Is this really my hotel?

The cab driver deposited me at the top end of Flinders Street in front of a building that was supposed to be my fabulous hotel. Yes, the address was correct but somehow this didn't look like an hotel. Where was the doorman rushing to get my bag? Was this the side entrance? I walked up the few stairs and pulled open a very tall, very heavy wooden door. Ahead of me was a bar and behind that bar was a casually dressed and very handsome young man preparing espressos.

"Would you please direct me to the front desk," I asked the fellow that I thought was the bartender.

"This is it - this is where you check-in," he answered with a welcoming smile.

That was my unique introduction to a most unique, well-appointed hotel. And, that grin was a preview of the complete staff's friendliness and the excellent service I would receive over the next few days. The Hotel Lindrum is a boutique hotel (4.5 stars) that goes beyond luxurious perks and amenities. Management's goal is to provide guests with the luscious feeling of "hotel as home", and this they do very well, indeed.

My bedroom echoed the style of the hotel in general -- casually chic, warm, contemporary, with highly functional furnishings. It felt good to be surrounded by materials that are, by and large, natural -- gorgeous dark polished hardwood floors, plush woven carpets, all furniture in shades of cream and muted brown. The arched windows were lovely and just about the full height of my room.

Of course the bed was comfy and all the amenities of a plush hotel were there to enjoy. But two extra details really won my heart. Each unit at the Lindrum has it's very own CD system with classical music included -- wonderful for winding down after a full day of exhausting sightseeing -- especially while I was soaking in the bathtub.

This brings me to the absolutely decadent female-friendly bathroom -- spacious, with elegant stone vanity and a super-soft luxurious bathrobe at my disposal. But, most of all -- I was charmed by an overhead showerhead that seemed to have a full twelve-inch circumference (sorry, I couldn't reach that high to actually measure). When I stood under the wide, adjustable spray, I felt that I was smack in the middle of the Rain Forest on a warm sunny day. Ahhhh!

For someone who does a great deal of travelling and sees a great many hotels, Hotel Lindrum was, for me, an oasis from the usual crowded elevators, busy lobbies and noisy revellers coming back to their room too late at night.

P.S. Remember that cute man behind the bar -- that concierge, bartender, front desk manager? I got my theatre tickets from him, he called my cabs, served chilled Aussie wine in the evening and also settled my bill when it was time to check-out. What a guy! What a hotel!

Hotel Lindrum is centrally located on 26 Flinders Street in Melbourne. This is definitely not a modestly priced hotel but, oh what a treat! Website: http://www.hotellindrum.com.au

Take time to smell the flowers...

Just about every woman in Melbourne I questioned about their favourite "summer pastimes in the city" suggested the Royal Botanic Gardens. Entrance is complimentary so you can go anytime you are aching for some green space. Imagine 100 acres blessed with 12,000 types of plants and trees then enhanced by several artificial lakes. Besides all the guided walks or solo meanderings, there's always something watchable happening here -- the mama ducks and ducklings on parade, the bats flying out in the evening and the very popular Moonlight Cinema series. Take time to smell the flowers, ladies. Further information: Contact 03.9252.2300

A go-alone Italian treat...

I found the small, bustling Il Solito Posto restaurant quite by accident. This Italian treat is located off Collins Street (#113), in a basement, down St. George Parade, one of Melbourne's many little lanes. It's actually two little restaurants in one -- a moderately priced cafe with the day's specials on a chalk board, and in the back, a trattoria with more formal service and wider menu. I chose the cafe and enjoyed it tremendously. There were lots of younger people and a smattering of older couples here and there -- everyone, including the servers, laughing and joking from table to table. The decor definitely adds to the easy atmosphere -- brown lacquered tables, metal and wicker chairs, tiles in earth tones and exposed painted pipes running along the ceiling. Il Solito Posto serves swell crusty bread, the by-the-glass wine selection is good, and pricing is fair. I chose a chicken salad on greens with a delicious balsamic dressing, my lemon tart dessert was yummy and coffee just right. The folks to my right were enjoying Spaghetti Carbonara with great gusto. Highly recommended as a solo dining experience.

P.S. Prior to my departure for Australia, I received a note from a JourneyWoman reader who explained that she would be in Melbourne at the same time. My second visit to Il Solito Posto was with her and we had an equally good eating adventure. It was also fun meeting a reader face to face.

Don't miss the zoo...

I wasn't travelling with kiddies; I chose to visit the Melbourne Zoo just for me. A smart move -- I needed a short break from pounding the city pavement. The zoo is easy to get to by city tram and my morning visit proved to be a very relaxing, educational, perfect go-alone experience. It's hard to get lost here. Complimentary maps are available at the entrance allowing visitors to choose the exact route they'd like to follow. JourneyWoman opted for the Australian tour which took me through typical bush track and I visited with some of the Aussie species I had only read about or seen on TV before -- cuddly-looking koalas, red kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, platypus and little penguins. At strategic points along the trail, zoo keepers were stationed ready to answer all visitors' questions. A lovely learning experience!

Next, I made my way to the African rainforest enclosure where a gorilla group was raising their young and where visitors can quietly observe the "family" dynamics. By chance, I arrived in time to hear a great deal of commotion and watched three screaming female primates in hot pursuit of a young male gorilla. He climbed up a hill and sat glowering at the trio who waited angrily at the base. I asked one of the zoo hands what the problem seemed to be. He laughed and explained,"This little guy keeps flirting with these older ladies. I guess they've finally had enough and they're teaching him a lesson." Ah, the politics of male-female relationships in the rainforest!

For further information about the Zoo and it's late night musical evenings, visit: http://www.zoo.org.au.