The Lyall

YOU GET THE BEST OF BOTH worlds here. The Lyall Hotel lies close to Melbourne’s business pulse, but – set in South Yarra’s leafy streets – feels residential enough to let you wind down away from the city hype. It also boasts what's arguably Australia's top day spa.

Come here to chill in the scented spa rooms, choosing from a bulging menu of treatments and therapies (the four-hour Heavenly Duo – just one of the exotic treats on offer – begins as you slap invigorating Moroccan mud on each other). It’s all very ‘resort meets five-star city' with a fabulous range of elegant and contemporary suites, original art on each floor and open fireplaces.

The Lyall's easy-going atmospehere belies spot-on attention to detail. Bedrooms are clean-lined and smartly done out in creams and neutrals, while lounges have that private-home feel. Most suites come with a kitchen, and you'll find a  minibar stocked with everything from icecream  to choccies, cheese and champers.

Quiet and clubby

The Lyall feels intimate and club-like, so step onto your balcony and relish the quiet so close to the big city. You may simply want to unwind in your suite, emerging just long enough for a lazy lunch at the indoor-outdoor bistro, some bubbly at the bar, or a trip to the spa or gym.

Melbourne's vibrant neighbourhoods are close by. You’re minutes from the retail temptations of Chapel Street (Kylie Minogue’s favourite shopping street) or busy and happening Toorak Road with its boutiques and bistros. And you can always hop aboard one of Melbourne’s iconic trams for a rattling trip into the city itself.

© Room for Romance