After previously reviewing the two-bedroom suite at Hilton South Wharf Hotel (read review here) we thought we would take the opportunity of a kid-free weekend to stay in Melbourne at the Hilton South Wharf again and enjoy one of its standard City Views rooms.
As we touched on in our last review, the location of the Hilton South Wharf is excellent – next door to the South Wharf DFO which is great for shopping as well as the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre. In our opinion, this location gives the Hilton South Wharf the best views of Melbourne down along the Yarra River. For this reason, we would always recommend booking a city view room when staying here.
The standard rooms here are a good size with a nice big comfy bed. The bathroom is well set out and comes complete with a separate shower and bath. Like at all Hilton Hotels, the Peter Thomas Roth bathroom amenities now come in smaller sizes than they previously did. We love the very effective blackout blinds at the Hilton South Wharf, it makes for a good sleep-in. If you need to be up early, make sure to set an alarm.
If it is in your budget we would also recommend getting a room on the executive level floors. The extra cost is definitely worth it. The executive lounge at the Hilton South Wharf is a really large size with both inside and outdoor seating. We rate this lounge very highly compared to some other Hilton lounges. As well as all-day snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, the lounge offers breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening pre-dinner canapés with alcoholic beverages. The evening drinks are available from 6.00 pm-8.00 pm on weekdays and from 5.00 pm-7.00 pm on weekends. The drinks are self-pour sparking, wine and beer but you can order spirits from staff if that is preferred. Each night there is a selection of two hot canapés along with a good variety of cold canapés. Also since our last stay, the wi-fi here has improved and they have updated the computers which were nice to see.
During this stay, we also tried out Dock37 Restaurant and Bar for a bite to eat. All we can say is try the burger here, it is amazing!
If you are a Hilton HHonors Diamond member, don’t expect too much from the Hilton South Wharf. We have been staying here for a few years now while being Diamond members and never get an upgrade or even a welcome note from management. At check-in, we were told that we have been “upgraded” to the exact same room that we booked, just with executive access. Also if you book for more than one night, you will only get the free bottled water on the first night and no other nights – unlike most other Asia/Pacific Hilton hotels. This may be something that the Hilton South Wharf management might want to look into.
We do however love that we get access to the executive lounge as it is well worth it. We also love that we always get to enjoy the buffet breakfast at Dock37 as it has quite a good selection and we always find the staff lovely and helpful.
Another feature of the Hilton South Wharf that we enjoy is the Lobby area. Every time we come here there is something different being showcased in the lobby. As we stayed here during the Melbourne Cup Spring Racing carnival, this time the lobby consisted of a racing theme with photos, paintings, and horse sculptures.
Luxury hotels like the Hilton South Wharf often curate unique and engaging lobby displays to enhance the guest experience, reflecting local culture and events in their decor.
