Crown Towers Melbourne

One of a trio of Crown properties in Melbourne's Southbank area, the 31-story Crown Towers is a tourist-focused luxury  hotel that's particularly popular with those interested in spending time at the company's large casino next door. By law, the hotel is not allowed to advertise itself as part of the casino, but most guests are here to gamble at the adjacent Crown Melbourne casino. As such, the swanky dark-marble lobby stays busy throughout the day and well into the evening. 

Crown Towers is located at the end of a driveway off a busy road in the Southbank neighborhood of Melbourne, right next to the Crown Casino. It's situated on the Yarra River with its waterfront promenade, and there are lots of restaurants and shops in the immediate area, not to mention plenty of fine and performing arts venues. Hamer Hall is right by the property, and the National Gallery of Victoria, the State Theatre, Queen Victoria Gardens, the Playhouse Arts Centre, and the Pavilion are all within 10 minutes or so on foot. Upscale Collins Street, home to many of the city's most famous theaters -- including the Regent Theatre, Athenaeum Theatre, and Princess Theatre -- is within a 10-minute drive. The hotel is well-connected to public transport, and the Flinders Street Railway Station is a 10-minute walk away, just across the river. The airport is a 40-minute drive away, but can take significantly longer to reach during peak traffic time. 

Crown Towers offers a range of rooms and suites, starting with entry-level Deluxe King and Twin Rooms and going up to two-bedroom Tower Suites with separate living and dining areas. The hotel also offers a couple of types of penthouse-level "Villas" that are apartment-style suites with separate bedrooms and perks such as free chilled champagne, butler service around the clock, and whirlpool hot tubs. All rooms have neutral decor dominated by shades of off-white and cream, with charcoal accents in throw cushions, curtains, and furniture. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs, coffee- and tea-making facilities, safes, and minibars. Bathrooms are chic, with marble walls and countertops, glistening beaded-crystal light fixtures, double vanities, and separate tubs and walk-in rainfall showers. Rooms on higher floors, unsurprisingly, have lovely city views.

Facilities at Crown Towers are aimed primary at leisure travelers and casino-goers. Still, business facilities include an executive lounge -- Crystal Club -- with all the trappings typical of high-end business lounges, including dedicated check-in service, free continental breakfast, and free evening drinks and hors d'oeuvres along with an outdoor deck area for lounging. There's also a business center adjacent to the lounge, with smallish meeting areas available for rent, but it's closed on weekends. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel.  The Crown Spa is open until late in the evening and offers a wide variety of massages, body treatments, and facials using La Prairie products. Guests who get treatments that last an hour or longer get free access to the spa's Aqua Retreat, which offers a Turkish bath, a small "vitality pool" with built in fountains, and multi-jet Swiss showers. There's also a salon with hair services, mani/pedis, and waxing on offer. The hotel also offers a 25-meter (82-foot) indoor pool that's free for all guests to access, plus a split-level fitness center with plenty of cardio and weight-training machines. There's also a twin pair of outdoor tennis courts set among the surrounding skyscrapers.

The hotel's dining options are particularly impressive and include Conservatory, a bright, elegant space with buffets featuring all sorts of East Asian, Indian, and Western dishes. Afternoon tea is also available. On the third floor, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is the Melbourne branch of the famous British chef's Michelin-starred London restaurant and focuses on British cuisine, including some dishes that were inspired by royal medieval cookbooks. On the same floor, Koko serves Japanese fare such as teppanyaki and has its own beautiful water garden. Silks is open for lunch and dinner and serves upscale Cantonese food across five private dining spaces, one of which is inside a Mongolian silk tent. There are also two bars: Club 23, an upscale cocktail bar that's only open on Friday and Saturday nights, and a more casual all-day lobby bar, The Waiting Room.