Hotel Melby at Downtown Melbourne, FL Review

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For years, I have promoted the Space Coast, especially Melbourne, as an underrated Florida travel spot. However, when it came to the question of which hotel to stay at, I was stumped. There are a few wonderful Airbnbs and Bed and Breakfasts in the area, but none of the hotel options have ever wowed me. That is until Hotel Melby at Downtown Melbourne was built! I was on board with this place before staying here, but now I am positive that this is THE hotel to stay when traveling to the Space Coast.

Hotel Melby just celebrated its grand opening and invited me to the event, as well as provide us with a hotel room for the night. Now that the hotel, restaurant, and Foxtail coffee shop are open, I am providing a full review of everything to know about staying at Hotel Melby. If it isn’t obvious already, I love the place, but read on to find out what sets it apart!

Full Disclosure: I received a free stay at Hotel Melby as a guest of the Grand Opening event. However, all opinions expressed here are my own.

 Location and Atmosphere

One of the top selling points of Hotel Melby is the location. Located right in Downtown Melbourne, this places you within walking distance to many of the best restaurants and bars in the area. However, it is only a 5-minute drive across the bridge to the gorgeous Indialantic beaches. You will be hard pressed to find a Florida destination where you can experience both the city and beach so easily. This area has much less traffic and parking issues than most parts of Florida as well.

The other aspect I love about Hotel Melby is the design. Right away, you will notice the flawless execution of integrating an artistic industrial vibe with coastal textiles. Local artist Christopher Maslow was chosen as the resident artist for Hotel Melby to create it’s one of a kind style.  It was his idea to juxtapose raw elements like concrete beams with leather furniture and driftwood style floor. He also painted multiple graffiti-esque murals throughout the hotel (including in the elevator) to add a colorful pop. This is by far one of the most instagrammable hotels I have stayed at!

Guest Rooms at Hotel Melby

For our stay at Hotel Melby, we had a king bed room on the seventh floor. The modern style of the guest room was in line with other luxury hotels, with the addition of a few neat touches. There are exposed concreate ceilings which give the room a really unique look, plus some nature touches, like the stone decorated driftwood above the bed. The art ties everything together, as does the fabulous view from the floor the ceiling windows!

We found the room to be spacious and comfortable and we easily could have enjoyed a week here. We are super picky with beds and this one we had no trouble falling asleep on. The bathroom as really nice too, with plenty of water pressure and high-quality soaps. Kiwi was just happy there was lots of room to run around!

Now I will say the only downside of being in such a central location is that it is also close to the train tracks. We are light sleepers and were woken up by the noise of the first train in the morning. I would not let this deter you, as it goes by quickly and we were right back to sleep. However, if this is an issue for you, it would be smart to bring ear plugs or ask the front desk for a noise machine to drone it out.

Hotel Melby Amenities

Hotel Melby offers a variety of amenities to make your stay in Melbourne enjoyable. The best for us was that they are dog-friendly. We were able to bring Kiwi with us which was super convenient. There is a pet fee, but for dog owns especially, this is important. Plus, your dog can enjoy many restaurants and bars downtown too!

If you don’t feel like running up the nearby causeway for exercise (that is part of my crazy weekly routine), there is a fitness center with everything you need here. This includes treadmills, Peletons, a few machines and weights. Unfortunately, the one amenity Hotel Melby does not have is a pool! I love sitting by the pool on vacation and was hoping they would put one over the parking garage, but no luck there. At least the beach is close by to cool off!

I find the on-site dining options to be a big amenity here. Hotel Melby has the first Foxtail coffee location to open on the Space Coast and it was so convenient to get one of their amazing brews in the morning. They also have a sprawling, beautiful rooftop bar and restaurant that I will explain more about in the next section.

The Landing Rooftop Bar and Restaurant

In addition to a hotel, another thing Downtown Melbourne was lacking was a rooftop bar. Hotel Melby realized this and made a rooftop bar and restaurant an integral part of the hotel. The Landing located on the eleventh floor, provides the most stunning views of the city complete with chic seating arrangements to enjoy while taking it in! Between the plants and the colorful “100 Tags” mural, I could have sat up here all day enjoying the atmosphere!

Of course, there is excellent food and drinks to match. I love both on tap cocktails. There is the pink Melby with vodka and blackberries and the purple prickly pear tequila Rocket. Dining is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with creative cuisine offered all day. My favorites include the Shrimp Ceviche and Octopus Capaccio and the Duck Confit Raviolis. The menu includes options for all diets and preferences that reflect the Floribbean influences on the Space Coast.

Nearby Experiences

As I mentioned earlier, Hotel Melby is in walking distance to everything Downtown Melbourne has to offer, including restaurants, shopping, breweries, art galleries and murals. It is also only a five-minute drive to the beach, with dozens of free parking beaches within a fifteen-minute drive. Hotel Melby is also only a ten-minute drive to Florida Tech, and multiple aerospace companies if you are visiting this area for work or school.

Melbourne is a Florida vacation destination for couples and families a like! There are yearly foodie events like the Downtown Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and Whiskey in the District that attract Floridians from all over for fun and gastronomy. Nature enthusiasts will also love paddling through the Indian River Lagoon with manatees and dolphins galore. And I think everyone needs to check out the big-ticket attractions like the Kennedy Space Center and the Brevard Zoo at least once! Whatever brings you to the Space Coast, Hotel Melby puts you in the center of the action!

Know Before You Go: Hotel Melby in Downtown Melbourne

I have always considered Melbourne, Florida to be a hidden gem, but in recent years, it has become not-so-hidden! It is very exciting to finally have a beautiful hotel to accommodate all the tourism this town deserves. I especially love how the design pays homage to the aerospace and environmental roots of the area, while celebrating up-and-coming creators. Here are a few things to know if you are staying at Hotel Melby.

• Hotel Melby is a Hilton Honors Hotel part of the Tapestry Collections that costs on average around $200 per might.
• There is an easily accessible parking garage here that costs $10 per night.
• Amenities include a gym, on-site coffee shop, a rooftop bar and restaurant and meeting spaces.
• Rooms sleep a maximum of four guests with two queen beds or 2 guests with one king bed.
• A maximum of two dogs can stay in one room for $100 per stay.
• The Melbourne Orlando International Airport is only a few minutes away and the Orlando International Airport is about an hour drive.
• The hotel is in walking distance to restaurants and bars in Downtown Melbourne, Crane Creek and the Causeway. Activities within 5 minutes include the beach, golf at Crane Creek Reserve and the Eau Gallie Arts District.
• For a video tour, check out my YouTube channel here!

Have you been to Downtown Melbourne before? If you are planning a trip to Melbourne, make sure to check out my things to do and restaurant guides for advice and inspiration!