Layover in style at Melbourne Airport’s new hotel

For better or worse, work-related travel is back on the rise. And where beleaguered business road warriors once had to settle for dreary accommodation for those dreaded in-and-out meetings, more and more travel hubs are now responding with airport hotels that combine comfortably appointed, smart lodgings with well-equipped working spaces.

Tour ibis Styles Melbourne Airport hotel

Case in point is Melbourne Airport’s freshly minted ibis Styles hotel. Set within an easy five- to ten-minute walk from terminals 1 to 4, and billed as the airport’s first new-build hotel project in over two decades, the twin-branded property – each hotel actually occupies its own wing in an L-shaped block – is the work of Australian multidisciplinary studio, FK.

What immediately catches the eye is a striking ovaloid bronze membrane pierced with windows. Meant to evoke the impression of an aircraft wing, the appropriately stellar silhouette links the hotels at the same time as it encloses an expansive collection of spaces and services – not least co-working lounges and bookable meeting rooms operated by Accor, alongside restaurant, bar and cafe – aimed squarely at transiting and short-stay passengers.

Not that the MO here is all work and no play. As FK principal Sarah Hurst points out, ‘The aerofoil is a space where users can retreat from the pace and intensity of travel environments.’ And so, whilst the upper zones of the aerofoil are dedicated to business needs, the ground floor features a more recreational bent including a pool, sauna and treatment room, whilst a gym is located on the first floor.

The goal, FK’s partner James Pearce adds, was to create a space that goes beyond the traditional airport hotel experience – to wit, a village hub for the airport community to gather, rest, work and recharge. Swathed in natural materials such as leather and woven-grass rugs, ‘the design celebrates the wonder and excitement of travel, leaving a lasting impression’.

That’s one way, we imagine, to make your next lift-off from Melbourne an unexpectedly memorable one.

ibis Styles Melbourne Airport hotel is located at 1 Grants Rd, Melbourne Airport VIC 3045, Australia, melbourneairport.com.au