What's on in Melbourne?
Ask Melbourne's In The Know Concierge!
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Heading to St Kilda and want to find a great place to eat recommended by the locals? Or have you heard about Smith Street in Collingwood and want to be pointed to the coolest shops on the strip?
Then you are in good hands with us. Our Concierge Team is In The Know!
We get out and about regularly, discovering the best of where to eat, drink, shop and be entertained in Melbourne. We won’t recommend anywhere we haven’t actually tried or liked ourselves. After all, you might not have that much time in our great city, so our job is to make sure you can make the most of your time and enjoy the very best experiences that Melbourne has to offer.
Award-winning Concierge
Chief Concierge - Chris Pappas
Meet our Chief Concierge, Chris Pappas. Chris is a born and bred Melburnian with 6 years under his belt here at the hotel. He truly knows his way around town and he is never happier than when sharing his incredible knowledge and passion with our guests. Spend some time with Chris and you'll fall under the spell of his infectious charm and understand why he received the 2009 Alfred Jasinski Excellence In Service Award – recognizing him as Melbourne’s best Concierge. One of Chris’ recent favourite Melbourne moments has been a visit to the new National Sports Museum at the MCG, and a family outing to the Royal Melbourne Zoo.
Assistant Concierge – David Johnston

Our Assistant Concierge, David Johnston, is a relatively new arrival to Melbourne, but he has quickly fallen for the city’s charms in the year since he moved from Bendigo.
David has spent his time diving into everything Melbourne offers and is still amazed that each day brings new discoveries in bars, restaurants and tourist attractions alike. Whilst his preferred recommendations include a visit to Queen Victoria Market, a cruise along the Yarra River and a spot of history at Fitzroy Gardens, his personal favourite is a visit to Eureka Tower’s Skydeck (88 floors above the city!).
Of course a thriving city like Melbourne is always on the move, with restaurants, bars and boutiques opening daily. To keep on top of what’s hot, what’s not and what’s going to be, Chris and David are lucky to be able to tap into the knowledge of a couple of our team members who are considered ‘experts’ in their field:
Our Other Experts
Our Shopaholic...
Our ‘go-to’ expert for shopping or style tips is our Executive Assistant, Alex. Alex spends far too much time hitting the shops and as a result can tell you where to find the best bargains, the most obscure labels and even where you may find the best shop assistants in town.
If you need to spend money wisely, Alex is the person to help you out.
Our Foodie...
Jane, our Front Office Manager, lives right here in the city and has almost never used her kitchen! Want a romantic dinner at that perfect French bistro? Ask Jane. Feel like a cheap and cheerful Asian meal for under $10? Ask Jane. Where can you share in a feast of delicious Northern African cuisine without using cutlery? Ask Jane. Jane’s most memorable Melbourne dining moments in the last year have been at Panama Dining Room, Budapest and Donovans.
Our Bar Enthusiast...
Ask our General Manager Craig what his favourite thing about Melbourne is, and he'll tell you its the myriad of eclectic bars. It’s not that Craig likes to drink, it’s more about finding bars that deliver the entire perfect package (the décor, the music, the service, the food… and yes the drinks). From his tireless research, he nominates Transit Lounge, Emerald Peacock, Gin Palace and Riverland as his favourite Melbourne bars to show off to visitors.







