Hotel
The Langham, Melbourne
Five-star hotel on the Southbank Promenade with 388 rooms, many overlooking the Yarra and the city, plus Chuan Spa, an indoor pool and afternoon tea.
The Hotel Windsor
Heritage-listed grand hotel on Spring Street, completed in 1884 opposite Parliament House, with 180 rooms and suites and a well-known afternoon tea.
At a glance
- Type
- Heritage grand hotel
- Area
- Parliament Precinct, Melbourne, Australia
- Price
- $$$$ · Luxury
- Hotel class
- 5-star
- Official site
- thehotelwindsor.com.au
Good to know
- Afternoon tea
- Heritage dining room
- Suites
Why we recommend it
The Hotel Windsor on Spring Street is one of Melbourne's grand nineteenth-century hotels and a building with a genuine place in Australian history. Designed by the architect Charles Webb in a broadly Renaissance Revival style, it was completed in 1884 and expanded to his design in 1888. It opened as The Grand, operated for a time as the Grand Coffee Palace and was renamed the Grand Hotel in 1897, before later taking the Windsor name. The hotel itself gives its date of establishment as 1883.
Its location explains much of its history. The hotel stands in the Parliament precinct, across Spring Street from Parliament House, and in January 1898, when the Federal Council met there to finalise the Constitution of Australia, many of the delegates stayed at the hotel and held informal meetings in its rooms. The building is on the Victorian Heritage Register, and in 2010 the Australian Senate recognised its national significance.
Today the hotel has 180 rooms and signature suites and describes its accommodation as five-star. Afternoon tea is its best-known tradition and is served at One Eleven, in the heritage dining room, with finger sandwiches, scones, sweets and a choice of specialty teas; a list of afternoon tea cocktails, including an espresso martini and an English breakfast martini, has been added for those who prefer something stronger. One Eleven also serves breakfast, with à la carte and in-suite options. If afternoon tea is part of your plans, book it in advance through the hotel.
The hotel has been owned since 2005 by the Indonesian-based Halim family, who bought it from The Oberoi Group. A redevelopment that would have added a tower was approved in 2010, but in 2019 the planning minister refused a further extension of the permit, and the hotel's website currently makes no mention of renovation work.
The Windsor suits couples, history enthusiasts and travellers who prefer a traditional grand hotel to a modern tower. The Spring Street address is at the eastern edge of the city grid, and Pellegrini's Espresso Bar at the top of Bourke Street is a short walk away. Parking and location details are published on the hotel's website. For reservations and enquiries, call +61 3 9633 6000 or email [email protected].
The Hotel Windsor FAQs
Where is The Hotel Windsor?
At 111 Spring Street, Melbourne, across the street from Parliament House.
How old is the hotel?
It was completed in 1884; the hotel gives its year of establishment as 1883.
How many rooms are there?
180 rooms and signature suites.
Does the hotel serve afternoon tea?
Yes. Afternoon tea is served at One Eleven in the heritage dining room, with sandwiches, scones, sweets and specialty teas.
Is the hotel heritage listed?
Yes. It is on the Victorian Heritage Register.
What is the hotel's connection to Federation?
Delegates finalising the Constitution of Australia in 1898 stayed at the hotel and held informal meetings there.
Is breakfast available?
Yes, at One Eleven, with à la carte and in-suite options.
How do I contact the hotel?
Call +61 3 9633 6000 or email [email protected].