Lanson Place Parliament Gardens

A converted Salvation Army printing works, the old brick facade and arched windows still legible at street level while a contemporary tower rises above. This apartment-hotel sits opposite Parliament Gardens, and rooms finished in blonde oak and soft gray look out over either the park or the city. More than 450 works by Melbourne artists hang throughout, which beats the usual corridor landscapes. St. Ali runs the lobby coffee, and Chronicle 502 handles modern Australian food and cocktails downstairs.