Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne has debuted a new-look Baroque-inspired ballroom and conference space this week.
It’s the final stage in the hotel’s multi-million-dollar renovation which saw all 320 rooms, lobby and restaurant space restored to its turn-of-the-century origins.
“In its heyday, what is now the King Edward Ballroom (named after the building’s most famous visitor in Edward, Prince of Wales back in 1920), was in fact a Club Bar within the original Commercial Travellers Building,” said Rendezvous Hotel Melbourne Hotel General Manager, Joseph Stipo.
“Its distinctive timber panelling was removed in a 1990s remodel but now, thanks to a design brief to bring 1900s glamour back, and new timber panelling (paired with modern brass beading), the ballroom has been restored to its former glory.”
A false ceiling installed in the 90s was also removed to take full advantage of the original height of the rooms, whilst bespoke wallpaper and three crystal chandeliers – each weighing over 300kg – were added to complement the Edwardian Baroque architecture.
“By design, Rendezvous Melbourne was one of the first buildings in the country to feature Australiana motifs in the stain glass windows and etched around the pillars and in the cornice work of the hotel’s distinctive Grand Vestibule events space,” Stipo said.
“In a nod to those early design touches, the interior design team chose an earthy olive-green palette to help tie in unique heritage features, and handcrafted cornices from original moulds… albeit with 21st century LED lighting for best effect.”
Modern technology has also been an important addition in the project with the installation of dual 130” data projection screens and HD projectors, state-of-the-art lighting, Bluetooth connectivity, surround sound capability, sound proofing, and hidden rigging points to allow for flexibility in design.
“Video conferencing is a crucial component of modern-day conferencing and, together with high-speed, hard-wired WiFi, will allow us to accommodate hybrid events in the space,” Stipo said.
“Additionally, we have controllable LED lighting in the roof, offering a spectrum of up to 3000 colours to match any event’s theme.”
TFE Hotels’ National Sales team will be among the first to experience the venue with a 300-strong Melbourne MICE roadshow and launch taking place this week.