Melbourne Hotel, Heritage site in central Perth, Australia
The Melbourne Hotel is a three-story building in Perth's city center showcasing Federation-style architecture from the Victorian period. The rooms vary in size and retain many original design features and decorative details from that era.
American-born hotelier John De Baun bought the Eagle Tavern on this corner in 1896, demolished it and had architect Peter John Wilson design a Federation Free Classical hotel, opened in April 1897. Grace Lannin, its licensee, was fined 20 shillings on 20 September 1898 for selling liquor after 11 pm without a permit. A 2015–2018 redevelopment added a seven-storey structure and reopened the front bar as De Baun & Co.
The building displays Federation-style architecture that reflects Perth's heritage from the late 1800s, with design choices that visitors can see throughout the rooms and corridors. These features represent how people constructed and valued their spaces during that era.
The hotel sits in Perth's business district and is easy to find while exploring the city center. The rooms come in different sizes, so checking the floor plans and layouts beforehand helps you choose what works best for your stay.
The front bar reopened in 2015–2018 as De Baun & Co, named after John De Baun, the American-born mining investor and hotelier who bought the Eagle Tavern on this corner in 1896, demolished it and had Peter John Wilson design the hotel. The $40 million redevelopment added 73 guest rooms and five food and drink venues.
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