Melbourne: 5 reasons to swap the city for a stay in Docklands

As a Sydney girl, when I think of Melbourne, a hotel stay overlooking the harbour doesn’t immediately come to mind, usually I am all about embracing the inner city action.

However, a recent work trip and stay at the The Sebel Melbourne Docklands just a few kilometres from the CBD has lured me in… let me tell you why.

1. The fun and playful vibe: The Sebel Melbourne Docklands has a colourful feel to it, with purple being the key décor that I immediately noticed on arrival, which is a welcome change to the often stock standard colour and atmosphere of many hotels.

While it’s not just a pretty face (or front!), throughout the hotel, from the foyer to the lifts, hallways and rooms, purple is the key ingredient to making this hotel just a bit extra spesh.

2. It’s a home away from home: As well as hotel rooms, the Sebel Docklands provides the option of self-contained apartment accommodation. This makes it a great home away from home and attracts everyone from business travellers, to girl’s weekends away, family travellers and even bridal parties.

I opted for the Deluxe 1-bedroom King apartment with a water view, which comes with the creature comforts you don’t usually get from hotels, including a separate bedroom, complete with a super cozy king bed, spacious living area, kitchen to cook up a meal and in-room laundry which would come in handy on an extended stay.

3. You can stay active: Sometimes when staying in a city’s CBD it’s hard to find a place to get the adrenalin pumping other than the (often!) un-inspiring hotel gym. This certainly isn’t the case at the Sebel Docklands.

Without even leaving the hotel, you can take your pick from doing a few laps of the indoor heated pool, to working out in the fitness centre, or you can even embrace your inner tennis star with a game on the hotels rooftop, which is also home to barbeque facilities and a relaxed outdoor garden area.

Skip the gym and embrace your inner Australian Open tennis star.

4. The balcony views: Once your workout is complete, the balcony of the self-contained apartments is the ultimate place to perch yourself for breakfast and a morning coffee.

Generally, accommodation with your very own balcony is hard to come by when staying in a city. From look over the many amazing boats in the marina, to people watching down below, or just admiring the harbour and city skyline, the balcony views at The Sebel Docklands are an easy 10/10.

Sunrise, Docklands style

5. Location, location, location: When I told a few people I was staying at Docklands, their first response was ‘Oh, isn’t it a little out of the way?’. Well the answer is no!

Docklands is super central and only a few kilometres from the CBD with plenty of transport options available. My advice would be to do as the locals do and catch the free City Circle tram which runs along Harbourside Esplanade into the city daily.

If you want to stay local and are feeling a little pekish, the Sebel Docklands is home to Capri, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while the Docklands waterfront precinct is home to plenty of restaurants, cafes, and bars.

So next time you’re planning a Melbourne city stay, widen your horizons and search filter to ‘Docklands’ and enjoy the change of scenery, you won’t be disappointed.

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