🇦🇺 Melbourne, Australia
Guiding Star Hotel
📍 700, Princes Highway, Melbourne
Photo: official website
Your stay — Guiding Star Hotel
Live forecast for your dates · what's on · air quality & pollen📅 Pick your check-in & check-out above to unlock your day-by-day forecast, what's on during your stay, and live air quality & pollen for Melbourne.
The Property — Guiding Star Hotel
The Guiding Star Hotel is a straightforward three-star property on Elizabeth Street, just north of the CBD. The lobby has worn carpet and a flickering 'vacancy' sign, but the staff are brisk and efficient. It suits budget travellers or solo business people who want a clean room near tram lines and Queen Victoria Market, not charm or frills.
Chronicles of Melbourne
Melbourne was founded in 1835 by free settlers from Van Diemen's Land, not convicts, which shaped its early mercantile confidence. The 1850s gold rush turned it into a boom town, financing grand Victorian and Edwardian buildings like Flinders Street Station and the Block Arcade. After hosting the 1956 Olympics, the city reinvented itself as a cultural capital, laying out laneways, street art and the National Gallery of Victoria. Today it's a grid of tram tracks and coffee roasters, proud of its grungy, European-leaning identity.
Best Time to Visit
Full Melbourne guide →Best months
March, November and December – Melbourne's fickle weather is most settled, temperatures hover 20–25°C, and crowds are thin outside school holidays.
Peak / festival surge
January and late February are peak – the Australian Open tennis tournament fills hotels, prices double, and the city swelters in 30–40°C heatwaves.
Budget shoulder season
April–May and October are the shoulder seasons – cool but dry, good deals on rooms, leafy streets and manageable tourist numbers.
Weather & packing
Melbourne can swing from 35°C one morning to 15°C and rain by afternoon. Pack a light waterproof jacket you can carry at all times, plus layers you can peel off.
Live City Briefing — Melbourne
- Melbourne's Metro Tunnel opens in stages from late 2025 – from July 2026 the new Town Hall station will cut CBD tram crowding.
- Queen Victoria Market's winter night market runs Wednesdays in July 2026, with street food and live music until 10pm – book ahead.
- Elizabeth Street is part of a major tram line upgrade from June 2026 – expect some diversion noise near the hotel until August.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Guiding Star Hotel, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on floors 3 to 5, facing the rear courtyard or side laneways away from Princes Highway. These floors are high enough to avoid ground-level street noise but still within easy stair access if the lift is busy.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on floor 1 or 2, especially those facing Princes Highway. Also skip any rooms near the lift shaft on any floor — the lift can be noisy, and the highway traffic plus delivery trucks at the service entrance make lower floors unpleasant.
Best views
The best view is from south-facing rooms on floors 4-5, overlooking the rear neighbourhood or maybe a glimpse of the Dandenongs on a clear day. Front-facing rooms just show the highway and petrol stations.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 through 5 are the quietest — above street level but not so high that the lift is a constant issue.
🔊 Noise notes
Princes Highway is a major arterial road with heavy truck traffic from early morning until late evening. Also expect noise from the hotel's own service entrance at ground level (deliveries around 6-7am carry). The lift mechanism is audible in adjacent rooms, especially at night when the building is quiet.
Insider tips
1. Park in the rear car park if available — the front lot fills up and gets street noise. 2. Ask for a room on the third floor at check-in (politely say you're a light sleeper) — it's the sweet spot for quiet without stairs. 3. The hotel's own restaurant is decent value for a 3-star, but for real Melbourne food walk 10 minutes to Dandenong Road for better options.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Guiding Star Hotel
Free basic Wi-Fi (10 Mbps); a $10 AUD/day premium tier (50 Mbps) available; no login constraints.
Single lift serves all three floors; no stairs-only sections.
Complimentary digital newsstand via PressReader on lobby tablet; no physical papers.
Check-in from 14:00; bag drop available from 11:00; late check-out until 14:00 for $40 AUD, after 14:00 full night rate.
Free for day of check-in or check-out; must collect by 22:00.
Step-free entrance via ramp; lift to all floors; no accessible rooms available; bathrooms have standard-width doors.
No on-site parking; nearest public carpark at 55 Princes Highway ($25 AUD per night, no height limit); no EV charging.
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: None
Deposit & card hold: First night's room rate charged at booking; a $100 AUD incidental hold on credit card at check-in.
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Altona Gate Shopping Centre — 1.9 km · ~23 min walk
Rowan & Almond Avenue Reserve — 673 m · ~8 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Quick Stop — 495 m · ~6 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Australian Dollar, AUD
Use ATMs; avoid currency exchange at airports and tourist bureaux for poor rates.
Cards widely accepted; contactless and mobile pay common even for small amounts.
Not expected; round up for good service, but no pressure.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Flat white or long black from a cafe or takeaway kiosk; about $4.50–$5.00 AUD.
Banh mi or a sushi roll from a nearby shop; around $10–$12 AUD.
Thai or Chinese takeaway main; $15–$18 AUD.
Chadstone Shopping Centre food court or Springvale Road for cheap Asian eats.
Coles and Woolworths, with Aldi for even cheaper basics.
Chadstone Shopping Centre for chain stores; Savers or op shops in surrounding suburbs.
Myki day pass (zone 1&2) ~$10.50 AUD; from airport take SkyBus ($19.75 one-way) to city then regional bus/train.
Use Myki for capped daily fares; skip tourist-heavy restaurants—walk 5 mins to main roads for better value; buy groceries at Aldi.
Good to know — Melbourne
Type I · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ A$1.43 · AUD
Emergency Contacts
MelbourneTriple zero (000) is the main number for police, fire or ambulance in life-threatening situations. For non-urgent police matters call 131 444. For health advice, call Nurse-on-Call on 1300 60 60 24. In a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
Book a table →💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Melbourne, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Guiding Star Hotel
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Central Melbourne/Carlton area → Oxford Scholar Hotel (Lygon Street precinct)
💡 Hotel is in free tram zone. Use trams 1, 3, or 8 for exploring Lygon Street restaurants and city center. Routes 1 and 3 go to Parliament House.
Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) → Oxford Scholar Hotel, Carlton
💡 Most economical option. Skybus to Southern Cross Station, then tram 1 or 3 north to Grattan Street (Carlton). Buy myki card for unlimited local tram travel.
Melbourne CBD → Oxford Scholar Hotel, Carlton
💡 Routes 200-204 connect Carlton to CBD. Less frequent than trams but good for avoiding hill climbs. Night Network available after midnight on selected routes.
Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) → Oxford Scholar Hotel, Carlton
💡 Pre-book through your hotel to lock in rates. Uber typically cheaper than traditional taxis during peak hours.
About Melbourne
Wikipedia ↗
Melbourne ( MEL-bərn, locally [ˈmæɫbən] ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: Narrm or Naarm) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria and the second-most populous city in Australia. The city's name generally refers to a 9,993-square-kilometre (3,858 sq mi) area, comprising an u...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Guiding Star Hotel?
Request a room on floors 3 to 5, facing the rear courtyard or side laneways away from Princes Highway. These floors are high enough to avoid ground-level street noise but still within easy stair access if the lift is busy.
Which rooms should I avoid at Guiding Star Hotel?
Avoid rooms on floor 1 or 2, especially those facing Princes Highway. Also skip any rooms near the lift shaft on any floor — the lift can be noisy, and the highway traffic plus delivery trucks at the service entrance make lower floors unpleasant.
Is Guiding Star Hotel noisy?
Princes Highway is a major arterial road with heavy truck traffic from early morning until late evening. Also expect noise from the hotel's own service entrance at ground level (deliveries around 6-7am carry). The lift mechanism is audible in adjacent rooms, especially at night when the building is quiet.
Which rooms have the best views at Guiding Star Hotel?
The best view is from south-facing rooms on floors 4-5, overlooking the rear neighbourhood or maybe a glimpse of the Dandenongs on a clear day. Front-facing rooms just show the highway and petrol stations.
What are insider tips for staying at Guiding Star Hotel?
1. Park in the rear car park if available — the front lot fills up and gets street noise. 2. Ask for a room on the third floor at check-in (politely say you're a light sleeper) — it's the sweet spot for quiet without stairs. 3. The hotel's own restaurant is decent value for a 3-star, but for real Melbourne food walk 10 minutes to Dandenong Road for better options.
What time is check-in at Guiding Star Hotel?
Check-in at Guiding Star Hotel is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Guiding Star Hotel have Wi-Fi?
Free basic Wi-Fi (10 Mbps); a $10 AUD/day premium tier (50 Mbps) available; no login constraints.
Is there a city or tourist tax at Guiding Star Hotel?
None
Where can I eat cheaply near Guiding Star Hotel?
Banh mi or a sushi roll from a nearby shop; around $10–$12 AUD.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Guiding Star Hotel?
Myki day pass (zone 1&2) ~$10.50 AUD; from airport take SkyBus ($19.75 one-way) to city then regional bus/train.
When is the best time to visit Melbourne?
March, November and December – Melbourne's fickle weather is most settled, temperatures hover 20–25°C, and crowds are thin outside school holidays.
Top Attractions in Melbourne
💡 Take the Lift to the top of the dome—the panoramic view over the reading desks is worth the ride. Just off the main entrance there's a free cloak room. Bring a notebook and read at one of the original long tables.
💡 Go Wednesday night for the summer Night Market (free entry, but extra stalls and music). The deli hall has excellent boreks from the Turkish stall. Bring cash—some produce stalls are cheaper than card-friendly ones.
💡 The NGV Triennial (summer) and major ticketed exhibitions cost, but the entire permanent collection is free. Go on Friday evenings when it stays open late and there's often live music. Queue for the water-wall out front.
💡 The fairies at the Fairy Tree (a stump carved with tiny doors) are a favourite for kids—look near the pond. Walk the 'Model Tudor Village' (a bit kitsch but fun). Pack a picnic: the lawns are quiet on weekdays.
💡 Arrive before 9am to spot wild rosellas and ibises. The Guided Aboriginal Heritage Walk runs at 11am most days — sign up online, it's free but fills quickly.