Booked this hotel for 3 nights next month as we got a really good deal on the secret location thing on last minute.
Has anyone stayed here recently or got an opinion on location please?

would you care to share the "secret location thing" as this is a travel community in which we share our secrets to be of help to one another? thanks.

i will share that we left the windsor after one night. we were there on a weekend and had no interest in the immediate downtown and wanted a more neighborhood feel.

it is gorgeous on the outside, but unless you're a parliment buff, its location is unattractive for a weekend, much better for mid week.

but we were last in melbourne a while ago, so attractiveness of downtown may have improved.

our room looked and felt old. not old and charming, which is what i expected, just old. i do remember excellent service, but it was not the experience we expected/ were seeking.

we moved to the como which was better for us all around. if you're captivated by that old stuff, go for tea.

kerikeri

oh, i just realized you mean wotif in which you buy first and the location is reveaeled, meaning you are locked in. so sorry!

in that case, enjoy! (you can just use your savings to taxi to a more hip area).

i feel terrible for dissing your choice.

One thing to remember:

In a 5-star hotel, not all rooms are 5-star.

The Windsor was a great example of this - small room, tired, none too clean, and overwhelming cigarette smoke smell - even though I requested a non-smoking room.

Despite my obvious problem, (uncontrollable coughing!) the staff greatly resisted changing my room and were generally non-helpful. Only after the discussion of the legal implications, should I develop an asthma attack, was I allocated a different, smoke-free, room.

I think I organised this through Last Minute, rather than wotif, my usual.

Location-wise - fine for parks, Parliament House (although why anyone would want to go there I don't know!), probably not too bad for MCG, Rod Laver Arena, the ritzy end of Collins Street. Away from shops and main part of town, but walkable.

I hope your experience is better than mine was.

I'm in Melbourne from next Friday, for the tennis, and staying at the Stamford Plaza. We stayed there last year and it was brilliant. Certainly no good deals avaiilable during the tennis, though

We stayed there about three years ago. I have read a lot of criticism of this hotel, especially on Trip Advisor, and I can understand. I thought the public areas were old fashioned and dark. It was like they hadn't been renovated since the 1960s. At the same time, our room was luxurious, extremely comfortable: great bed, huge closet with ironing board and minibar and coffee/tea bar area, a nice writing desk, robes, nice solid furniture, good tv; it was very quiet and clean. I have asthma and allergies, and I had no problems. We even had a bit of a view. I thought the location was great, too. We walked to book shops, bottle shops, a luggage shop (we bought books, wine, and a new piece of luggage to contain all the books and wine we bought). The restaurant we had reservations for, The Flower Drum, was just two blocks away. Public transport was right in front, very convenient. I could have spent weeks in that room. I think it was a deluxe room or a junior suite. We booked through Wotif after we noticed it was an Oberoi hotel (at least it was, then). We only stayed two nights, but we were absolutely pleased. There is a lot to do in Melbourne, so you won't find yourself spending a lot of time in the room.

I forgot to add something to my post. As it sounds like the rooms widely vary at The Windsor, I would suggest asking to see some other rooms if you don't like the first one they bring you to (and if they have other rooms available). We have vacationed in Australia 10 times and find the people to be among the nicest in the world, so chances are if you ask to see other rooms, they will try to oblige.

Thanks guys! I take all your comments on board.
No problem kerikeri! Quite OK -all comments appreciated!
I was told about the secret location rooms on this forum when I was asking abour Sydney hotels a while back.
We figured out which hotel it was in Melbourne by all the descriptions and distance from the airport! We got a really good saving onlastminute.com.au
We just booked our Sydney hotel (Shangri-La on their own website as they have a price promise. We decided to really splash out with the best view while we're in Sydney so trying to save money in the other places we visit.
We stayed in Sydney 6 years ago for 5 days and it was very budgetstyle for us then!

Although I'm a local I have stayed at the Windsor a couple of times and the rooms vary enormously. Each time I have stayed I have had a renovated room and I would be surprised if all haven't been refurbed by now. It is an old hotel - it's heritage listed - and so don't expect a 'hyatt' feel to it. I personally like it but that's my bent. I have always found the service to be terrific. I also love the part of town it's in and it's easy to get around by tram or walking. Check out Little Collins Street for some great bars and restaurants - some are just holes in the wall and Little Bourke Street for Chinese food.

Tired and about to undergo a multi million dollar refurb whilst still operating .The new owners ( Melb. developers who bought it from Oberoi ) have a Midas touch but I fear the good price reflects the above .That said it is in a lovely location and if not happy ask to move rooms etc .

I've never stayed in the hotel, but I have been in the foyer which is really quite charming in an old fashioned way.

As for location. You are in a good spot really.

There is a very good restaurant just down the road from the hotel. It's also on Spring St and it's called The European. The food there is very very good. I always have the spaghetti marinara - it is cooked the traditional way - in olive oil, garlic and chilli. No tomatoes. Hooray! The cuisine is Italian and French, and the decor makes it feel it was plucked right out of old Europe.

The wine list is superb. The service is good too.

The Windsor is also just around the corner from Pellegrini - on Bourke St. This is a Melbourne institution. It is an Italian cafe and was one of the first places in Melbourne (1950's) to offer good coffee. All the artists at the time used to go there.

There is a free tourist tram in Melbourne which runs along Spring St. It is called the City Circle. You will be able to catch this tram virtually out the Windsor's front door. These trams are old in style and are painted brown. They do a big circuit of the city periphery. It's a good way to get your bearings about the different parts of Melbourne. And like I said, it's free.

Again, talking about location, the hotel is a very short walk away from a great arthouse cinema in Collins St. The cinema is called Kino. I think they have cheap nights on Monday nights.

For other places to eat at - if you can, try and get into Movida. It is a tapas place just off Flinders St, opposite Federation Square. The chef came over from Spain a few years ago and whips up the most amazing food. It is hard to get in at a moment's notice, so try and make a reservation. They have a website. Movida is in a small laneway that has become a graffiti hot spot. The graffiti is actually quite nice.

There's the rooftop cinema in Swanston St (again, if you google it you will find out the exact location). It's well worth going to over summer. Movies are shown on a large screen on top of a building right in the middle of the city. The views of neighbouring buildings at that height are great.

So, I guess what I am saying is, even if you don't like the hotel. You are in a great location.

Thanks for the restaurant recs Markop!

You will need to book Movida as it is so hot as a place to eat .Bottega in Bourke St around the corner is fab dining as is Florentino .Verve in Spring St on the corner of Flinders Lane is also great .Flinders Lane has a number of excellent Galleries specialising in Aborignal Art and Craft Victoria whic has intersting things in it as well .The Kino is in Collins Place with nice shops and bars as well .So all these spots and dozens of other good shops , restaurants , parks etc and as outlined including by markop are all in a 3 block radius .It is a great part of town .

Just realised! Its my husbands birthday when we're in Melbourne so I would like to treat him to an excellent dinner.(he's a real foodie!)
Also we are meeting up with friends for lunch on our last day there . Is there somewhere with a nice view as well as good food and wine?

Melbourne's not exactly known for its views. There are good restaurants along the beach but perhaps someone else can be of help there.

If you want, you could split the night into two, actually 3.

1. This may sound corny but it could also work. Go to the giant ferris wheel along the banks of the Yarra River at Birrarung Mar (a park). You will be able to see the ferris wheel from a fair way away. If you go there just before sunset you will get great city views. If you wanted to be cheeky, take a mini bottle of sparkling wine and a couple of glasses and have a drink while observing the view. but you may have to hide that from the operators.

2.Otherwise, for a drink and good views of the Yarra River and south side of the city, go to the Transit Lounge and Bar. It's on the top floor of the Transport Bar building, and it is directly opposite Flinders Street station. www.transporthotel.com.au
There is a dining room on the middle floor, the Taxi room, but I have no idea what the food is like.

3. After a couple of drinks at teh Transit Lounge, head to Movida www.movida.com.au
This is a small place, cosy, there is no view but if your husband is a foodie, he will really like this place.

And if you are still up for a drink or two after dinner, go to The Supper Club. It's just down the road from your hotel, next to The European, 161 Spring St. This place is a Melbourne institution. It is open till the early hours of the morning and boasts what is probably the best wine list in Melbourne. It's not cheap. I just tried to post a link here to a review of the Supper Club but it was tooooo long. If you google 'supper club melbourne' and open the article done by The Age newspaper, you will get a good feel for the place.

Cafe La on the 35th. level of the Sofitel on Collins St. and near The Windsor has sensational views.

You might enjoy reading this recent article about Melbourne:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/06...l/06hours.html

you'll get a decent feed with a pretty good view at Donovans.

http://www.donovanshouse.com.au/

or upstairs with a window seat at Stokehouse which is next door .

Back home after our wonderful holiday. 2nd trip to Melbourne and loved it even more this time. Such a cosmopolitan city with friendly people. The Windsor Hotel was so charming and although our room wasn't huge, it was very clean and nicely furnished.The staff were nice and helpful.
Movida seems to be closed now but we had fantastic food at a restaurant called South at the Southbank.
4 days,3 nights in Melbourne just isn't enough!

Thanks for posting again, Carylspall, it's good to have up-to-date info. Glad you enjoyed your trip