Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne has received a makeover reflecting its grand history while still enjoying modern conveniences.

Victoria’s Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne has unveiled the results of a grand property-wide renovation and refurbishment which positions the hotel as one of the city’s finest examples of classic luxury reflecting a bygone palatial era.

The 340-room property managed by TFE Hotels and refreshed by Penny del Castillo from Studio del Castillo has seen historic elements of grandeur and elegance put together with modern standards of technology and creativity. Highlights of the renovated property include 3D printed trompe l’oeil wallpaper and digitally printed carved carpets.

The hotel’s lead-in ‘Commerce Room’ category has been restored to pay tribute to one of the building’s original tenants, the Commercial Travellers Association, which originally occupied it more than 100 years ago and remained there until the mid-1970s. Brass and marble touches have been applied to the Yarra View Perkins Rooms, while the spacious Tompkins Master Suite features a separate living room and Master bedroom.

Rendezvous Melbourne grand transformation
The hotel’s 340 rooms have all been upgraded while still reflecting the building’s heritage.

Rooms now also feature quilted headboards and custom-designed workstations along with elegant mirrors and soft furnishings, while images of quintessential Melbourne adorn the hotel’s walls and natural light plays a major role in the hotel’s new-look spaces.

TFE Hotels Group Chief Operating Officer, Chris Sedgwick, said the revitalized yet classic Rendezvous Melbourne would play a major role in the recovery of the tourism sector in Victoria.

“There’s been a lot of hard work that’s gone into this project under, what has been, extremely trying conditions,” Sedgwick said.

Rendezvous Melbourne grand transformation
The grand lobby at Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne.

“And we look forward to welcoming back our loyal guests who love the Rendezvous for its superb location, the grandeur of the hotel and the friendly hospitality of our team, alongside new customers who want to come back and experience the romance of Melbourne city post lockdown.”

Interior Designer, Penny del Castillo, said the building’s architectural features set the style for the design.

“In designs like these, there has to be an element of understanding and respect for what’s gone before,” del Castillo said.

“So, ours was not an attitude of seek and destroy. Rather, we salvaged what we could of the original features – like the lovely stained-glass windows in the Traveller’s Lounge – to get the absolute best end result.”