L-R City of Melbourne Lord Mayor, Sally Capp; M&L Hospitality CEO, Neil Maxwell, Hilton Cluster General Manager, Adrian Teh and Hilton VP Operations Australasia, Heidi Kunkel.

Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street has celebrated its official opening with a star-studded launch last Thursday night (May 13) that featured Hilton and M&L team members, local media and distinguished Melbourne VIPs.

The event marked the return of the Hilton flagship brand to the heart of Melbourne with notable guests including Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Sally Capp, Rebecca Maddern, Kyla Kirkpatrick, Madeline Slattery, Ash Williams, Jacques Reymond and Jack Charles.

Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street sits within the heritage listed former Equity Chambers building.

Speeches on the night from Lord Mayor Capp, M&L Hospitality CEO Neil Maxwell, Hilton Australasia VP of Operations, Heidi Kunkel, and Cluster General Manager of Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street, Adrian Teh, commemorated the occasion before confetti cannons kicked off a night of celebrations that included a live jazz band, heritage room tours and a live cocktail show.

Located in the former and heritage-listed Equity Chambers building, which dates back to 1931, Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street’s reimagining by architecture and design studio Bates Smart respects the building’s old world-charm and restores its original features injecting new life into a treasured city landmark.

“Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street is a beautiful addition to the city skyline,” said Teh. “Both leisure and business guests alike are able to experience the best of Melbourne’s shopping, dining and cultural experiences when they stay with us.

Hilton Vice President Operations Australasia, Heidi Kunkel, couldn’t hide her delight at the return of the flagship brand to Melbourne.

“In its reimagining as Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street, the building’s old world-charm has been respected and original features restored, whilst seamlessly connecting a modern six-level extension with a 16-level tower to the historic site.”

Two of the showpiece elements of the property at the launch were Luci restaurant and The Douglas Club cocktail bar, which have their own entrance independent of the hotel’s laneway lobby and offer some of the best new food and beverages on offer in Melbourne.

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management