The latest hospitality project from renowned designers Bates Smart combines the old with the new to make William Street in Melbourne sparkle. The Metropolitan Hotel has been re-energised through sophisticated interiors and multi-functional facilities to become a destination of note.

The project designed for DeGroup sees the redevelopment of a two-story hotel building that has been modernised but retains exposed red brickwork and the original façade. Now with spaces to meet, drink and dine, The Metropolitan Hotel is central to life in this area of the city.

The interior of the hotel is divided into three connected areas – a wine bar on the ground floor, cocktail lounge on the first level and rooftop bar on the top of the original hotel building.

The wine bar exudes an up-market vintage pub aesthetic with overhead shelving of metal mesh and coloured glass that evokes the idea of vintage glass bottles. A mural by Melbourne-street artist RONE greets guests at the entrance but also attracts the eyes of passers-by.

Related: Bates Smart and the build-to-rent model for city living

The cocktail lounge offers luxurious surrounds with custom wallpaper, velvet curtains and a metal mesh curtain behind pleated banquettes that form private booths for seating. Moving upwards the rooftop bar, with tilt-up doors that open to the elements, affords alfresco gatherings and is the best place for drinks and meals along with outstanding views of the Melbourne cityscape.

With 862-square-metres of floor space within the venue there are different places and spaces to enjoy and The Metropolitan Hotel becomes an outstanding destination, not only for the those who work in the city but for those who visit.

Javette Hamilton, associate director, Bates Smart and lead on the project remarks, “The eclectic design intertwines heritage and contemporary elements across each level, catering to diverse moods and preferences, blurring the boundaries between spaces.”

As the city comes to life again, it is venues such as The Metropolitan Hotel that draw the crowds back to the heart of Melbourne. With expert design and imaginative re-use such as The Metropolitan Hotel, landmarks are re-invigorated and made new again and hospitality is at its best within beautiful and appropriate surroundings.

Bates Smart
batessmart.com

Photography
Derek Swalwell

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