Hidden in the ‘East End Theatre District’ of Melbourne is stylish boutique hotel Lancemore Crossley St. Offering 113 rooms, Lancemore Crossley St only opened its doors in late 2020 and it was by chance that I discovered this lovely little hotel.
While it is walking distance to Parliament Station, as well as Melbourne theatres; Princess Theatre, Her Majesty’s Theatre, and Comedy Theatre, one of the reasons I chose to stay at Lancemore Crossley St is for how close it was to both Chinatown and the Victorian Marriage Registry. That’s right, yours truly was getting married!
When booking the hotel, the lovely team at Lancemore Crossley St were keen to learn more about our story and upon finally arriving at the venue when the days came for us to check in prior to the wedding date, we were surprised with a room filled with confetti, balloons, Katy Perry music videos playing on the TV, and glass jars of candy! To top it all off, there was a giant ‘Congratulations’ card that was signed by the entire staff at the hotel!
For those that don’t know, I had a very Katy Perry themed proposal, on stage with Katy Perry in on it at her final show at her Witness World Tour in Auckland, New Zealand back in 2018. The most delightful thing is, upon learning our story, one of the staff members actually remembered this, since the proposal made news all over the world, so it was quite endearing that there was a staff member completely aware of who we were and our journey!
The hotel has different style rooms available for guests to book from their King Room, Design King Room, Premium King Room, Twin Room, Junior Suite, Two Bedroom Family Room, One Bedroom Terrace Suite, Two Bedroom Terrance Suite, and the Two Bedroom Penthouse Suite. For our stay, we stayed in the Lancemore Design King Room, and this was purely for cosmetic reasons. My partner and I were going to be using our hotel room to get ready before our wedding ceremony at the registry, so I wanted a room that looked nice to be photographed in, and the Design King Rooms have gorgeous glass bricks that looked aesthetic pleasing.
Staying for 2 nights, our room itself was just as lovely to stay in and minus the special occasion flair, the signature Lancemore King bed was super comfy (and if you love them that much, you can even order a mattress for your home). The room also never felt too small (24 square metre room, but there are bigger options at the hotel if you’re not like me and don’t need glass brick walls). If you wanted to walk about the town but not too far, the hotel’s location is super convenient right near all the delicious Asian food you can imagine including renown Yum Cha restaurant Shark Fin Inn and Chinese fine-dining restaurant Bamboo House, and the staff at the hotel were so delightful to converse with.
Lancemore Crossley St were more than accommodating to help bring up chairs for my friends that were helping me get ready, apply my make-up, and photograph my then fiancé. It’s a minor thing, but the staff seemed genuinely excited to be part of my special day, and I loved that. I prefer boutique hotels for that very reason because they’re intimate, personal, and the friendliness feels real, Lancemore Crossley St rose beyond the exception.
An example of the staff being better than your average hotel staff, is how well the hotel handled a crisis. The night before the wedding, there was an emergency evacuation. The hotel staff handled this so well, and while I was panicking, one staff member displayed so much optimism and kindness, it made me feel a whole lot better! Not long after, we were able to return to our hotel rooms, it was a false alarm, thankfully, but I just need to commend the Lancemore Crossley St team for their irresistible charm, passion, and professionalism.
I had the pleasure of dealing with Katy (not to be confused with Katy Perry), Iryna, Arabella, Nick, and especially Jarvis are assets to Lancemore Crossley St and it was a true joy to meet them, chat with them, and befriend them.
When taking photos at the hotel in our wedding outfits, we were recommended to not only take photos near the gorgeous purposefully fallen chandelier that reminded me of Phantom of the Opera, but also at their rooftop terrace complete with a fire pit, provided a lovely cosy view of the Melbourne city. We were even given more complimentary wine as ‘props’ for our photo, which we gladly drank anyway.
If that isn’t enough to pull you across the line, on Friday and Saturday nights there are complimentary drinks for all guests. Admittedly, I’m not much of a wine drinker, but I adored the house wine rosé that Lancemore Crossley St had so much, I had to go back to grab a bottle when I was next in the city.
While the boutique hotel doesn’t have a pool, it does have a 24-hour gym for those who enjoy their fitness, free wi-fi, and is wheelchair accessible. Once again, it’s close to delicious foods for the foodies, and for those who love a night out at the theatre, three gorgeous heritage theatres are so close by, with Lancemore Crossley St being the perfect contender for a staycation, special occasion, or a date night.
If you’re not from Australia, Lancemore Crossley St can arrange for hotel transfers too from the airport, so I can’t imagine not wanting to stay here! I highly recommend staying at this hotel to be in the heart of the city, whether you’re from Melbourne, interstate, or overseas. It’s a great boutique hotel and one of the best in the city, there’s no question about it.
It’s been a few months since the wedding, but I still think fondly of my stay and the gorgeous humans at Lancemore Crossley St (which may possibly be Melbourne’s best kept secret) and while I can’t comment on the other rooms at the hotel, since I didn’t experience them (probably will never be able to stay at the suites since your girl is spending on concerts and musicals, aha). I am admittedly curious about the rest of the Lancemore Hotels now, and I can’t wait to stay with Lancemore Crossley St again soon.
Lancemore Crossley St is located at 51 Little Bourke Street in Melbourne, Australia.
For more information and to book your stay, visit:
https://www.lancemore.com.au/crossley-st/accommodation
Photography from Lancemore’s official website.
