Hilton to bring Curio Collection upscale hotel brand to Melbourne

Curio Collection by Hilton Melbourne will feature 255 rooms and suites.

Hilton will open its second Curio Collection by Hilton hotel in Australia before the end of the year, taking over management rights of a 255-room property in Melbourne’s CBD.

The former Next Hotel Melbourne at 80 Collins Street will be converted into Curio Collection by Hilton Melbourne, becoming Hilton’s third brand in the city alongside its flagship Hilton Little Queen Street and Doubletree by Hilton Melbourne Flinders Street.

Prior to its conversion, the hotel has received critical acclaim for its striking and bespoke interior designs, while its in-house restaurant La Madonna is also home to a Chef’s Hat accolade for excellence.

It’s the second Curio Collection by Hilton in Australia, alongside West Hotel Sydney in the exclusive collection of only 140 Curio branded properties worldwide.

The hotel's restaurant, La Madonna, is already one of the city's finest.

Hilton will work with the property’s owners, Vista Hospitality Group, to carry out a soft renovation and rebrand of the property, with Hilton Senior VP Development APAC, Guy Phillips, expressing his delight at signing the property.

“Curio Collection by Hilton is a global collection of hotels that are hand-picked to offer guests one-of-a-kind experiences, each with personalities unique to the city they call home,” Phillips said.

“This signing is testament to our belief in ensuring we have a variety of brands in our key destinations that suit the divergent needs of today’s travellers and showcases our commitment to growing our portfolio of hotels in Australasia.”