Zagame's House

On Lygon Street in Carlton, the Zagame family, long-standing Melbourne hoteliers, have built a hotel that leans on design, art and wine. Rooms run to contemporary fit-outs across the building, and the ground floor keeps a wine bar and restaurant, the Lord Lygon, along with a coffee operation. The setting is a draw as much as the rooms: Lygon Street is one of Melbourne's more storied strips, and the hotel sits in the thick of it, walking distance to the university, museums and the city. It is family-owned rather than a chain, and the wine-and-art programming gives it a particular character. It suits travellers who want to stay in Carlton itself rather than the CBD, with the neighbourhood's cafes and restaurants at the door.