Great Southern Hotel Melbourne

Great Southern Hotel Melbourne Overview

You know, I rolled into Melbourne on a late train from Sydney, and the Great Southern Hotel on Spencer Street was basically staring me right in the face as I stepped off at Southern Cross Station. It’s at 44 Spencer, smack in the middle of that gritty, buzzing part of the CBD where the trams clang by every few minutes and the smell of fresh coffee from those little laneway cafes wafts over from Collins Street. Honestly, if you’re lugging bags or just wiped from travel, this spot’s a godsend—no schlepping across town. I mean, I checked in around 8 PM, and the front desk folks were super chill, even with a bit of a line from some conference group. The lobby’s got this no-frills vibe, like a solid old pub that’s been spruced up—think polished wooden floors that creak a little underfoot and that faint, clean linen scent mixed with whatever’s cooking in the attached restaurant. Parking’s a hassle if you’re driving, though; it’s valet only and costs a bit extra, but hey, in Melbourne’s traffic snarl, who wants to deal with that anyway?

What really stuck with me about the Great Southern is how it nails that balance of comfy and practical without trying too hard to be fancy. My room on the fifth floor overlooked the street—well, sort of, through those double-glazed windows that muffled the tram rattles pretty well, though you might hear the occasional siren if you’re a light sleeper (Melbourne’s got that inner-city hum, you know?). The bed was plush, queen-sized with crisp white sheets that felt like they’d been ironed by angels, and the bathroom had one of those rain showers that actually works—none of that dribble you get in some places. Breakfast downstairs is buffet-style, nothing groundbreaking, but the bacon’s crispy and they’ve got decent flat whites; I grabbed mine and wandered over to the Yarra River path, which is like a 10-minute stroll past the aquarium and Marvel Stadium. Oh, and if you’re into exploring, it’s dead easy to hop a tram to Queen Victoria Market for those amazing doughnuts or down to Southbank for dinner. That said, the hotel’s showing its age a tad—the Wi-Fi can lag during peak hours, and the gym’s basic, more of a treadmill-and-weights setup than anything spa-like. But for a 4-star joint with a 7.9 rating, it punches above its weight, especially in winter when the city’s quieter and rooms are a steal.

Look, if you’re hitting Melbourne for a quick business trip or just to soak up the vibe without blowing your budget on some flashy high-rise, the Great Southern’s your spot. It’s not perfect—summers can get crowded with tourists spilling over from the station—but it’s authentic Melbourne, close enough to the action on Flinders Lane or Federation Square that you feel plugged in, yet tucked away for a decent night’s sleep. I left feeling like I’d gotten a real taste of the city, and yeah, I’d book it again in a heartbeat.

Great Southern Hotel Melbourne Accommodations

Reviews of Great Southern Hotel Melbourne

• Gianpaola from Hong Kong (8/10)

  Very clean, have hair drier, in good location and very quiet. I enjoyed my stay!

• Christian from New Zealand (7/10)

  so close to town and the trams for the GP

• Kira from Australia (8/10)

• Kathleen from Australia (8/10)

• Noel from Australia (8/10)

  Great location, very comfortable, amazing staff

• Lisa from Australia (7/10)

  Location, staff, general atmosphere of the motel.

• Chetram from Australia (8/10)

  Location was great.

• Rosdev from Australia (9/10)

  Great location as easy access to train station and the get tram into the cbd

• Brian from Italy (8/10)

  Great location, very helpful staff, very good breakfast available.

• Hunter from Australia (9/10)

  Really enjoyed my stay

Surroundings

Facilities