Hotel and Inn Review: Melbourne Empire Apartments (Australia)

Date of Stay: October 30 - November 5, 2019

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: *********

Rooms: ********

Condition and Cleanliness: *********

Staff Performance: *******

Room Comfort: ********

Food and Beverage: ********

Other Amenities: ********

Value for Money: ********

Melbourne Empire Apartments

Our temporary home for our 7—day stay in Melbourne was to be at the Aussie owned and managed, 60-storey, stylish Empire Apartments, located in downtown Melbourne CBD, right in the middle of Melbourne’s ever flourishing shopping district. This would be our first time to stay in an Airbnb-listed accommodation.

A short walk from the Empire are cafes, coffee shops, bars and restaurants as well as the retail meccas Melbourne Central, QV, Bourke Street, Emporium and the Queen Victoria Market. This on-trend apartment, designed by the renowned architects at Hayball, was opened in late 2017. 

The building has a corner location

Having a certain understated style to them, its 80 guestrooms are curated into a range of private, individual apartments. The 4-star Melbourne Empire Apartments offers 20 forms of air-conditioned accommodation.

We stayed in a 65 sq. m. Deluxe 2-bedroom apartment on the 48th-floor (4808).  The two bedrooms have gorgeous hotel-supreme beds, made in Melbourne by KingCoil, with beautiful linen, sexy pillows and throws, and an in room power hub.  

The two private ensuite bathrooms had rain shower heads and complimentary Platinum Care bathroom products.

Master Bedroom

Bedroom 2

The fully equipped kitchen had a microwave, cooktop, oven, a hob, full size fridge and freezer, dishwasher, kettle, toaster, rice cooker, a personal espresso coffee machine with 10 pods and kitchenware and utensils. The apartments offer free high-speed WiFi.

We had a separate beautiful dining area and our living room had a 40" Smart LED flat screen TV with internet streaming services such as Netflix, Stan and YouTube apps. 

Our apartment also had a European-styled laundry with an iron/ironing board, washing machine and dryer, essentials standard in all apartments. Limited housekeeping is available.

Dining Area

Washing Machine
and Dryer

Ironing Board and
Vacuum Cleaner

Our smoke-free apartment was clean, comfortable, well-appointed and with a stunning view of the city from the private balcony. It also has comfortable touch points, with textures including velvet, fur and glass. 

The apartment’s premium 5 star amenities include a shared Welcome Lounge (ground floor), indoor swimming pool, a fully equipped urban gymnasium, sauna and yoga studio high in the sky with stunning views. 

Additionally, they offer express check-in, self parking (for a fee), a storage area for luggage, concierge services and 24-hour airport shuttle (available for a fee). Tram (free to catch inside free tram area - CBD) stops are located just outside the property. Melbourne Central is a 5-minute stroll.

Kitchen

The apartments, one of Melbourne’s best locations in the heart of the Central Business District, are located a short walk to Queen Victoria Market, St Paul’s Cathedral (a 13-min. walk), Melbourne City Conference Centre (200 m.), Princess Theatre, Fitzroy and Exhibition Gardens, Melbourne Museum, Melbourne Central Mall; Regent Theatre (900 m.) and University of Melbourne (a 15-min. walk); 1.9 km. (1.2 mi.) from Marvel Stadium, 2.7 kms. (1.7 mi.) from Melbourne Cricket Ground and 18 kms. from Melbourne Airport.

The author relaxing at the balcony

Daytime view of the city from the balcony

Same view, this time at night

Melbourne Empire Apartments: 77-89 A'Beckett St., Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Tel: +61 1300 882 592. Website: www.empire-melbourne.com.au.

Launch of 19th Grand Wine Experience (Pasay City)

Launch of the 19th Grand Wine Experience

Mr. Robi Joseph

Mr. Ronald Lim Joseph

The Grand Wine Experience (GWE), the biggest wines and spirits event in Southeast Asia, is now on its 19th year and this year’s event, dubbed as “Generations,” will highlight the story of wine as one of legacy.

Organized by the Philippine Wine Merchants (PWM) and Ralph’s Wines and Spirits, this year’s Grand Wine Experience, to be held at The Grand Ballroom of the Marriott Hotel, Resorts World Manila on November 15, 2019, aims to surpass all previous editions by serving over 700 varieties of wines, spirits, sakes, and beers, alongside a gloriously decadent buffet of unparalleled proportions.

Mr. Ronald Lim Joseph (Director - PWM), Mr. Ryan Joseph, Mr. Mo Ali (F&B Director - Marriott
Hotel Manila), Mr. Joee Guilas (Director for Corporate Communication - Resorts
World Manila) and Mr. Raymond Lim Joseph (Director - PWM)

According to the organizers, “”As roots widen and deepen as the vine ages, so too does the role heritage plays across every generation.” They also added that “The event will emphasize that winemaking is not just an art, but a tradition passed down from one custodian of the land to another, from one family to the next. Families preserve the reputation and protect the brand and estate. They cultivate and refine the methods and practices handed down to them by their forbears, and bequeath them to their most immediate, most trusted, and most loved.”

Executive Chef Meik Brammer

Last October 22, this grand annual event was launched at The Hub of Marriott Hotel Manila. Here, members of print and online media well as partners from the trade (GCRM, Moet Hennessy Philippines, Pernod Ricard Philippines, Golden Wines) were given a preview of the most illustrious wine event of the year as Executive Chef Meik Brammer and his staff prepared a four-course lunch supplemented by three superb wines.

Freixenet Elyssia Noir Brut Rose

Also in attendance were Mr. Ronald Lim Joseph (Director Philippine Wine Merchants); Mr. Ryan Joseph, Mr. Robi Joseph; Mr. Mo Ali (F&B Director Marriott Hotel Manila); Mr. Joee Guilas (Director for Corporate Communication Resorts World Manila); and Mr. Raymond Lim Joseph (Director Philippine Wine Merchants).

2016 Haart to Heart

Montes Alba Special Pinot Noir

For the appetizer, we were served Crab and Apple Salad (cherry tomato glaze, pine nut gremolata, avocado mousseline, crème fraiche) which was served with Freixenet Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut Rosé (a sparkling wine from Spain with nice and fresh aromas of raspberry and strawberry with a hint of mint); followed by Smoked Egg Yolk Ravioli Soup (lobster consommé, stuffed morels) served with a 2016 Haart to Heart, a rich, delicious and elegant, easy to sip Mosel Riesling with plenty of fruit (peaches, blackcurrant and pineapples). 

Main Course - Grilled Grass-Fed Cape Grim Rib Eye

The main course was Grilled Grass-Fed Cape Grim Rib Eye (truffle potato puree, brussel sprout, pickle shallots, pinot noir glaze) which went great with the Montes Alpha Special Pinot Noit, a ruby red wine offering red fruit aromas of cherries, raspberries, redcurrants and ripe plums.  This culminated with a dessert of Pear and Chocolate (caramelized chocolate crumb, pear mousse, milk chocolate whipped ganache, poached mini pears, dark chocolate sorbet, micro vanilla sponge and coral tulle).

Dessert of Pear and Chocolate

This event is in partnership with Resorts World Manila, Marriott Hotel Manila, Starbucks Coffee Philippines, Moet Hennessy Philippines, Inc., Pernod Ricard Philippines, Future Trade International, Diageo Philippines, Best World Beverage Brands, Golden Wines, Cle Ace Corp., Calabria Co. Ltd., Emperador Distillers, Inc., Grand Cru Wines and Spirits, Booze On Line, Global Noble, Int’l. Corp., Philippine Craft Distillers, Gold Tree Import & Export, GCRM and Don Revy Philippines, Inc.

Philippine Wine Merchants (organizer of the Grand Wine Experience) with the partners from the trade (GCRM, Moet Hennessy Philippines, Pernod Ricard Philippines, Golden Wines) during the Press Launch

For more information about the 19th and the past Grand Wine Experiences, visit www.grandwineexperience.com or follow Philippine Wine Merchants on Facebook.