Hotel Grand Chancellor in Melbourne, Australia

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Updated: January 5, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Lonsdale Street, a block from State Library Vicoria.
• Hotel website: grandchancellorhotels.com
• Hotel phone: +61 (0)3 9656 4000
• Check prices for Grand Chancellor

Review of Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne.

Grand Chancellor is a midrange downtown hotel with comfortable and well-furnished rooms, a restaurant and bar, and a nice heated rooftop pool.

Grand Chancellor – Unfussy, great-value, and so convenient – even a rooftop pool.

Perhaps sounding a little grander than it really is, this budget-priced hotel offers a terrific city-center location without the usual downtown rates. Rooms are compact but don’t seem cramped, and all the usual amenities are provided. Some face the front and noisy road and are soundproofed, but most overlook another building to the side. However, it’s all about the top-notch position and inexpensive rates, while the rooftop pool is a welcome bonus (and surprisingly rare among rival hotels costing three times more).

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Grand Chancellor – The Location

  • Area: Fabulous position, with all sorts of amenities at the hotel entrance. In a district with theaters, parks, historical buildings, and good public transport.
  • Address: 131 Lonsdale Street in the eastern part of the city center.
  • Nearest Transport: Bus – Exhibition St (50m), Tram – Russel St (250m), Metro – Parliament (400m).
  • How to Get There: Taxis to/from the airport (22 km) cost around A$80. For about A$20, SkyBus (approximately every 10 minutes, 24/7) takes passengers from the airport to the Southern Cross train station (1.5 km), but ask SkyBus about a free transfer from the station to the hotel. Otherwise, Starbus shuttles (5 am-10 pm daily) travel directly between the airport and hotel (about A$30).
  • Handy to: Chinatown.

Grand Chancellor – The Basics

  • Guests: Tourists and business people on a budget.
  • Pets: Not allowed.
  • Views: The few rooms to the front overlook the main road which is busy with traffic and construction sites, but rooms are well soundproofed. Most, however, face a side building, offering no views at all.
  • Private Pools/Jacuzzis: Not expected (or provided) at this sort of budget-priced inner-city hotel.

  • Parking: Self-parking in a public car park alongside the hotel for a reasonable discounted fee. No valet parking.
  • How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
  • Phone: +61 (0)3 9656 4000
  • Email: reshgc@hgcmelbourne.com.au
  • Website: grandchancellorhotels.com

Grand Chancellor – Amenities

  • Pool: Surprisingly, there is a terrific pool on the rooftop, which is not that common even among international-chain 5-star hotels costing a lot more. It’s a decent size and heated and offers the finest views from the hotel.
  • Spa: No spa.
  • Fitness Center: Small collection of modest gear in a room near the pool.
  • For Families: Baby-sitting.
  • Other Facilities: Same-day dry-cleaning. Money exchange. Business services.

Grand Chancellor – Food and Drink

  • Restaurant & Bar: Encore Restaurant & Bar – Small but classy and only open for dinner. Sophisticated Australian cuisine specializing in steaks and vegetarian meals. Extended happy hours every evening.
  • Breakfast: Not complimentary. Served at the ground-level Footlights Restaurant, which is only open for breakfast (also available to the public).
  • Room Service: Available 24/7 but with a more limited menu overnight.

Grand Chancellor – Rooms

  • Room Types: Premier King Rooms • Superior King Rooms • Superior Queen Rooms • Classic King Rooms • Classic Queen Rooms • List of all Rooms
  • Smoking Rooms: No smoking allowed anywhere on the premises.
  • Best Room: Rooms are fairly similar; the bed configuration is the main difference. The Classic rooms are a little larger and more likely to offer decent views.
  • For Families: All rooms can squeeze in extra single beds but otherwise, this hotel is not a great option for families.

Grand Chancellor – Local Transport

  • Public Transport: Every few minutes, trams shuttle along Collins Street (and other roads) a couple of blocks from the hotel. Trams also head to suburban areas like South Yarra, Docklands, and St Kilda Beach. All trams are free within the city center and to Docklands.
  • Taxis & Ride-shares: Arrange a taxi at reception or find one along the streets. Uber and Ola operate all over Melbourne.

Grand Chancellor – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

    Seemingly endless choices in all directions, especially in Chinatown (see later).

  • Dainty Sichuan Food – Odd name for a refined restaurant virtually next to the hotel. Classy décor, excellent service, and authentic food. Always packed with Chinese patrons, which is a good sign. (50m).
  • Hawker Chan – Outlet of a renowned Singapore chain. Inexpensive Chinese street-food in comfortable surroundings almost next to the hotel. (50m).
  • Stalactites – Appealing corner position west of the hotel. Open 24 hours for Greek food as well as hearty breakfasts. Check out the ceiling with the namesake formations. (100m).
  • Exford Hotel – Likable English-style pub on the edge of Chinatown. Evening entertainment like comedy nights and tango lessons and inexpensive meals. One block south of Stalactites. (200m).

Nearby Shops & Attractions

    Fashionable boutiques, meandering arcades, and appealing department stores in all directions, particularly along Bourke Street, 2 blocks south of the hotel (400m). Impressive shopping centers include Melbourne Central (500m) and, attached by a walkway over Lonsdale Street, the Emporium Melbourne (500m). One block south of the hotel is Chinatown (150m). Not as extensive as those in Sydney and other cities, but still worth a look.

Grand Chancellor – The Hotel

The hotel is in downtown Melbourne.

The Grand Chancellor hotel is nicely located along a main street in the center of downtown Melbourne.

The hotel entrance is not too prominent.

In a built-up area of high-rises and construction sites, the hotel entrance is a little easy to miss.

Most accommodations don't have great views.

Rooms to the front overlook the main street but are well soundproofed. However, most face the building to the side, thereby offering no views.

The lobby is very welcoming.

The lobby at this budget-priced hotel is welcoming and the staff is friendly and efficient.

Encore Restaurant & Bar is known for its steaks.

At the hotel, the Encore Restaurant & Bar specializes in steaks.

The bar has happy hours.

The bar attached to the hotel restaurant offers excellent happy hours.

Breakfast is served in Footlights Restaurant.

At the back past the reception desk, Footlights Restaurant is only open for breakfast.

The rooftop pool is heated.

Rare among other hotels costing far more is the pool which is heated and on the rooftop.

The pool deck has sunbeds.

Around the pool area are some sunbeds. Views across the city from there are extensive.

Rooms are comfortable and spacious.

Rooms in the Grand Chancellor are unfussy but certainly comfortable and affordable.

Rooms are nicely furnished.

All categories of rooms are nicely furnished.

Dainty Sichuan Food serves classic Chinese food.

Virtually next to the hotel, Dainty Sichuan Food is a classy Chinese restaurant.

Hawker Chan nearby is a famous Singapore brand.

Only a few doors from the hotel, Hawker Chan is an outlet of a famous Singapore eatery.

There are several Chinese restaurants around.

Plenty of other Chinese restaurants can be found in this part of the city center, which is only one block from Chinatown.

Chinatown is full of authentic Chinese restaurants and shops.

Chinatown may not be as impressive as those in other cities but is packed with authentic places to eat and shop.

Stalactites Greek restaurant is open 24 hours.

With an appealing corner position, Stalactites is a Greek restaurant open 24 hours. Parts of the ceiling feature formations resembling stalactites.

Exford Hotel is an English-style pub.

Only a couple of blocks south of the hotel is the likable English-style pub, Exford Hotel.

Bourke Street Mall is a pedestrian shopping area.

Only 2 blocks south of the hotel is Bourke Street Mall, a pedestrian area of department stores and arcades.

Federation Square is popular with tourists.

About 1km south of the hotel is Federation Square, a colorful area popular with tourists.

Federation Square faces the Yarra River.

Federation Square, a few minutes’ walk from the hotel, faces the picturesque Yarra River.

The hotel is close to fabulous parks.

The hotel is in the eastern end of the city center and a short walk from parks not found elsewhere in downtown.

The neighborhood has some historical buildings.

Around the eastern part of the city center, only a block or two from the hotel, are some historical buildings.

Forum Theatre is close by.

The hotel is in a section of the city center with theaters such as Forum Melbourne within walking distance.

The express SkyBus is the best way to and from the airport.

The cheapest way between the airport and hotel is by SkyBus.

The Starbus shuttle service offers great airport connectivity.

Offering direct connections between the hotel and airport is the Starbus shuttle service. Check rates and availability: Grand Chancellor

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