By Charlene Macaulay
Scoring an upgrade to the presidential suite of a luxury hotel is the stuff travellers’ dreams are made of.
That dream became a reality recently when I checked in to the Park Hyatt Melbourne for a girls’ night to find we had been upgraded from a club deluxe room to the presidential suite. From the moment we opened the 17th-floor door, it was clear we’d hit the jackpot.
There are not enough words to describe how large and lavish everything in the 240-square-metre suite is.
Starting out in the circular entrance hall, we were greeted by a large open-plan lounge and dining room complete with fireplace, baby grand piano and stunning views of St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Fitzroy Gardens.
From there, double doors lead to a study and library and follow through to the master bedroom, with two king-size beds, a fireplace, TV and his-and-hers chaise lounges.
The massive marble bathroom was my favourite, with a gargantuan jetted spa with built-in TV; extra-large shower with a standard showerhead, hand-held showerhead and jets set into the walls – you know, just in case you missed a spot.
The bathroom also sported his-and-hers vanities stocked with luxurious Aesop amenities – and an exercise bike. This lead into a walk-in wardrobe and dressing room larger than some hotel rooms, which then lead to a kitchenette.
The whole suite features rosewood and silk walls, plus original paintings.
As part of our package, we had access to the Park Lounge on the 19th floor, which offered two hours of evening drinks and canapes, and a continental breakfast the next morning. The Park Lounge is available to guests staying in Park Hyatt suites, or those who have paid that bit extra for club privileges – and it is definitely worth the extra money.
Enjoying even more stunning views of Melbourne, we washed down our canapes with champagne and questioned hotel staff about celebrities who had also stayed in the presidential suite – unfortunately, discretion is key at the Park Hyatt and our lovely waiters would not give any names. However, a quick
Google search revealed we were in the same company as the Rolling Stones, George Bush senior, Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman.
After our evening drinks, we headed back down to the 17th floor to make the most of our suite, trying out the piano and spa before retiring to the very comfortable beds to watch a movie. My only complaint is that
we only had a night to indulge in our lucky upgrade. The Park Hyatt Melbourne, located on Parliament Square, is tucked away behind Parliament House and offers that rare mix of being secluded and yet within walking distance of restaurants, shops and everything else Melbourne’s CBD has to offer.
The hotel also features a 23-metre indoor swimming pool and spa, fitness centre, The Lounge, and Radii restaurant and bar.
