On top of the town

JUNE 2010

High above the cosmopolitan laneways, vibrant shopping districts and iconic trams, the Grand Hyatt Melbourne’s grand club lounge is the perfect place to unwind after a busy day of conferences.

From the 31st floor of this hotel on the corner of Collins and Russell Streets, the lounge offers panoramic views of the city skyline, whether it be Flinders Street Station to the south west or even Port Phillip Bay in the distance

The lounge has recently been completed, along with a redevelopment of the hotel’s public spaces and a complete interior redesign of guest rooms which started in October 2009, following a $45 million hotel refurbishment that was completed late-2008.

An Urban Taskforce report has shown that Melbourne will likely overtake Sydney as Australia’s largest city in the coming decades, which means this business hub will abound with opportunities with so much growth in store.

From here in the grand club lounge, either for evening drinks and canapés or a deluxe continental breakfast, the astute entrepreneur can literally see the geographic market they’re taking on or keeping hold of. The club also has exclusive meeting rooms for guests, perfect for that market debrief or strategic pow-wow.

The Grand Hyatt Melbourne is all about versatility, with 16 different function rooms which can cater for a range of events, from a group of 10 to a reception for 1500 guests. Function rooms offer a vast array of features including banquets, cocktails, theatre layouts, classroom layouts and boardrooms.

The hotel also hosts a unique group of private mansion concept events rooms that are flexible in nature, including the leafy Courtyard, a residential-style intimate room called the Library, the Verandah overlooking Collins Street and the Wine Room, which is self-explanatory.

But for those wishing to get closer to that cultural Melbourne feel, look no further than the Grand Hyatt’s dining and entertainment facilities on the ground level, including Collins Kitchen, the Lobby Lounge and Ru-Co.

In business time is money, but if you’ve made the money with that crucial business deal and you have a bit of time on your hands, the hotel is well-positioned in the heart of the city, within walking distance of Federation Square, Chinatown, the plethora of laneway restaurants, bars and shops in the CBD, as well as the National Gallery of Victoria across the river.

For trips further afield to the modern chic of Prahran and St Kilda, the community vibe of Albert Park or the eclectic and multicultural inner north suburbs of Carlton, Fitzroy and Collingwood, Melbourne’s trams are frequent and easy.

And in this sport mad city, you can’t forget the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Even if it’s not your code or sport, a game of AFL or cricket at the ‘G is something not to be missed. If you can’t make it to a game with back-to-back meetings, it probably won’t be local businesspeople you’re speaking to.

Just like exporting to a different country, a little bit local knowledge doesn’t go astray when expanding your business interstate either. To help businesses gain understanding of their opportunities and how to comply with local rules and norms, the Victorian Government runs Enterprise Melbourne.

The organisation provides the necessary information on how to register a business in Melbourne, industry-specific facts, business support and planning, as well as listing important events.

One such event is the Melbourne Oration on June 23, which will discuss the city’s financial services sector with former treasurer Peter Costello as a guest speaker.