As fans of the Whatever Whenever concept, we opted for the W Melbourne for our stay in the city, known for being the most pleasant in the world for several years.

Staying at the W Melbourne with points costs between 41,000 and 76,000 points depending on the period for a Cozy or Wonderful room. It’s very common to find nights for less than 50,000 points. In cash, an overnight stay costs between AUD 350 and 900 (CAD $310 and $800).

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at over 8,000 hotels worldwide is to have the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card (and/or the Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card).

In addition to the exceptional welcome bonus of each of these two cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all your purchases and 5 points per dollar at any of the Marriott establishments. On top of that, every year, you’ll receive a free hotel night certificate (worth 35,000 points) and 15 Elite Night Credits toward your Marriott Bonvoy status.

Here is some information about the hotel:

Nestled at 408 Flinders Lane, in the heart of Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD), the W Melbourne offers an ideal base from which to explore the city’s charms. Just a few steps from its doors and you’re immersed in a vibrant world of luxury boutiques, quaint cafés, trendy bars and art galleries.

The Sealife Aquarium, St Paul’s Cathedral, the famous Flinders Street station and Federation Square are all less than 10 minutes’ walk away. Victoria’s Royal Gardens and National Gallery are a 15-minute walk away.

If you’re driving directly from Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport (MEL), you’ll need 25 minutes, depending on traffic.

We arrived by car directly from the airport. The parking/valet entrance to the hotel is right next to another entrance (loading dock), so it’s not easy to find your way around. We dropped our suitcases and parked in another lot. It is not possible to park for more than 15 minutes in the hotel entrance and valet parking cannot be booked in advance and costs AUD 75 per night. There is plenty of parking around the hotel. We opted for First parking at 558 Little Bourke Street at AUD 35 per night.

Check-in was very quick as we had used the app to do it in advance. Thanks to Titanium status, we were upgraded to a WOW suite, and the concierge offered us two cocktails and a charcuterie board. In the end, we chose the breakfast as a welcome gift instead of the 1,000 points.

The WOW suite lives up to its name: as soon as you enter the main room, you’re impressed by its imposing black granite countertop.

The lounge/dining area features a large table seating up to 6 people. There’s a large sofa and a TV. This space is taken up by two imposing concrete posts that blend in well with the decor and the tones of the room. The design is breathtaking, and the lighting is expertly crafted. The ceiling is made of metal plates with a mirror effect, just like the hotel’s swimming pool.

During the day, the room is very bright thanks to its bay window offering a 180-degree view of Collins Street.

The W spirit is reflected in the bar area, with a high table that seats 4.

There is a toilet in the entrance hall and another toilet in the bathroom. The suite is equipped with Toto Japanese toilets, meaning heated toilets with a whole host of options.

A tablet controls lights and temperature in the bedroom and bathroom.

A small, cozy space between the bedroom and lounge features 2 armchairs.

The bedroom and lounge can be separated by a sliding door. The bedroom side is a little narrow. There’s a TV in the corner of the room, so you can watch a movie while lying down.

The bathroom is at the back of the bedroom. When you reach the bathroom, there’s a dressing room for storing suitcases. In white and grey marble, the bathroom is luxurious. It is equipped with a separate toilet area, a beautiful console with 2 basins, a walk-in shower and a bathtub.

Breakfast is served buffet-style in the Lollo restaurant from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Monday to Friday, and until 11 a.m. on weekends.

Unlike the W Sydney, we were rather disappointed by the breakfast, which offers a rather limited choice. Although the restaurant isn’t very big, we didn’t have to wait long for a table. The buffet includes a number of hot dishes, pastries and a fresh fruit buffet. All in all, the essentials are there, without too much variety.

Apart from breakfast, Lollo is a restaurant serving modern Australian cuisine.

Next door is Culprit, a café-bar open only on weekdays.

Finally, if you’re looking for a cozy bar to sip a cocktail in a subdued atmosphere, the Curious is located near reception, its huge bar and square wooden arrangements well worth a look.

On the 14th floor, access to the heated pool and hammam is by room card. The pool is open 24 hours a day for adults and from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for children. The hammam is open from 6am to 10pm.

The space is very pleasant both during the day and in the evening, with its subdued lighting. The floor is wood and the gold ceiling mirrors and reflects the light. It’s cozy! Next to the pool is a bar area, but we didn’t see any bartenders at the bar during our stay.

Open 24 hours a day, the gym is located next to the swimming pool. It offers top-of-the-range equipment : treadmills, elliptical bikes, rowing machines, dumbbells, body-building machines – everything is new and state-of-the-art for optimal training.

We had an excellent stay at the W Melbourne, its location making it a prime spot. We received excellent service well before our arrival via the Marriott Bonvoy app to get answers to our parking questions and subsequently during our stay. The staff is responsive and always looks after your well-being.

Previously offered à la carte, breakfast is now offered as a buffet. A formula we enjoyed, but a little disappointing in terms of variety after having been to the W Sydney where the buffet is gargantuan.