Opened in June 2025, 1 Hotel Melbourne marks the Australian debut of a mission-driven luxury brand set on the Yarra River waterfront. With 277 guest rooms and a targeted LEED Silver certification, the property blends sustainable design with high‑end amenities. Drawing on verified data from official sources and editorial reviews, this report helps you decide whether the hotel’s eco‑conscious ethos matches your expectations. PR Newswire

Last checked: 2026-07-10

Hotel name: 1 Hotel Melbourne · Location: On the banks of the Yarra River, Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia · Brand: 1 Hotels (SH Group) · Star rating: 5 stars (official classification) · Year opened: 2022 (exact date not provided, but confirmed recent opening) · Key feature: Sustainable luxury, mission-driven, pet-friendly, LEED certification

Key Facts at a Glance

1 Opening & Brand

• Officially opened on 19 June 2025 as the first 1 Hotels property in Australia

2 Rooms & Residences

• 277 hotel rooms plus 114 branded residences in the 1 Hotel & Homes Melbourne development (PR Newswire)

3 Sustainability

• Targeting LEED Silver certification; single‑use plastics eliminated, reclaimed materials throughout (Hospitality Design)

4 Guest Rating

• Exceptional 9.8/10 on Hotels.com (based on more than 200 reviews as of early 2026) (Hotels.com)

Snapshot Facts — 1 Hotel Melbourne

Attribute	Detail
Hotel name	1 Hotel Melbourne
Location	On the banks of the Yarra River, Docklands, Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia
Brand	1 Hotels (SH Group)
Star rating	Luxury (5‑star equivalent per major booking platforms)
Year opened	2025 (19 June 2025)
Key feature	Sustainable luxury, mission‑driven, pet‑friendly, targeting LEED Silver
Top review platform score	9.8/10 on Hotels.com
Notable celebrity guest	Not publicly confirmed (no verified data)

What Is 1 Hotel Melbourne?

1 Hotel Melbourne is the first Australian outpost of the 1 Hotels brand, a mission‑driven luxury lifestyle group founded by hotelier Barry Sternlicht. The property opened on 19 June 2025 at 9 Maritime Place, Docklands, on the Yarra River waterfront. Its brand philosophy centres on sustainable luxury: materials are reclaimed, single‑use plastics are eliminated, and biophilic design blends the building with the surrounding river landscape (Hospitality Design).

Location and Setting

The hotel sits within the Docklands precinct, on the Yarra River waterfront. The Yarra River waterfront is visible from many of the 277 guest rooms, and the immediate area offers a mix of restaurants, parks, and marina activities. For guests arriving from Melbourne Airport, the drive is approximately 25 km via the West Gate Freeway.

Brand Philosophy: Sustainable Luxury

The 1 Hotels brand was built on a promise to “make a difference” by embedding environmental stewardship into every aspect of operation. At the Melbourne property, this means furnishings crafted from reclaimed timber and stone, extensive internal planting, and a strict no‑single‑use‑plastic policy (Hotel Designs). The result, as Qantas Travel Insider puts it, is that “mindful living has never looked as good or as easy.”

“1 Hotel Melbourne is now open, proudly marking the Australian debut of the mission‑driven luxury lifestyle brand 1 Hotels.”

— PR Newswire release

Is 1 Hotel Melbourne a Luxury Hotel?

Yes. The property is classified as a luxury hotel on major booking platforms such as Hotels.com and TripAdvisor, and it carries a 5‑star equivalent rating within the industry (Hotels.com). Its guest review score of 9.8/10 on Hotels.com places it among the top‑rated hotels in Melbourne. The MICHELIN Guide recognises it as a “modern design, lively atmosphere” property in the City Center (MICHELIN Guide).

Design and Amenities

The hotel’s 277 rooms include categories such as King, City King, River King, and City Twin, each built with natural materials and floor‑to‑ceiling windows (Mr & Mrs Smith). Amenities include an indoor pool (open 6 am–10 pm daily), a hot tub, saunas, and a 24‑hour fitness centre that has been described as “excellent” by reviewers (The Nightly). The full‑service day spa and the “sultry” indoor pool further position the property as a wellness‑focused urban retreat.

The bottom line: 1 Hotel Melbourne delivers a polished, sustainability‑oriented luxury experience that guests rate exceptionally highly. The premium over comparable hotels is offset by design quality and mission‑driven amenities.

Who Owns 1 Hotel Melbourne?

The hotel is owned and operated by the 1 Hotels brand, which is part of SH Hotels & Resorts (a subsidiary of Starwood Capital Group). The brand was founded by Barry Sternlicht, who also created W Hotels. 1 Hotel Melbourne is a wholly owned 1 Hotels property, not a franchise or a Marriott brand.

1 Hotel & Homes Melbourne includes 114 branded residences alongside the 277 hotel rooms, all part of a single development described as a “waterfront sanctuary”.

Celebrity Stays at 1 Hotel Melbourne

While social‑media signals and entertainment‑news speculation have linked high‑profile names such as Taylor Swift to the hotel, no official confirmation from the property or the celebrity’s representatives has been published. The hotel’s luxury positioning and private residential component naturally attract affluent guests, but specific celebrity stays remain unverified.

What to watch: If the hotel follows the 1 Hotels pattern in New York and South Beach, it is likely to become a preferred base for high‑profile visitors seeking discretion and eco‑luxury.

1 Hotel Melbourne Prices and Booking

Specific nightly rates are not published in the sources reviewed, but the hotel’s price positioning is described as premium luxury. Booking is available through the official 1 Hotels website (1hotels.com/melbourne) and major online travel agencies such as Booking.com and Hotels.com. Cancellation policies vary by platform, so direct comparison is advisable.

What You Get for the Price

The nightly rate includes access to the indoor pool, spa, 24‑hour gym, and pet‑friendly accommodations (subject to fee). Breakfast is available but not automatically included; guests should check the rate plan. The elimination of single‑use plastics and the use of reclaimed materials are cost‑internalised rather than presented as separate surcharges.

Amenities: Breakfast, Gym, and the 5’10 Rule

The on‑site dining options are not exhaustively documented in the available sources, but the hotel markets a farm‑to‑table approach. The 24‑hour fitness centre is well‑equipped, and the day spa offers a full menu of treatments. The indoor pool area includes a hot tub and saunas, open daily from 6 am to 10 pm (1 Hotels pool page).

What Is the “5’10 Rule”?

The phrase “5’10 rule” appears in traveller queries but is not an official term used by 1 Hotels. It likely refers to the brand’s design philosophy of eliminating single‑use plastics within a 5‑foot–10‑inch reach of a guest (i.e., everything in the room is reusable, compostable, or recyclable). This is consistent with the “mindful living” ethos described by Qantas Travel Insider — sustainable behaviour is made easy through design choices.

Alternatives to 1 Hotel Melbourne

For travellers who want a different luxury experience within Melbourne, several nearby properties offer contrasts in style and price.

Property	Positioning	Key Difference from 1 Hotel Melbourne
The Melburnian	Ultra‑luxury, quiet residential	More secluded; no wellness focus; often cited as “poshest” in Melbourne
Crown Towers	Casino‑adjacent luxury	Larger complex; pool and spa but non‑eco positioning
The Cullen Melbourne – Art Series	Boutique art‑focused	Smaller, no pool; lower price point; design‑centric

The two internal links below provide deeper reviews of two of these alternatives:

• The Cullen Melbourne – Art Series: Detailed Boutique Hotel Review
• Adina Flinders Street Melbourne: Location, Amenities & Reviews 2026

Best for Segments

Sources Cited

• “1 Hotel Melbourne Is Now Open” – PR Newswire (official announcement)
• “SH Hotels & Resorts Becomes Starwood Hotels” – PR Newswire (room/residence count)
• 1 Hotels Melbourne Pool Page
• “1 Hotel Melbourne: Australia” – Hospitality Design
• “1 Hotel Melbourne: A Sustainable Sanctuary on the Yarra River” – Hotel Designs
• 1 Hotel Melbourne – Hotels.com
• “1 Hotel Melbourne Review” – Qantas Travel Insider
• “1 Hotel Melbourne Review: Eco‑luxury Stay on the Yarra” – The Nightly
• 1 Hotel Melbourne – MICHELIN Guide
• 1 Hotels Melbourne Official Contact Page