issue-18

24 HOURS IN MELBOURNE
St Kilda Sea Baths
ideal location for the ultimate in relaxation, all with panoramic views
of Port Phillip Bay. Treatments range from $110 to $280 for the hour.
St Kilda Sea Baths 10-18 Jacka Boulevard, St Kilda,
spadreamtime.com.au, +61 3 9525 3288
12pm: Take a relaxing gondola ride on the Yarra River. Get your driver
to drop you off at either Crown’s floating landing near the Melbourne
Exhibition Centre or at Southbank near Sheraton Towers. Stroll down to
the departure pontoon and take a scheduled cruise on a Venetian gondola.
Glide past all the main attractions – the Exhibition Centre, Aquarium,
Southbank and Crown, Flinders Street Station, Federation Square and the
tranquil Alexandra Gardens. Packages start from $265 and include a bottle
of sparkling wine and other luxuries.
Venice on the Yarra, veniceontheyarra.com.au, +61 3 9399 1991
10pm: It’s time for a drink. Make it a strong one to get the night rolling on
into the wee hours. Catch the 112 from Collins out to Brunswick Street all
the way to the end. It’s worth the ride to find Polly, the place to be when it
comes to finely fused elixirs.
Polly Bar, 401 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy,
pollybar.com.au, +61 3 9417 0880
12am: Stumble back to the hotel. If you are feeling peckish head to Siglo, a
rooftop garden bar serving the menu from the Supper Club one level below.
This is the best rooftop dwelling in Melbourne. Soak up the booze with their
gooey Croque Monsieur, this nocturnal soother will set you back $15 but is
well worth cleaning out your wallet for.
Siglo, Level 3, 161 Spring Street, Melbourne, +61 3 9654 0811
…ON $3,000
If budgeting is not an issue Melbourne glitters with options. This
5-star experience is on the pricey side, but we promise you won’t be
disappointed.
7am: Start the day early and breathe in Melbourne whilst skimming
through the sky in a hot air balloon. Balloon Sunrise is the best when it
comes to the exhilarating experience of ballooning. A Balloon Sunrise
Gold Ticket includes a 5-star gourmet champagne breakfast in the
luxury of the Langham Hotel. The pilot will collect you and whisk you
to home base where you can see the huge balloons firing up in the
crisp morning air. Float into the morning sky as the sunlight slides
across Melbourne, there really is no better way to see this city in all its
beauty. $345 well spent.
Balloon Sunrise, balloonsunrise.melbourneaustralia.com.au,
+61 3 9730 2422
10am: It may sound a little decadent, but arrange a driver for most of the
day to ensure you don’t waste time getting to and from destinations. Justify
the expense by classifying it as extensive scenic sightseeing. Silver Line Limo
Service will be at your beck and call for $75 an hour or a flat rate can be
negotiated for the day for around $600.
Silver Line Limo Service, silverlinelimoservice.com.au,
+61 3 9460 1890
10:30am: The first stop for your trusty chauffeur is the St Kilda Sea
Baths. Take the scenic route along The Esplanade until you reach Spa
Dreamtime. Winner of best day spa Australasia by SpaAsia, Dreamtime’s
waterfront facility combines the comforts of a 5-star retreat with an
2:30pm: Afternoon tea at the Hotel Windsor. This Victorian hotel boasts
a dining room fit for royalty, where afternoon tea is served on three-tiered
silver stands and consists of freshly baked scones with jam and cream,
exquisite pastries and finger sandwiches. Afternoon tea is served 12 till
2pm and 2:30 to 4:30pm. Monday to Friday it will set you back $59 and on
weekends $79.
The Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring Street, Melbourne,
thehotelwindsor.com.au, +61 3 9633 6004
3:30pm: Time for some shopping. Head down to the Paris end of Collins
Street, Melbourne’s luxury retail precinct and browse brands including Chanel,
Prada, Hermes and Louis Vuitton. Purchases can become the responsibility of
the driver leaving you to enjoy the shopping. Consider a purchase to wear
to the stage show later!
5:30pm: Dinner at Vue De Monde. This culinary journey will impress
even the most experienced palate. Choose from à la carte or go all out with
the Gastronomes Menu for the ultimate experience. This top-level menu
incorporates premium ingredients and is priced at $250 per person.
Vue De Monde, Rialto, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne,
vuedemonde.com.au, +61 3 9691 3838
7:45pm: Lucky your driver is waiting to whisk you off to Collins Street to rush
to your reserve seat for one of the highly anticipated internationally renowned
stage shows at the prestigious Regent Theatre. Tickets start from $89.90.
The Regent, 191 Collins St, Melbourne, Ticketing: ticketmaster.com.au
10:30pm: Time to stretch the legs. The driver is no longer needed and has
delivered your day’s shopping and excess baggage back to the hotel. Inspired
by the show wander the streets of Melbourne in search of a suitable cocktail.
Spice Market is your next destination, located just off Russell Street on Beaney
Lane. Grab a seat at the lavish bar and soak up the international atmosphere.
Spice Market, Beany Lane, Melbourne,
spicemarket.net.au, +61 3 9660 3777
12am and onwards: Enter the world of Baroq House. Melbourne’s exclusive
mansion houses the most desired after-dark parties, and the extravagant
surroundings set the scene for a night out even your imagination would
feel intimidated by. Secure a seat in the Dom Pérignon Room by purchasing
a bottle of 1992 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque champagne, priced at $680.
The room is full of fillies and beauty, the dance floor sways and the bottles
pop. Start and end the night as you please, the options are endless and the
doors don’t close until 5am.
Baroq House, 9-13 Drewery Lane, Melbourne,
baroqhouse.com.au, +61 3 8199 3735
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#18 WSOP 2012 SPECIAL ISSUE