We review Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street: a big name brand embracing the cool of the city

Melbourne, known as Australia’s cultural capital, prides itself on doing things a little differently from anywhere else, and that applies to its hotels, too. Big or small, Melbourne’s hospitality scene thrives on independent design-led properties. But one unassuming hotel in the city’s centre is doing the unthinkable. We checked into the Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street to find a property that blends its big-name branding with classic Melbourne charm.

While this stay was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street review

Hotel snapshot

Hotel name: Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street
Location: Melbourne CBD
Address: 18 Little Queens Street, Melbourne 3000
Number of rooms and suites: 244
Brand: Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Date opened: 2021
Design style: Modern simplicity in heritage surrounds
Family amenities: Designated family rooms and connecting rooms, complimentary breakfast for kids under 5.
Wellness facilities: Fitness centre
Prices from: AU$300 per night, depending on room and season

Setting the scene

Occupying a quiet corner of Melbourne’s CBD, between Bourke Street and Little Queen Street, this hotel is something of a hidden gem. Its location puts you within easy reach of the city’s best shopping, dining, and attractions. Numerous guests during our stay were overnighting for the Riley Green concert being held at Margaret Court Arena, a 20-minute walk away, but unless you know it’s there, you might overlook it.

Entering through the Little Queen Street entrance, I immediately stepped into the calm, cosy lobby. The space may be relatively small, but the light flooding through floor-to-ceiling windows creates a feeling of airiness, while the black and white marble décor adds a sense of sophistication. Formalities complete, I get a glimpse of what sets this Hilton property apart from others as I’m whisked to my room.

Along the way, there are black-and-white marbled floors laid out in Art Deco-inspired patterns, grand columns with Grecian-style moulding, wood panelling, and even a grand staircase or two. Later, using the Bourke Street entrance, I notice intricate Romanesque and Gothic details like the arched windows and ornate stonemasonry. It’s only later that it all makes sense.

In 2026, the hotel is celebrating the 95th anniversary of the heritage-listed building it’s housed in. Originally constructed in 1931, on the site of Victoria’s first Synagogue, this was once the historic Equity Chambers building, a centre for Melbourne’s legal community. Design studio Bates Smart worked carefully to preserve the building’s original features and grand façade so that, as a hotel, the building now welcomes guests with a seamless blend of old-world grandeur and contemporary design.

Heritage digs

Like the rest of Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street, guestrooms here reflect the building’s heritage design with touches of modern comfort. Our King Heritage Room, Bourke Street View is simple but elegant and well-appointed, and even offers a classic Melbourne view of trams ambling up and down the namesake thoroughfare through postcard windows.

The quintessential Hilton comforts are, of course, all present and accounted for. There’s a plush king-sized Hilton Serenity Bed dressed in 300-thread count linens, plush robes and slippers, a 55-inch HDTV with Chromecast, and a chaise longue and table that doubles as a workspace and dining area. So far, so comfortable for a two-night city break.

What elevates this above your average guestroom, though, is the history carefully woven into the space. It’s apparent in the restored wood wall panelling that adds a touch of gravitas, and reflected in the intricate carpet patterns that recall the Equity Chambers’ façade. Of course, respecting this heritage comes with its own design challenges. The ensuite bathroom, and the rainshower, especially, is rather smaller than you’d expect at a Melbourne hotel. While it has everything you’d need, it’s clear that some compromises have been made to preserve the building’s original features.

Is there more?

In keeping with the brand’s ethos of simply but well-executed offerings, Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street has one restaurant and one bar. They are decidedly different experiences, though equally enticing.

We spend an evening at The Douglas Club, the hotel’s opulent lounge bar that’s split across two rooms. In the darkly moody, speakeasy-style space, several hours slip by all too quickly as we chat to the friendly bartenders and fellow guests while sipping on craft beers and potent cocktails (the Negroni was delicious, though), and classic bar bites (the mozzarella sticks certainly helped).

Each morning starts in decadent fashion at Luci restaurant. There’s a hearty breakfast buffet with all the trimmings, fruits, fresh pastries, made-to-order eggs, and appropriately Melbourne-style coffee, served within the building’s former banking hall, a grand Art Deco space of sweeping ceilings, marble, and geometric lines that I’m certain Jay Gatsby would approve of.

And, of course, there’s also a surprisingly chic gym for guests looking to work off the culinary indulgence. It’s small, but has all the equipment for an effective workout, and even features plenty of light wood panelling to blend into the rest of the hotel’s historic features.

Frequently asked questions: Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street