INTERCONTINENTAL THE RIALTO in Melbourne - Hotel Review with Photos

SD › Melbourne › Best Hotels › InterContinental The Rialto Review
Updated: January 5, 2022

Essentials
• Location: Collins Street.
• Hotel website: melbourne.intercontinental.com
• Hotel phone: +61 (0)3 8627 1400
• Check prices for InterContinental The Rialto

Review of InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto Hotel.

The InterContinental is a luxurious downtown hotel in 2 historical buildings, connected by a magnificent atrium and featuring beautiful and modern accommodations.

InterContinental The Rialto – Unparalleled blend of history, style, opulence, and convenience.

Guests will be immediately wowed as they stroll through the unassuming entrance and gaze at the extraordinary atrium. All of the gorgeous rooms and suites and impressive facilities are within two nineteenth-century buildings which retain many of their original features and are attached via the reception area and basement-level restaurant. Facing inwards and overlooking the atrium, the quiet rooms can be dark inside, while the suites offer city views and more natural light. Offering a rare old-world charm – and, of course, all the expected modern conveniences – the service is exceptional, including award-winning concierges. The InterContinental is also internationally certified for its ecological awareness.

InterContinental The Rialto – The Location

Area: Fashionable, quieter, and not overbuilt like other sections of downtown. Plenty of places to shop and eat. Trams at the hotel door, walkable to major train stations, and 2 blocks from the scenic Yarra River.
Address: 495 Collins Street, in the western part of the city center.
Nearest Transport: Bus – Collins St (400m), Tram – Collins St/William St (150m), Metro – Southern Cross Station (500m).
How to Get There: Taxis to/from the airport (25 km) cost around A$80. For about A$20, SkyBus (approximately every 10 minutes, 24/7) takes passengers to the Southern Cross train station (700m), but ask SkyBus about a free transfer from the station to the hotel. Otherwise, Starbus shuttle services (5 am-10 pm daily) travel directly between the airport and hotel (about A$30).

InterContinental The Rialto – The Basics

Guests: Business people and tourists who appreciate the history, charm, and location.
Pets: Not allowed.
Views: The design, history, and inner-city location prohibit any notable views. Most rooms face inwards and overlook the atrium that joins the 2 buildings, while the suites face out towards the attached Rialto high-rise.
Private Pools/Jacuzzis: A few suites have private jacuzzis.
 Extras: Club InterContinental Lounge access to guests of the suites and some special rooms. This also includes breakfast and evening drinks.
Parking: Valet parking available in a car park next door. Costs are high, as expected in this part of downtown.
How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
Phone: +61 (0)3 8627 1400
Email: icmelbourne@ihg.com
Website: melbourne.intercontinental.com

InterContinental The Rialto – Amenities

Pool: Heated indoor pool more appealing than those at most rival hotels (and some don’t even have a pool). On the rooftop, with a wooden deck and superb city views from full-length windows. Jacuzzi and small garden attached.
Spa: The Botanic Day Spa is a rarity among competitors. Luxurious and elegant, offering a vast selection of award-winning therapies and treatments.
Fitness Center: Airy, spacious, and filled with all the latest equipment. Open 24 hours with superb views and a sauna.
Other Facilities: Business Centre. Same-day laundry and dry-cleaning.

InterContinental The Rialto – Food and Drink

Restaurant: Alluvial Restaurant – At basement level within the extraordinary atrium. Modern Australian cuisine, silver service, and affordable menu at lunch. Sumptuous High Teas on weekend afternoons.
Bars: Bluestone Wine Lounge – Part of Alluvial, it’s ideal for coffee, cocktails, and conversations. Happy hours and all-day snacks. • Market Lane Bar – Award-winning street-level lounge with one of the city’s widest selections of whiskies. Intimate setting and cozy sofas. Evenings only.
Breakfast: Not normally included but could be, depending on the type of room and how it was booked. Often included in ‘weekend specials’ and for those staying in the suites and special rooms.
Room Service: Available 24/7.

InterContinental The Rialto – Rooms

Room Types: Queen Rialto Rooms • Deluxe Rooms • Twin Deluxe Rooms • King Executive Rooms • King Club Rooms • Twin Club Rooms • King Club Rialto Rooms Club • InterContinental Suites • King Club Junior Spa Suites • Senior Suites • Signature Suites • Iconic Suites • List of all Rooms
Smoking Rooms: No smoking allowed anywhere on the premises.
Best Room: Ultimate luxury can be enjoyed in the Signature Suites. Each is themed according to nearby destinations such as ‘Yarra Valley’ and ‘Brighton Beach’. Corner position for even more views and light.
For Families: Most categories of rooms can fit in an extra single bed but the hotel is not really set up for families. Better options elsewhere.

InterContinental The Rialto – Local Transport

Public Transport: Every few minutes, trams shuttle along Collins Street (and other roads) just in front of 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. Two blocks south of the hotel is the major train station at Flinders Street (800m).
Taxis & Ride-shares: Arrange a taxi at reception or find one along the streets. Uber and Ola operate all over Melbourne.

InterContinental The Rialto – What’s Nearby?

Best Nearby Restaurants & Bars

Rustica Rialto Towers – Coffee, bakery, and café inside the Rialto building next door. Serene setting in an atrium away from traffic. (25m).
Mughouse – Ideal for a coffee as well as hearty breakfasts, soups, and salads. East up Collins Street. (200m).
The Sherlock Holmes – Adorable pub, as if transported from an English village. Cozy downstairs position and popular for happy hours and daily food specials. (250m).
Dr. Watson’s Bar – Next to (and associated with) the Sherlock Holmes. Airy street-level setting, appealing bar, and all-day pub food. (300m).

Nearby Shops

Fashionable boutiques, meandering arcades, and appealing department stores are in all directions, particularly along Bourke Street, 2 blocks north of the hotel (400m). Plenty more places to shop, eat, and drink along the scenic Yarra River south of the hotel (500m).

InterContinental The Rialto – The Hotel

The hotel is housed in 2 historical buildings.

The marvelous InterContinental The Rialto hotel is housed within these two historical buildings along an inner-city street.

The hotel is unlike modern glass hotels.

So different from other modern high-rise hotels, the InterContinental is easy to miss.

Guests would no doubt be immediately impressed by the extraordinary atrium that links the two historical buildings used by the hotel.

At basement level within the atrium between the two buildings is the Alluvial Restaurant.

Facing the atrium in one of the two historical buildings is the award-winning Market Lane Bar.

The Market Lane Bar features plenty of cozy lounge chairs.

The pool is more impressive than those at most rival hotels and offers superb city views.

The spacious and well-equipped fitness center also provides vast views across the city.

The layout of the InterContinental is amazing. Because it combines two historical buildings, views from most rooms face inwards and overlook the amazing atrium.

Club InterContinental Lounge is exclusive for top tier guests.

Guests staying in all suites and some special rooms have access to the Club InterContinental Lounge.

Another benefit of having access the club lounge as part of the hotel rate is the free breakfast.

Even the lowest category rooms are delightful and feature elegant furnishings.

Because of the historical design of the buildings (which are Heritage-listed) most rooms face inwards and overlook the atrium that joins the two buildings.

Rooms that look inwards have balconies which, for safety reasons, cannot be used by guests.

The rooms and suites feature the sort of colorful décor surprisingly lacking in other hotels of this standard.

All suites are spacious and feature stylish contemporary furniture.

The marble bathrooms in all suites are elegant and spacious.

Rustica bakery and café on-site is also very inviting.

Also within the Rialto high-rise is the appealing Rustica bakery and café.

Collins Street has several good eateries.

The hotel faces Collins Street which is packed with tempting places to eat and drink.

Offering pleasing prices and a perfect position for people-watching is Mughouse close by.

Sherlock Holmes is a great English-style tavern.

East up the street is the adorable English-style Sherlock Holmes tavern.

Next to the Sherlock Holmes, this bar-bistro is appropriately named after Dr. Watson.

Trams frequently shuttle along Collins Street in front of the hotel. All services within the city center are free.

Bourke Street Mall is a pedestrian shopping area.

Two blocks north of the hotel, Bourke Street Mall is a pedestrian street packed with boutiques, cafés, and department stores.

The Yarra Riverfront nearby is dominated by the Crown casino complex.

This section of the Yarra River 2 blocks south of the hotel is dominated by the extraordinary Crown Casino complex.

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

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

The Starbus shuttle service offers great airport connectivity.

A more direct method of traveling between the hotel and airport is by Starbus shuttle service. Check rates and availability: InterContinental The Rialto

InterContinental The Rialto in Melbourne, Australia

See Also