colour, patterned flooring and art creating a dining room that works equally well for a casual drink, dinner with friends or a night out without ever needing to leave the hotel.
Beyond the design, Ovolo’s signature extras make the stay particularly easy, with super-fast Wi-Fi, flexible check-in and check-out, gym access, self-service laundry facilities and the brand’s WonderBar experience among the inclusions.
Ovolo South Yarra isn’t trying to be a conventional luxury hotel, and that’s exactly its appeal. It’s fun, a little unexpected and packed full of personality – a hotel that feels less like it has been dropped into Melbourne and more like it grew up there.
Discover Ovolo South Yarra at ovolohotels.com.
