Melbourne Parkview Hotel

The Melbourne Parkview Hotel is an upscale business and family friendly hotel situated in a nine-story beige building. The lobby has a tasteful, somewhat generic chain-hotel vibe that, in some spots, can edge toward the dated. Patterned wall-to-wall carpeting, red upholstered arm chairs, and light wood accents are common. The restaurant adds some more modern spaces, including a cafe with wood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and chic chalkboard-style signage, plus a nice outdoor terrace. Rooms are huge, and with a 2013 refurbishment, feel fresh, even if they're a bit generic.

The Melbourne Parkview Hotel is located south of Melbourne's city center, on a tree-lined street overlooking Albert Park. Most major sights will require a trip, though a taxi rank is near the front of the hotel, and trams running into the city are just across the street, with most sights reachable in 25 minutes or less. South Yarra, home to high-end shops and restaurants, is a 25-minute walk, for guests who don't mind a trek.- One-minute walk to nearest tram

• Two-minute walk to Albert Park
• 25-minute walk to South Yarra (15 minutes via public transit)
• 15 minutes to National Gallery of Victoria via public transit
• 20 minutes to Royal Botanic Gardens via public transit
• 20 minutes to Federation Square via public transit
• 25 minutes to Queen Victoria Market via public transit
• 25 minutes to Eureka Skydeck 88 via public transit
• 25 minutes to Etihad Stadium via public transit
• 30-minute drive to Melbourne Airport
• 35 minutes to Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Center via public transit

Guest rooms -- which underwent extensive renovations in 2013 -- are spacious and feature contemporary, though chain-like, decor that's nonetheless a step above standard mid-range fare. Rooms feature comfy feather-topped beds with red-striped accents, wood furniture, gray wall-to-wall carpeting, and light sage green accent walls. Bathrooms are modern with walk-in rainfall showers. Each room features a work desk, at least one armchair, plenty of storage space, and a dressing area. Rooms also include LCD HDTVs with cable, free Wi-Fi, minibars, tea and coffee service, and safes. Bathrooms, which are clean-lined white-and-gray affairs, come with robes, hairdryers, and free toiletries and courtesy kits. Room service is available 24 hours. Twin, Triple, and Family rooms are also available, in addition to large suites. Rooms higher up facing the city can have some pretty nice views. 

Melbourne Parkview Hotel has the dining, business, and wellness amenities guests expect from an upscale hotel, but not all of them have upscale polish. Woods Restaurant, Cafe, Bar & Lounge serves up drinks and casual eats from breakfast through dinner and features nice outdoor terrace seating. A good breakfast buffet is served daily, but it's not always included in the room rate. Room service is available 24-hours as well. Wellness facilities, situated at the rooftop level, are somewhat dated -- but while the hot tub and plunge pool aren't huge, their glass-encased rooftop location offers awesome city views, which guests can also catch from a wraparound balcony and from the gym. The gym is pretty small, but includes a weight machine and several cardio machines, some with embedded screens. There's also a small sauna, but no full-service spa with treatment rooms.Business amenities include plenty of conference and event spaces and related audiovisual tools, plus a small business center with computers and printers for guest use. Wi-Fi is free. Staff services include concierge service, luggage storage, and ticket assistance. Guests can also make use of a self-service laundry room. Self- and valet-parking are available, though the spaces are tiny and cost an extra fee.