Looking for a weekend getaway that combines a little art and culture, a spot of relaxation and a dash of luxury without actually leaving our great city? Look no further than the
Art Series Hotels
Created and fashioned by
Will Deague a fifth generation Melbourne property developer, the Art Series boutique hotels are each based on a prestigious Australian artist and designed to best reflect their style and character, all the while offering guests 5-star accommodation combined with the unique experience of 'living with art'. With three properties now open and a further three in development, no two hotels are the same with each profiling the art of an acclaimed Australian artist.
Rooms are housed with up to the minute comforts and technology with glossy design books piled high throughout each room and original artworks and prints adorning every wall. Proving that with a museum at your very doorstep the need to leave your room suddenly becomes less of an option.
The first of the Art Series to open was
The Cullen. Ideally positioned in the trendy suburb of Prahran, The Cullen houses 115 rooms over six levels and features 450 pieces of artwork by Archibald Prize winning artist Adam Cullen, including the foyer showpiece- two life sized painted fiberglass cows.
The interior is a riot of animated eccentric paintings featuring the artists trademark fluorescent colours and abstract objects outlined in thick black strokes. Each room contains a kitchen, iPod dock, Ghost armchairs and plasma TV (with dedicated Art Channel for the art enthusiast). The hotel is well equipped to entertain your every delight and includes a rooftop cocktail bar and restaurants, including the famed dumpling house HuTong.
For the shopper, The Cullen's location means that you are a mere stones throw away from the more quirky Windsor end of Chapel Street, where you can spend the day sipping chai lattes with the locals whilst popping in and out of the plethora of stores that litter Melbourne's most famous shopping strip. For the food enthusiasts, the convenience of an in-room kitchen combined with across-the-road location of Prahran's famous produce market, may see you whipping up a meal for your loved one, of Masterchef proportions...judges and elimination not included. It's clear to see that The Cullen caters for all.
Second in line, is the flagship Art Series Hotel,
The Olsen, located a few kilometers down the road on Chapel Street. Comprising of some 229 boutique hotel rooms and residences, The Olsen is perhaps a little less bold than the Cullen. It is sophisticated yet modern and blends the works of one of Australia's greatest living painters Dr. John Olsen. Olsen is a revered Australian landscape artist and his breathtaking mural of Melbourne's Yarra River (commissioned specifically for the hotel) greets you upon arrival in the foyer, followed by 15-storeys of opaque white glass, a draped canvas style façade and a series of large prints that adorn all hallways and rooms.
At The Olsen, sleeping soundly (on Art Series signature bedding I might add) has never seemed more enjoyable. Yet for those who are a little more activity inclined, perhaps a plunge into the spectacular glass bottom pool (complete with a view of the Chapel street shoppers below), or a work out in the state-of-the-art gymnasium is more for you. For those keen on only exercising their wallets then The Olsen is the perfect spot to do so. Positioned on the more up market boutique end of Chapel Street, it is here that you are likely to set foot into the likes of Scanlan and Theodore, Sass and Bide and Hugo Boss much to the chagrin of your credit card.
The third hotel in the boutique Art Series Hotel chain (yet certainly not the last),
The Blackman is located on St Kilda Road, a short tram ride into the busy CBD and yet a distance far enough away so that you can catch your breath along the more idyllic Albert Park. The Blackman Hotel is said to inspire your imagination, as it is built within and above the historic Airlie mansion and celebrates the artworks of Charles Blackman.
It is largely decorated with prints of Blackman's works and motifs taken from his Alice in Wonderland paintings and boasts a palette of bright colours. Amongst the 207 guest rooms and suites, there are a selection of which are complete with spa's and private terraces, perfect for an afternoon sunshine tête-à-tête amidst a backdrop of sweeping Melbourne views, the perfect place to sit back and watch the city come to life.
Different and original unto their own, each hotel does however have common ground. In keeping with the art theme, all three hotels offer guests bikes and Art Series Smart cars to hire that are decorated with each individual artists work. The Smart Cars can be hired by the hour, day or week and offer you the chance to take a trip to a gallery, a detour via a café in a neighboring suburb or weave in and out of our cities iconic laneways.
Each hotel has also appointed an in-house curator for those a little more culturally inclined, offering hotel tours and information on Melbourne galleries as well as introducing guests to the wider art scene.
With standard suites starting at approximately $240 a night and the penthouse going for $450, a stay at an Art Series hotel is a truly indulgent experience, but one that will let you connect with the great art and cultural history of our great city.
Situated amongst Melbourne's finest restaurants and iconic shopping precincts, the Art Series Hotels are fast becoming some of Melbourne's greatest landmarks and are the perfect way to spend a culture filled, luxury weekend like a tourist in your very own city.
The Cullen
164 Commercial Road, Prahran
The Olsen
637 - 641 Chapel St South Yarra
The Blackman
452 St.Kilda Road Melbourne
