Canberra’s Midnight Hotel is one of the most sophisticated in the nation’s capital.

The Midnight Hotel in Canberra is a pioneering boutique hotel befitting of the national capital. It features incredible design touches, innovations and unexpected additions that are emblematic of a hotel that is confident enough to do its own thing.

Location

The Midnight Hotel is part of the stylish Midnight residential and retail precinct located in the culture-rich, inner-city suburb of Braddon.

Braddon was a grungy wasteland of car yards a few decades ago. Today, it’s a mecca of creativity, with great bars and restaurants worthy of its hotspot status. The Uncovering Braddon series was commissioned to encapsulate a transitional moment in the metamorphosis of the hip hood that has made Canberra the capital of cool.

What marks a stay at the Midnight Hotel has a lot to do with its location. The large-scale works by Melbourne graffiti artist, Tom Adair, reflect the cool of that location. The artworks depict pixelated street scenes from around Braddon, painstakingly painted with an airbrush and overlayed with electric jolts of neon light. It’s these little extras that really set Midnight Hotel apart.

The hotel was built to complement Canberra’s light rail, which is a convenient way to zip about the city. It’s also a great launching pad to experience the emerging creative hub of Braddon.

Style and character

Midnight Hotel is a hip, design-forward addition to the capital’s hotel scene. It’s also sophisticated enough to attract a seriously global crowd for a long time to come. Edgy artworks await on each of its eight levels, making the 199-room modernist hotel feels more Brooklyn than Braddon.

It’s part of a $200 million residential and commercial development that wraps around a central atrium and owes its striking good looks to Fender Katsaladis (of MONA and Ovolo Nishi fame). Katsaladis designed the hotel with a Russian babushka doll in mind, with a striking facade that hides the four buildings that make up the hotel, residential apartments and businesses nestled within.

Facilities

King-sized beds, mini bar treats and room service are all good reasons to book a hotel stay. But if we’re being completely honest, it’s the bathroom amenities (and the ability to take them with you when you leave) that a lot of guests get excited about. So how did Midnight Hotel go about making this guilty pleasure that much better?

It started with a conversation with Australian natural skincare specialists Hunter Lab, helmed by husband-and-wife team Elliot and Susie Waldron. The pair then went to work to develop hotel-sized servings of its naturally beneficial and environmentally sustainable product range.

Each of the 199 guest rooms at Midnight Hotel comes complete with a Google Chromecast entertainment system with a Smart TV. There’s also high-speed wi-fi, a whiz-bang espresso machine and mini bar with complementary beverages. There is also an onsite restaurant and bar, gym, sauna, events space and 20-metre lap pool.

Rooms

The rooms and suites continue the arty theme, where you’ll find bespoke artwork created by acclaimed New York-born, Australian-based artist Thomas Bucich. The series is inspired by the small souvenirs we collect as children. A feather. A shell. A wildflower. Small fragments of bone or wood. In the artist’s own words, it’s also about ‘the creation and destruction of nature and the human spirit’.

Each unique piece is rendered in reclaimed Australian wood and bark, and then encased in copper or nickel. Bucich’s works have become emblematic of the property’s sincere approach to championing local artists and designers.

If the brief to the designers was to capture the midnight hour, then they’ve nailed it. The interiors are clearly inspired by the inkiness of night, with sleek dark tones contrasting with white and grey accents.

Each room features copper and steel fixtures, rich, dark woods and marble. It may come as no surprise that the Midnight Hotel, a property all about sensory experiences, would come up with an aroma to match its unique identity. And there is nothing more luxurious than stepping into a hotel and recognising a scent that is instantly evocative of time and place.

With that in mind, the founder of Australian candle company HUTWOODS, Becky Hutley, worked with the hotel to create a signature soy candle fragrance. The result is HUTWOODS x Midnight Hotel, which combines the familiar scent of peppermint with woody tones of cedar wood and clove leaf.

Food and drink

Midnight Bar is the place to be if you’re a politician dreaming up a power play. But it’s not just a happy place for political bigwigs. In fact, it’s got to be a candidate for the hub of the hotel, where guests are drawn together for a nightcap.

Wait until the sun has set over the Brindabellas before escorting your hot date to the spacious, elegant bar that has lots of luxurious touches.

Restaurant Braddon Merchant has more of a European feel, with a seasonally driven menu and a drinks list so impressive that it has won Wine List of ACT. The local and international wines have been chosen by a group of sommeliers and wine experts to elevate the dining experience.

If you want a change of scene, the hotel is close to some of the best places to dine in Canberra.

Does Midnight Hotel have access for guests with disabilities?

The hotel has accessible parking and a sloped ramp for entry into the pool. All rooms are accessible via a lift. Check the hotel’s website for a list of accessible features in each room.

Is Midnight Hotel family-friendly?

Yes – there’s even a Cool Kid Package. It includes accommodation in an interconnecting room, a $50 Kingpin voucher per night, breakfast at the onsite restaurant and a late checkout.

Details

Best for: Visitors to Canberra looking for a stylish stay with all the comforts of home.

Address: 1 Elouera Street, Braddon ACT

Phone: (02) 6220 0000

Cost: From $308 per night.