Situated on a secret rooftop in the heart of Melbourne is HOTEL NO, a unique vintage airstream trailer accommodation that promises an urban escape like no other. HOTEL NO is no ordinary hotel, and you’ll be challenged to find it with a ‘speak-easy’ style hidden entrance.
The rooftop itself is Instagram ready, with curated pink-themed and vintage décor surrounding the photogenic chrome trailers, all while set against a backdrop of the city. In this blog post, we’ll share our experience staying in one of the retro and cosy trailers, and all the reasons why you should book it for yourself!
Short Video Overview
Location – Where is Hotel NO?
HOTEL NO is located on Flinders Lane in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, surrounded by the city’s skyscrapers and bustling streets. It is located on top of a carpark rooftop, with great views of Flinders Lane and Melbournes skyscrapers.
HOTEL NO is all about exploring the city like a local, from eating at Melbourne’s best restaurants to discovering hidden gems, and returning to a comfy bed above the city. HOTEL NO is just minutes away from cafes, restaurants, bars, and the city’s best activities, making it the perfect location for a city-break stay.
Arrival & Check-In
Checking in to HOTEL NO is an experience like no other, where you’re challenged to find the location and uncover how to enter – the only clue you get is that it’s a door hidden near a coffee shop! There’s no concierge at HOTEL NO – instead, you’re emailed or texted a code so your phone is the key.
We won’t give away any clues, but arriving at HOTEL NO felt like an adventure in itself, after finding the door we used our digital key to enter, and made our way up to the rooftop. After this, checking in was very straightforward, and we found our airstream by the number plates on the front.
Accommodation & Room Types
Standard Airstream
There are five standard airstream trailers, each with their own outdoor deck and seating area, which opens out to the communal area. The Airstreams are extremely cosy, and designed with light colours with pink accents. The rooms are very spacious, with comfy queen sized beds and the softest sheets made from bamboo (seriously so soft!).
They also feature a lounge area with an iPad to watch Netflix, a pink bathroom, and best of all, a free mini bar! Yes, you read that right, a free mini bar stocked with fizzy drinks, wine, beer and snacks. The iPad not only has Netflix, but it’s also designed as a virtual concierge to recommend the best restaurants and activities, and to help you book them. The bathrooms are fully equipped, with a full length pink shower, toilet, sink and free amenities.
Airstream with Benefits
The Airstream with benefits is the same design and has all the same amenities, but with the added bonus of a secluded deck and a private hot tub! This Airstream also has the best views, overlooking the famous Flinders Lane. However, there is only one Airstream with benefits, so you have to book fast.
The airstreams also feature a HP Sprocket Photo Printer, so you can print photos of all your rooftop memories and selfies!
Food & Beverage
As we previously mentioned, there is a complimentary mini bar in all Airstreams, with free drinks, snacks and alcoholic beverages. The mini bar items can change from time to time, but we received some beer, cola, alcohol free cocktails, red wine, crisps, chocolate and some remedy sleep shots in ours! We absolutely loved having the free mini bar, it feels so luxurious and is so nice to enjoy on the deck. There’s also a kettle in the airstreams with a choice of teas.
At the time of booking, or at least 24 hours before, you can add a breakfast box for two, which includes breakfast items from the café below, Saluministi. You can also add a cheese platter, featuring Australian cheeses and local dips and fruit. Lastly, you can add alcoholic beverages such as beer, wines, and cocktails! You also receive two cocktail vouchers for the Japanese restaurant Akaiito if you book a tasting menu.
However, the main advantage of staying at HOTEL NO is its location, minutes away from Melbourne’s top rated restaurants and bars, so you’d never run out of dining options.
Facilities & Activites
After you’re done exploring the city, you can make your way back to HOTEL NO to chill in the communal area or find some exciting activities to do. Luckily, HOTEL NO has some great games in the communal area, and some discounted activities you can book.
Communal Area
The Communal Area is a great place to hang out, with plenty of large comfy beanbags and games such as Cornhole and Jenga. We kept ourselves entertained for hours playing these games, and it was such a great addition to the space. The whole rooftop is also very photogenic, and we spent hours taking photos of every corner!
Discounted Activites
HOTEL NO have partnered with Funlab’s Strike and Holey Moley, so you can get discounted games of bowling and mini golf. Strike is a unique bowling venue with activities like karaoke, arcades, escape rooms and of course, bowling.
It’s also a bar, serving food, snacks and drinks. Similarly, Holey Moley is a quirky mini golf venue with activities, and a bar serving food and drinks. Both Strike and Holey Moley have venues in central Melbourne, less than a 20 minute walk from HOTEL NO.
Service & Staff
Although HOTEL NO is a no-contact hotel with no concierge, you can rely on the staff by contacting them via phone or email if you have any problems or need any assistance. You’ll be sent all the relevant information with contact details prior to your stay, and you’ll receive the digital key on the day of arrival.
Final Thoughts
Overall, HOTEL NO stands out as one of the most unique and eye-catching accommodations in Melbourne, with not only a unique concept and aesthetic design, but the perfect location to explore the city. It’s one of the most photogenic ‘hotels’ we’ve ever been to, and definitely wins the award for the most ‘Instagrammable’ place to stay.
If you’re after a city-break discovering all of Melbourne’s best restaurants and activities, all while staying in a quirky airstream trailer nestled on a rooftop in the heart of the city, then we definitely recommend booking your stay with HOTEL NO – it’s a unique experience you won’t get anywhere else!
