Olsen Hotel set to open

The latest addition in the planned chain of art themed boutique hotels by the Art Series Hotel Group opens its doors in Melbourne on Wednesday.

The 229-room The Olsen hotel, a tribute to Australian painter John Olsen, is the second by the group in its series of hotels that will each feature an artist as their theme.

Located on the corner of Toorak Road and Daly Street South Yarra, The Olsen hotel development features 492 Olsen works as part of its design by architects Rothe Lowman.

Guests entering are greeted by a six metre mural, titled The Yellow Sun and the Yarra. Its other features include a glass bottom swimming pool, sun deck, gymnasium, opulent rooftop Olsen Penthouse Suite and high tech conferencing facilities. The Olsen also has a number of residential suites aimed at guests on project work or “in between homes”.

Two dining operations are also opening as part of the developments. A modern Australian seafood bar and grill, BlueBottle Restaurant, is owned by restaurant veteran Costa Tsakmakis with the kitchen being headed up by chef Dean Hodgkinson. The menu will feature “simply prepared comfort food” focusing on Australian produce like Flinders Island Lamb and High Country Pork. There will be dishes ranging from Toulouse sausages with mash, and paella, to Roast Quail with Sage. Meanwhile, the second restaurant is Steer Bar and Grill. Operated by Paul Bellette, Robert Webber, and Alex Moulier and with the kitchen headed up by Stacy Thompson (ex The Botanical), the 120 fine dining steak restaurant will be serving up fine Australian meat cooked on a Brazilian churrasco charcoal grill.

All rooms at The Olsen will feature a gourmet kitchen, LCD TV and iPod docking station replete with 24 hours of preloaded music by Sony. It’s part of the $500m Art Series Hotel project which is the brainchild of Melbourne’s Will Deague.

The Olsen’s opening follows the opening of The Cullen late 2009) with four more set to open in Melbourne over the next 18 months. The group is part of the Melbourne based, Asia Pacific Building Corporation.