The Olsen Hotel, Melbourne
Expert reviews
“The Olsen Hotel, a 224-room property in South Yarra, is dedicated to the 91-year-old landscape artist, John Olsen, one of Australia’s most accomplished painters, with his works scattered throughout.”
Featured in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Melbourne.
What guests liked
- Boutique style
- Great location
- Friendly staff
- Comfortable beds
All you need to know
The Olsen Hotel is situated in the famous Chapel Street of Melbourne. There are 224 spacious and elegant rooms for the guests. The rooms are designed with the artistic works of Dr John Olsen. When you enter the Hotel, you will find a sculpture that will blow your mind.
Here are some of the best services of The Olsen Hotel.
Rooms
The Olsen rooms are categorized into different styles to complement every guest. The room types are studio suite with and without balcony, deluxe studio suite single and twin bed, and many more. Here, in The Olsen’s, you also get penthouses to make your stay even more pleasant.
Facilities
The Olsen Hotel is packed with loads of facilities for the guests. The hotel gives you a 24-hour room service. You get the facility to organize an event in the hotel. You are granted access to one of the smart cars to tour the city. The hotel has a gym and massage room to give health benefits during your stay. You get many more facilities such as Valet service, local tours, pools, sun deck and much more.
Meeting Rooms and other events
The hotel has six meeting rooms well equipped for all business presentations. You can go pre-booking the dates for your meeting and then you are good to go. If you have a marriage function, then the Olsen offers beautiful penthouses for such events. They offer exclusive discounts on overall costs as the wedding event offer.
Hotel deals & lowest price guarantee
We partner with Booking.com and Agoda. Both booking websites offer the lowest price guarantee so you can be certain you will always get the best deal for this hotel. If you have seen a better price elsewhere, all you need to do is contact the booking website and they will refund you the difference immediately. You can price match right up until the day before check-in.
Location
Recent guest reviews
29 August 2025
Great location and nice hotel, but a little tired.
Rooms are clean and the artwork is beautiful. Lolly bar at reception is a fun touch.
I found the front desk staff complacent and not overly welcoming. Hotel is tired. Lightbulb in bathroom didn't work. Shower nozzle not working properly. No free bottled water on arrival. Have to do a QR code for a bathrobe. Our room was not ready at 2pm as we were informed when we checked in the morning. My daughter went to go to the room at 4pm and it wasn't ready and she wasn't offered a drink voucher or anything which is very disappointing.
28 August 2025
Enjoyable only issue is their breakfast and top ups
Location clean
No topping up of water coffee milk tea we had to ring down and was very slow. Breakfast was terrible
27 August 2025
Very good
Great location
24 August 2025
Very good
The staff were inviting, easy going and helpful
The lack of natural light in our room
20 August 2025
Fabulous
Good location in South Yarra. Close to lots of restaurants and shops.
Cleanliness could have been better. There was a hair in the bathroom that 100% was not mine.
19 August 2025
Great value for an excellent accommodation option
Great facility in the heart of all the action
more washing machines & dryers would be great
19 August 2025
Nice hotel with good facilities close to family & food etc
Close to family & Chappell Street food etc Nice pool to walk in. Ok gym Restaurant good. Great small toasties & fabulous coffee in small café opposite hotel. I liked the paintings on thevwall
No toilet or change room near pool & gym.
19 August 2025
Exceptional
Bed was very comfortable. Pillows were a bit big
18 August 2025
Perfectly positioned hotel in South Yarra with the most comfortable beds and magnificent art work.
We had a wonderful 2 night stay here for our anniversary. The room was a good size with a huge balcony. We asked for robes and they were delivered to our room within minutes - beautiful, soft towelling bathrobes. The bed is just amazing. Such a comfortable mattress. And the room was so quiet. The usual tea/coffee supplies and a kettle along with a coffee pod machine - perfect. Breakfast was a la carte and with great choices and all delicious. Excellent coffee! I love the little touches of a lolly station in reception - couldn't resist trying a few. It is in a great location for all the shopping, bars and restaurants of South Yarra. We loved it and look forward to returning.
Tv was postioned to the side of the bed - a very minor concern.
18 August 2025
I have stayed at the Olsen multiple times. it is neat and tidy, good location and value for money
location is good, rooms are neat and tidy
rooms can do with a make over.
18 August 2025
Sedond home for us
View Decor Comfy bed Sheet over and under doona - makes it easier for my husband to remove his side Bathroom items Signature smell Lollies!
Mould smell in corridor Stains on soft furnishing
15 August 2025
Great apartment room in perfect location with underground parking at an extra fee. We would definitely stay again
Clean, modern, comfortable beds, strong shower pressure and a great balcony
Would have liked a comfy chair in the room
14 August 2025
Very good
Kitchenette in room, staff are very accommodating. Self service laundry on every floor which is great
Room felt dark, more bright lighting would be great
13 August 2025
Pleasant
The bed was comfortable but squeaky mattress. The coffee machine was not good
11 August 2025
will return
location and facilities
nothing
8 August 2025
Best accommodation in the Olsen which is already my fav hotel
I had the best accomodation at the hotel , lake eyre penthouse.. how could you complain.
7 August 2025
Stunning
Loved the room
Breakfast down in the restaurant wasn’t the greatest
6 August 2025
Spacious and fun in a great location
The twin deluxe room was super spacious. It was fantastic to have our own beds at far ends of the room with curtain separators. I wasn’t expecting that. The decor was amazing, super happy.
6 August 2025
I always enjoy my stay
Location facilities in reception newspapers iced water room was good value with its cooking facilities
4 August 2025
Great locatiin and rooms great value
Great value 2 bed suite spacious and comfortable
Way to keep adjoining doors could be better didnt go to restaurant as too expensive maybe more affordable meal options for guests
4 August 2025
very comfortable
very well appointed, spacious bathroom and living /sleeping area Kitchen very compact and suited my needs well.
nil
2 August 2025
Perfect stay for a typical Melbourne weekend, close to the best of everything!
The decor in the hotel was fabulous, very inviting and clean. Bedroom was super spacious and the bed was extremely comfy. Loved the coffee machine in the kitchenette, very well equipped!
2 August 2025
Exceptional
Location Food Staff
28 July 2025
Fabulous
Location - very central for my business meetings
23 July 2025
Great location and good value
Great location. Public transport, Woolworths and many quality restaurants are within easy walking distance. Convenient that the hotel has a drop off/pick up zone at the front door.
21 July 2025
Pleasant
The room is more clean
No lock on the door
19 July 2025
Great.
The location and cleanliness.
Limited parking space.
19 July 2025
great spot to stay, lots of options for food and shopping nearby and easy parking.
Comfy beds, great pool!
Hotel was a little 'tired' - probably very lux about 10-15 years ago!
18 July 2025
i will be back
location,quiet,balcony,and easy
the lifts can be frustrating,if thats my biggest issue then it was excellent
9 July 2025
Perfect
Location and room , great value
8 July 2025
Great spot, friendly staff, spacious room
Staff were very friendly and the room was spacious. Loved the art work from the owner.
8 July 2025
Very comfortable and good value for money.
Very well appointed, great art, great service.
Parking not guaranteed until check in.
7 July 2025
We had a lovely stay at the Olsen. We arrived at 10am to leave our bags and were told we could move into the room straig
Close vicinity to everything!
7 July 2025
excellent,
The hotel was lovely / newish clean, great location to chapel street/ toorak rd. Good pricing, I will stay there again in a few weeks time for sure !
nothing
6 July 2025
Awesome hotel and stay
Rooms were lovely, neat, clean, felt modern and new. Bathroom was clean and hot water was hot with decent pressure. Heat pool was good, big sized pool too. Bar and restaurant was convenient, staff were great. Hotel on the main road of Chapel, close to shops, restaurants and trams. Room was quiet and couldn't hear the traffic being on the main road.
In the photos there was a spa jacuzzi, the photo was also used in the lifts. Another couple and us were looking for this spa but this is only for the penthouse guests. Oh well pool was good enough, it's open so was a tad cold but nice with the breeze.
6 July 2025
Great price for a great room in south Yarra
Great location, great price, great service
Nothing
5 July 2025
Fabulous
Clean and quiet and had a restaurant. Kitchens in the rooms.
It was small but I called and asked housekeeping for soy milk instead of dairy and they said I had to go down to the restaurant and ask for a cup and take it up myself which is a bit odd from other places I’ve stayed but also the restaurant was shut.
5 July 2025
Fabulous
It was very clean, very modern and friendly staff.
We booked a deluxe room for five people and only got two beds.
4 July 2025
Friendly staff with nice room. Bed was a bit uncomfortable.
Location and room was spacious
1 July 2025
Great location and comfortable, needs a deep clean and face life
Comfy bed. so close to south Yarra attractions and Yarra River path and the station. The heated pool! Overall it liked the place.
There was dried blood on the sheets and dust in some areas of the room. Room didn’t match description I booked - booked room with queen, kitchenette with microwave and bath but room had 2 singles, no kitchenette and shower only (Did have a balcony tho).
29 June 2025
Great staff, efficient fuss free reception
Location & quiet position of 11th storey room
Later check out
26 June 2025
Exceptional
Staff were amazing kind and considerate
21 June 2025
Wonderful hotel!
If you love our Australian artist John Olsen’s work as much as I do, you will love this hotel. Prints of his paintings everywhere- it is a real treat!
15 June 2025
Exceptional
Great location. Super helpful staff. Comfortable rooms.
15 June 2025
Best location in Melbourne
Great location,clean and comfortable
Room service was expensive and poor quality Very basic and food was cold
13 June 2025
Olsen is in a great location friendly staff and loved our room
Love the location and our room was very comfortable
13 June 2025
Comfortable beds , hotel is needing a re fresh particularly the bathrooms. Staff very helpful
Convenient location , very helpful staff
Breakfast is consistently understaffed , so we chose to eat elsewhere as the wait was always too long
11 June 2025
Very good
Very comfortable, super quiet and convenient location
Parking is on a come first basis. Would have liked to have been able to book and reserve a car park
9 June 2025
Fabulous
To hotel was in a great spot and the room was nice and clean.
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Breakfast in the room
- - Special diet menus (on request)
- - Kid meals (additional charge)
- - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Facilities for disabled guests
- - Family rooms
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Soundproof rooms
- - Heating
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Grocery deliveries (additional charge)
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
- - Business centre (additional charge)
- - Fax/photocopying (additional charge)
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Express check-in/check-out
- - Luggage storage
- - Concierge service
- - Invoice provided
Activities
- - Fitness centre
- - Fitness
- - Bicycle rental (additional charge)
Outdoors
- - Terrace
- - Outdoor pool
- - Sun terrace
- - Outdoor pool (all year)
- - Outdoor furniture
Cleaning services
- - Laundry (additional charge)
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Ironing service (additional charge)
- - Daily housekeeping
Parking
- - Street parking
- - Electric vehicle charging station
- - Accessible parking
Pool and wellness
- - Heated pool
- - Shallow end
- - Sun loungers or beach chairs
- - Fence around pool
- - Swimming pool
- - Swimming pool
Miscellaneous
- - 24-hour security
- - Key card access
- - Security alarm
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - CCTV outside property
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Face masks for guests available
1 September 2025
Great place, service, location and value, will stay again