An exciting reimagining of the Lyall Hotel and Spa is set to transform this established Melbourne hotel into a new glamorous hotel of the moment. The totally redesigned and refurbished property will be unveiled soon.
Hoteliers Rowina and Peter Thomas well understand the draw of the amenity of their South Yarra-neighbourhood hotel for allowing travellers to feel connected locally and believe the address is unrivalled. The location allows guests to take in some of Melbourne’s best dining and shopping, refreshing strolls amidst the century-old trees, lawns, flowers and lakes of the Royal Botanic Gardens, and viewing the spectacular exhibitions of the National Gallery of Victoria.
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A member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts and Mr & Mrs Smith, the hotel will reopen as a plush haven with 49 inviting guest rooms and suites. Rowina Thomas has led the design for the interiors collaborating closely with DKO Architecture. Guests have always enjoyed The Lyall for its discreet atmosphere of a private residence and this has been a focal point of its design scheme once more.
“The concept for the style of the rooms was to ensure they exude understated elegance and sophistication,” Thomas highlights. “We have created this through a careful selection of fabrics and materials, layers and textures which work beautifully together. We have also added eye-catching details such as full-height bedheads to create a sense of grandeur and our own collection of bespoke furniture.”
Whilst previously guest accommodation was in the style of apartments with kitchens, the majority of the new guest suites will feature one defined area for living, sleeping and relaxing, and another for dressing, bathing and refreshing, complete with a walk-in wardrobe and separate powder room.
Additionally, there are eight suites where kitchenettes are included to suit families and longer-stay guests. Four of these have separate living rooms and two are ultra-luxurious specialty suites that promise to be a draw for The Lyall’s usual guestlist of celebrities and for special occasion stays.
All guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows that may be opened for fresh air, and individual air conditioning systems.
Every detail in the guest rooms has been carefully curated and breathes quality. The refined elegance of the rooms is enhanced by Eastern–inspired furniture pieces, Rowina herself has designed and had produced locally.
The pure lines of Japanese design have influenced Rowina’s aesthetic for the furniture in the guest rooms. “I began by sketching the furniture pieces, and then fortuitously found a local maker to materialise the vision,” she said. “The use of dark stained Tasmanian Oak with accents of gold, which I reference to jewellry, adds to the Australian-made story.”
These refined pieces include a desk, a minibar unit with softly lit shelves, bedside tables and mirrors, and as well a dining table. The Thomas’s longstanding friendship with the Warwick Family of Warwick Fabrics meant that Rowina Thomas could incorporate their textiles for upholstered pieces in each of the guest rooms and suites, including the bedhead, footstools, chaise and desk chair. These are covered with a selection of luxuriously textured velvets in tones of precious metals, with a burst of burnt orange for the cushions.
Within the dressing, bathing and refreshing area of the guest rooms, bathrooms are luxurious oases lined in warm grey marble and each has an oval bathtub, double vanity and a walk-in rainshower. The dressing area features superbly crafted wardrobes.
All suites have a French balcony and most open onto a furnished terrace.
The updated Lyall Spa will offer indulgent and restorative beauty treatments, and the Lyall Gym fitted with the latest Technogym equipment is in a new location overlooking the Japanese Maple Garden.
At street level, the Lyall Hotel and Spa’s new entrance flows to an intimate reception area. This in turn connects with an expanded cocktail bar and restaurant. In the style of European hotels, this will serve as a dining destination where guests and locals will be able to gather in an elegant and relaxed setting. The restaurant highlights banquettes with velvet seating against a backdrop of a Le Lievre brocade in autumn tones, and the interior is bathed in the glow of lights by Australian designer Ryan Roberts of Soktas. The restaurant together with the bar, will most certainly attract lively socialising, which is part of the essence and charm of The Lyall.
Guest rooms start from $450 per night.
Stay tuned at thelyall.com/