When people plan a Melbourne trip, accommodation searches often start with the CBD. It makes sense on the surface: stay in the middle of everything and you’ll supposedly have the easiest access to the city. But Melbourne is a sprawling place, and depending on what you actually want to do while you’re there, staying right in the centre isn’t always the most practical choice.
That’s part of the reason suburbs such as Preston are increasingly worth considering. Staying somewhere like Novotel Preston in Melbourne gives visitors a base in the city’s north while still keeping the CBD and other parts of Melbourne within reach. For travellers who want to see more than the usual central-city highlights, that can make for a much more interesting trip.
Melbourne doesn’t stop at the CBD
There’s plenty to love about central Melbourne, from the laneways and galleries to restaurants, theatres and major sporting venues. The mistake is thinking that everything worth seeing sits inside the CBD grid.
Some of Melbourne’s most distinctive neighbourhoods are further out. Head north and you’ll find areas packed with independent cafés, multicultural restaurants, markets, live music venues, parks and local shopping strips. These neighbourhoods tend to feel more lived-in than the city centre, which can offer a different perspective on Melbourne altogether.
Preston sits in a handy position for exploring this side of the city. Rather than travelling out from the CBD every time you want to visit somewhere in the inner or northern suburbs, you’re already closer to many of them.
A good base can make a trip feel less hectic
Accommodation isn’t usually the exciting part of planning a holiday, but where you stay can have a surprisingly big effect on how the whole trip feels. Spending too much time crossing the city every morning and evening gets old quickly, particularly if your itinerary includes events, family visits or activities outside the centre.
Choosing a location based on what you’ll actually be doing makes far more sense than automatically booking the most central hotel you can find. If several of your plans are in Melbourne’s north, staying nearby can cut down unnecessary travel while still leaving you free to head into the city whenever you want.
It can also make arriving and leaving easier for travellers driving into Melbourne. Navigating directly into the CBD, dealing with one-way streets and hunting for parking isn’t everyone’s idea of a relaxing start to a weekend away.
There’s plenty nearby to fill a day
One advantage of staying outside the CBD is that you don’t necessarily need to head into central Melbourne every time you want to eat, shop or find something to do. Preston and its surrounding suburbs have enough going on to fill plenty of time on their own.
Preston Market is an obvious local draw, particularly for anyone who enjoys fresh produce, speciality food stores and casual places to eat. Nearby neighbourhoods such as Thornbury and Northcote add even more dining, shopping and entertainment options, while Brunswick and Fitzroy are also accessible for visitors wanting to explore some of Melbourne’s better-known inner-north precincts.
That variety makes it possible to build days around neighbourhoods rather than landmarks. Spend a morning wandering a market, stop somewhere local for lunch, explore a shopping strip and find dinner nearby without feeling as though you’ve spent half the day moving between tourist attractions.
It works for more than weekend tourists
A northern Melbourne base can also make sense for people visiting for reasons other than sightseeing. Business travellers, families attending events, people visiting relatives and guests in town for weddings or functions often have completely different priorities from someone visiting Melbourne for the first time.
If the main reason for the trip is in the north, staying in the CBD simply because it’s the traditional choice can add unnecessary travel to every day. Location becomes less about being in the geographical centre and more about being close to the places that matter to you.
See a different side of Melbourne
There’s no single correct place to stay in a city as varied as Melbourne. The CBD remains convenient for plenty of trips, but it’s far from the only option.
Using Preston as a base opens up a part of Melbourne that visitors can easily overlook when they stick exclusively to the centre. You can still spend a day wandering the laneways, catching a game or visiting a gallery, but you also get a chance to experience the neighbourhoods where much of Melbourne’s everyday character actually lives.
Sometimes the smartest travel decision isn’t putting yourself right in the middle of everything. It’s choosing a base that puts you closer to the version of the city you actually want to explore.
