The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne: Australia's Highest Hotel

The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne is Australia's highest hotel, occupying the upper floors of a tower above the CBD. Guests arrive at a sky lobby and swim in an 80th-floor pool that looks out over the city to Port Phillip Bay.

The dining matches the altitude. Atria offers an honest, imaginative expression of Modern Australian cuisine that honours sustainable harvesters and growers, Cameo is an intimate cocktail bar with a view and a showcase of exceptional spirits, and Table Nineteen serves a five-course seasonal tasting menu up close at a 19-metre Chef's Table.

For a first-time visitor to Melbourne, the vantage alone justifies the stay, and the food and cocktails make the descent to street level feel optional.

Staying at The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne? Book your stay with me for preferred-partner perks.