A green oasis in the city centre – the SO/ Melbourne is coming soon. (Photo: Elenberg Fraser)

Accor’s hip SO/ brand will arrive in Melbourne by 2023 and take the city by storm thanks to its broad lifestyle-centric offering.

SO/ is planning its Australian debut with the SO/ Melbourne.

The property will be in the city’s CBD and is going to be awash with greenery, from the outdoor terraces to the leafy Flagstaff Gardens, which it will overlook.

We find out more.

SO/ to make its debut down under

Accor’s luxury lifestyle brand SO/ is heading south, with plans to open its inaugural property in Australia in 2023.

The SO/ Melbourne will debut to fanfare in Australia’s second city, where Simon McGrath, Chief Operating Officer Pacific, Accor, says it is perfectly positioned to succeed.

“The demand for quality luxury hotels is at an all-time high, so the timing is right to introduce Australia to the audacious and fashionable SO/ Hotel brand,” he explained.

“SO/Melbourne will bring a bold and playful energy to Melbourne, blending the brand’s vibrant luxury services with the heart and soul of the destination. This flagship hotel will be the place to be seen to socialise, appealing to chic travellers and Melbourne’s savvy early adopters who are renowned for having their finger on the pulse.”

An urban oasis

The hotel will be housed in the upper floors of a new mixed-use development in Melbourne’s CBD and will boast all of SO/’s signature style and sophistication.

Across its 288 rooms, guests will be able to experience the brand’s mix of avant-garde design and urban tranquillity, such is the focus on the connection with the outdoors. This will be achieved through a series of outdoor terraces which will afford panoramic views out over the city, as well as down upon Flagstaff Gardens, the park adjacent to the site.

The architects behind the scheme are Elenberg Fraser, a leading design practice working in the Asia Pacific market. Central to their concept are sky gardens and heavy swathes of vegetation, both internally and externally, as well as the retention and incorporation of a historic building already existing on the site, which will add continuity to the architecture in terms of connecting past and present.

SO/ Melbourne will also benefit from the brand’s signature features such as SO/ FIT and SO/ SPA, allowing guests to keep fit, relax and rejuvenate while they travel.

On top of this, the hotel will boast a club lounge, private meeting spaces, a ballroom, a speciality bar and restaurant and all-day dining outlets.

According to our TOPHOTELCONSTRUCTION online database, there are 39 hotel projects in the pipeline in Melbourne: