“The Olsen has made a name for itself as a hot spot for celebrities and athletes”
Perched above Melbourne’s prestigious Chapel Street, the Art Series’ trendy 229 room boutique hotel The Olsen (click here) has made a name for itself as a hot spot for celebrities and athletes. The hotel offers chic accommodation, drawing inspiration from renowned Australian artist John Olsen. The refined charm of Olsen’s artwork throughout the hotel balances the energy and charisma of Chapel Street seamlessly.
The Olsen hotel is located in the heart of South Yarra on Chapel Street. A swift 30minute cab ride from the airport, The Olsen is in the midst of one of Melbourne’s main tourist destinations with a myriad of cafes, restaurants and shops at its doorstep.
The Room
We stayed in the ‘Deluxe Studio Suite on the 7th floor’. Our North facing room overlooked the thriving hustle and bustle of Chapel Street. The neutral and earthy tones of the room were highlighted by the abundance of natural light that is let in by the oversized window, giving the room that ‘very comfortable, home away from home’ feel about it.
The room area itself was quite cleverly thought-out, with floor to ceiling mirrored walls and wall-hung plasmas that free up a lot of ‘leg room’.
The room also boats a lounge area, a fully equipped kitchenette with quartz bench tops and a semi private bathroom, which is separated by a screen-printed glass mural.
Food & Beverage
Being located on Chapel St the hotel has an abundance of dining options at its’ doorstep. Spoonbill is on the ground floor next to the lobby while Two Wrongs (click here) & Smäk (click here) are around the corner.
Pool & Gym
The pool area is situated on the first floor; the pools deep blue mosaic tiles, sandstone pavers, lounges and deck chairs give a somewhat ‘European’ feel to it. The pool is half undercover while the other half hangs off the side of the building, with glass flooring that allows you to see pedestrians walking underneath while floating above them, which is something different.
At one end there is a spiralling staircase that leads up to 2nd level to another lounge area. Honestly the 2nd level is a little lack lustre but on a sunny day you can certainly unwind on one of the oversized sofas/lounges. There is also an oversized novelty chessboard that makes the area a little more playful.
The gym isn’t anything flash, it’s a stock standard hotel gym with a few running machines, bikes and free weights up to 20kgs.
Pros:
- Beautiful Art
- Stylish
- Pool Area
- Location
- Spacious Rooms
- Very Accommodating Staff
- Hotel Restaurants
Cons:
- Air Con Needed Repair*
- No iron in room (there normally is)
The air con was working at about 50% when we got to the room, I brought this to the attention to the concierge on our way out to dinner on the first night. Someone came up to fix it and when we got back to the room, the room was nice and toasty but after waking up the next morning there was a slight layer of dust on the glass table, so I think it was due for a service.
Overall:
The Olsen brings a touch of class and finesse to Chapel Street, the location is central to everywhere and I would definitely stay here again.
The Olsen
637-641 Chapel St,
South Yarra VIC 3141
(03) 9040 1222