The Victoria Hotel was originally known as the Victoria Coffee Palace, founded by a Temperance League as an alternative to the rowdy, bawdy pub accommodation on offer during the late 19th century.
The original lobby is still in use today, minus the skylight dome, removed during WWII to blackout the hotel as a security precaution.
At one stage, The Vic, as it became known, was advertised as the largest hotel in the Commonwealth. Today it remains the largest three ½ star hotel in Australia.
Known as a luxury hotel in the 20's and 30's, The Vic prided itself on its guest service, including porters being sent to meet guests arriving at Port Melbourne Docks and Spencer Street Train Station.
A Coffee Palace differed from the regular hotels in Melbourne in another important way - it was a dry hotel - no alcohol! Instead, patrons imbibed Beef Tea, mineral waters and, of course, coffee. Fortunately, things have changed and guests can now enjoy a drink in Vic's Bar.
The Victoria Hotel was the first in Melbourne to offer electric lights in its rooms.
The founder of the hotel was the Honourable James Munro, a former premier of Victoria.
During W.W.II the American Army occupied a large section of the hotel for many months
The 1956 Olympics in Melbourne saw The Victoria Hotel feature as the main meeting place for the IOC, many of its functions and banquets being held here.
The Victoria Coffee Palace was established in leased premises, known as “Clyde House” taken over from The Victoria Club, which was in liquidation after having been one of the earliest institutions in Melbourne.
Accommodation was provided for 61 guests and approving comments were made of the temperance bar, which provided tea, coffee and mineral waters.
The first meeting of shareholders was convened two months later and a profit of £114.14.8 was recorded. Every available bed was occupied from the outset, including as many as could be extemporised. The main early difficulties were the cramped sanitary arrangements.
At that time, the basement was let as an oyster room. The ladies' dining room and the smoking room were popular.
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1881 Little Collins street frontage (at rear of palace) was purchased. That year's balance sheet showed "cash in Bank £1332.7.10" and Cash in the Manager's hands £263.14.5".
1883 Electric lights were placed in public rooms to replace gas - much cooler for guests in summer particularly.
1884 320 000 meals served. Beef, Tea and Malt Extract the latest additions to the large range of non-alcoholic drinks provided
1885 Kitchen was ventilated with object of discharging all unpleasant odours to the open air.
1886 Contract for £11 000 let for the erection of 160 bedrooms, with ancillary services, in Little Collins Street, "which will make the establishment the most extensive in the Southern Hemisphere".
1887 New building completed. Manager sent to England and America for ideas.
The success of The Victoria Coffee Palace had induced others to start similar businesses but at the end of the 1880's, The Victoria was the only one in a satisfactory financial position, partly because of its premier location.
In 1898, having come through the land boom safely, the Company was forced to reduce its capital from £40 000 to £20 000and write down the value of its assets, to comply with the first Companies Act.
1900 Dividends to shareholders resumed, after three years.
1901 Australian Parliament opened, so the Smoking Room was enlarged and three new splendid bedrooms added. Also a new large writing room and lounge.
1902 New electricity installation with an electric light in each bedroom. Hot and cold water pipes to the public bathrooms were all renewed.
1907 Sanitary arrangements overhauled.
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1910 New fire escape at rear cost £742.16.3 to meet Health Department requirements.
1911 New building in Little Collins Street completed. 106,257 guests accommodated in the year - an average of 291 per night.
1914- 1915 War and Drought, but business kept up: 40 additional rooms constructed on vacant land facing Baptist Lane. First Industrial Award negotiations.
Business was at a high level during war years.
1920 Two floors added to West Wing, recently purchased from the Lady Wrixon estate. Subscribed capital £58 500 (117 000 10/- shares) after 1 for 2 bonus issue. Dividends were 10% (one shilling per share).
1923- 1927 Dividends average 17.5% on capital, which increased progressively to £132 000. In 1924, the Company name was changed to The Victoria Palace Ltd. A number of adjoining properties in Little Collins Street were purchased during this period and added to the present Centre Block land, which had been acquired as long ago as 1888, with considerable foresight. The West Wing building, purchased from Lady Wrixon, was rebuilt in 1924, increasing the capacity to 550 guests. The lease of the Collins Street premises expired and the building was vacated and the main entrance re-established in Little Collins Street.
1928 A building lease of Baptist Church land adjoining The Victoria was entered into, for 66 years and for £108 000, a nine-floor accommodation wing, the “East Wing”, for 250 guests was erected, fronting Little Collins Street, making the total capacity 800 guests.
The average room occupancy at that time was 95%.
Morning papers were placed under guests' doors and brown paper and string for wrapping left in dressing table drawers. Staff carried identification "so that guests could report offenders by name".
Three dining rooms were provided "so that all classes would be catered for": The Blue Room with table d’hote service, The Brown Room with a-la-carte service and The Cafeteria with self service.
1929 The Directors entered into a 10 years lease of the ground floor of Clyde House, for use as a second cafeteria and to take advantage of an entrance from Collins Street via a corridor, in a location near the main picture theatres (Hoyts, Regent and Plaza, the Metro and the Athenaeum). Telephones were placed in the rooms.
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1930- 1931 Serious difficulties were encountered by all business ventures because of the serious depression and profits were depleted by heavy taxation commitments.
1932 The Victoria Hotel weathered the storm well, but it became necessary to effect drastic economies, including 20% reduction in Directors' fees. Plans were prepared for a new Front Centre Block building to face Little Collins Street, at an estimated cost of £80 000.
1934 The new building was completed during Melbourne's centenary year and accommodation was available for 900 guests. The main entrance and the Banquet Room were established in their present positions and Little Collins Street shops were let to suitable tenants.
Porters journeyed by cable tram to meet guests at Spencer Street Railway Station and by train to Port Melbourne, on occasions, to meet overseas liners.
1935 Mr Horace E. Wooton, the Governing Director for many years, died. He was the man whose foresight over thirty years provided the Company with its valuable freehold properties and who guided the business through the difficult "early thirties" era.
1939- 1945 During the war years, due to government action, expenditure on maintenance was controlled and prices and dividends were pegged.
The American Army occupied a large section of the hotel for many months.
Price control continued for five years after the war and it was difficult to recover increasing costs, particularly in labour intensive service industries like accommodation hotels.
1952 The Company's name was changed from The Victoria Palace Ltd. to The Victoria Ltd.
1954- 1955 Automatic fire sprinklers were installed throughout the premises as part of the on-going plan to ensure the safety of Victoria guests.
A 400-vehicle car park was erected opposite the hotel.
1956 Long Service Leave was introduced and provision made in the accounts. £200 000 was expended on equipping the West Wing bedrooms with private bathrooms.
Continued unsuccessful representations were made to Government for treatment of building depreciation as an allowable taxation deduction.
The Victoria catered for many Olympic Games year activities, including the City of Melbourne Olympic Year Ball, the State Government reception to His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh and the Official Banquet for the International Olympic Organising Committee.
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1960 A record profit of £89 173.
A holding company, The Victoria Holdings Limited, was formed to acquire the capital of The Victoria Limited by an arrangement that in effect was a bonus issue of 3 for 2.
1962 Air conditioning installed in Restaurant and Coffee Shop.
1963 $150 000 expended on kitchen improvements. Trading conditions were difficult due to the 1961/62 economic problems.
1967 A liquor licence was obtained for the restaurant.
1968 The ground floor of the East Wing building was leased from the Baptist Church and converted into a two-floor free car park for Victoria guests, which helped to meet the competition from newly established motels.
1969 A project was planned with the object of providing in each bedroom in the East Wing with its own ensuite bathroom and the work was completed in late 1970, at a cost of approximately $800,000.
1971 Television, refrigerators and tea and coffee making facilities were installed in guestrooms.
1974 Natural gas supplanted oil as fuel for steam raising and water heating.
1975 A take-over offer for the company's issued shares was received from Team Hotels Pty. Ltd., a company now owned jointly by Brick and Pipe Industries Ltd., Cleckheaton Ltd. and Victorian Broadcasting Network Ltd., which during the next three years acquired in excess of 80% of Victoria's capital.
1976 The Liquor Control Commission approved the company's application for a residential licence and the Cocktail Room on the mezzanine floor commenced the service of drinks to hotel guests and their friends.
Bedrooms were equipped with colour television sets. An emergency lighting system, not connected with the normal electricity supply, was installed as an added safeguard for guests.
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1977 The licensed restaurant was upgraded and refurbished and the name "Munro's" adopted. The Hon. James Munro was an early premier of Victoria and closely associated with the company in its early years.
1978 The Banquet Room was refurbished and redecorated and much improved staff facilities in the basement area were completed.
1979 The hotel foyer and lounge areas were redecorated, refurnished and recarpeted. The majority of the hotel corridors were recarpeted and the ongoing programme of bedroom upgrading was accelerated.
1980 The Victoria purchased the share capital of Sheraton Hotels ( Melbourne) Pty. Ltd. and on 1 January 1980, took over the operation of the Sheraton Hotel at 13 Spring Street, Melbourne, an additional 167 bedrooms.
The company celebrated 100 years of history on the 1st of November.
Investment in The Grosvenor Hotel was increased to 25% of the share capital
1981 Modernisation of passenger lifts.
Updating of bedroom and catering furniture.
The upswing in Melbourne's Central Business District property value resulted in an increase in book value of The Victoria Hotel.
The Victoria Holdings increased its holding on the issued share capital of Grosvenor Hotel Limited; control was achieved at board level.
Brick and Pipe Industries Limited became the ultimate holding company, following acquisition of 100% equity in Team Securities Limited.
1982 Award wages increased by $28 per week.
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1983 Contract was signed for the purchase of the roadway known as Athenaeum Lane, which serves The Victoria Hotel facilities.
The leasehold tenure of the East Wing due to expire in ten years.
For the first time in many years, The Victoria Hotel became involved in industrial disputes. All employees were called out on strike for four days.
1985 Refurbishment of the East Wing began. 2nd East was refurbished.
1986 The 4th floor in the East Wing was refurbished
Bought the freehold of The Sheraton Hotel in January.
Launched a market bid for the balance of the shares for the Grosvenor Hotel, in August compulsory acquisition was obtained.
1988 Obtained a full Residential Alcohol License.
1989 In March, the Front Office became fully computerised. The manual ‘Whitney system’ was given to Footscray Institute for training purposes.
The Victoria Holdings took over Four Seasons (Australia) in April, this acquisition included the owned property in Alice Springs, a leased property in Darwin; and the management of properties in Cairns Kakadu, Cooinda Ayers Rock.
1990 In September, the foyer and mezzanine areas were redecorated, refurbished and recarpeted.
A new PABX was installed.
The ultimate owner of the Victoria Holdings went into receivership in December - this put the company share into receivership.
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1991 Morning Star Holdings bought the assets of The Victoria Holdings Four Seasons Group of Hotels. The Victoria, Sheraton, Grosvenor and Alice Springs were taken over by Stowford Pty. Ltd. and were managed together with Kakadu, Cooinda and Ayers Rock by Vista International Hotels Pty. Ltd.
New air conditioning units were installed in the previously refurbished East Wing rooms.
Melbourne was in a recession.
Settlement of the sale of the East Wing building, previously leased.
1992 Munro's restaurant and Victoria Hotel kitchen were closed for a total renovation and refurbishment programme; restaurant was relaunched in September as Vista Café.
The recession starting to effect occupancies.
Swanston Walk established: this had an effect on bus travelling tour group business.
1993 A minimal cosmetic refurbishment of carpet, curtains and bench tops was commenced. Some areas of the Hotel had not been improved since the early 60s (rear Centre shared facility "Budget Rooms") These rooms had seen heavy wear and tear.
1995 Renovations commenced in late December of 38 Rooms later named "Superior Rooms". Malaysian United Industries had acquired The Vista Hotel Group comprising The Victoria hotel, the Sheraton Hotel (13 Spring St., Melbourne), The Alice Springs Vista Hotel, The Grosnevor Hotel (125 North Terrace Adelaide). The previous Wynard Travelodge was purchased by Vista and slated for total refurbishment.
1996 The new 38 refurbished Superior rooms were ready just in time for the first Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix. Renovations continued in the Hotels west wing; where new bathrooms were installed and west wing rooms refurbished.
The Victoria Hotel was re-branded Victoria Vista Hotel. Two Hotels in Hobart were added to the Vista Group.
The Victoria Hotel continued to perform consistently, with occupancy in November 1996 of 80%.
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1997 Renovations commenced in the Front Centre. Structural changes were made where two single rooms were converted to double or twin rooms where possible. The number of single rooms was reduced from 80 to 60.
In late 1997 the changed conditions in the Malaysian economy caused Malaysian United Industries to put the Vista Group up for sale. The Melbourne Sheraton Vista Hotel was the first to be acquired, by the Accor group in March 1998.
1998 In September 1998, Th Victoria Hotel was sold to Australian owned Schwartz Family Company. Work was completed in the partly refurbished East wing.
1999 Foyer upgraded: the work involved new granite flooring, extensive new cement floors above the Acacia Room, and demolition of the former Klepners Jewellers Shop allowing for a much wider entrance with sliding glass doors. Lifts also upgraded.
Other work included a metal and glass exterior awning and conversion of the Jacaranda Room and former Vista offices to modern guestrooms. A chandelier style light fixture was fitted in the foyer above the stairs. Despite major refurbishment's, the Hotel maintained steady occupancies.
2000 Improvements continued, with the facade, internal courtyards and laneways painted a heritage cream.
The Melba Café was re-vamped with a new bar and display case, and fold back windows onto Little Collins Street.
Technology improvements included a new “millennium bug 2000 compliant” Front Office System, networked Computers and improvements to Internet/Email access.
2002 Upgrade of the conference facilities, which included converting the old boiler room into the Flinders room able to cater for up to 150 people. Also renovated was the Lonsdale room, which is a boardroom style meeting room.
2003 Building on the top floor of the West wing of a rooftop fitness centre at the cost of $250,000. The centre included an indoor heated relaxation pool, spa, sauna and gym, all overlooking the Melbourne city centre.
Accor was appointed to manage The Victoria Hotel.
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2004 Renovation of the bathrooms commenced with the East Wing, using marble tiles
The Victoria enters the technological age with an internet café, wireless broadband internet from public areas and high speed internet in rooms, which were all cabled with computer cat5 wire.
More computer upgrades saw the old hotel computer software replaced with Fidelio.
New glycol chiller system installed into the Vic Bar beer reticulation system.
Renaming Melba’s bistro as “ Alice’s Thai” to serve international and Thai dishes.
2005 Upgrade of rooms, with all rooms and corridors being repainted including a painted feature wall in all rooms. New bedspreads and interior lighting.
Painting of the mezzanine and lobby
A new PABX with digital lines and voicemail facilities installed.
1 st November: 125 th anniversary party!
2006: The hotel was used by the Australian officials for the Commonwealth Games.
Renovations commenced on the ‘South Wing’.
The Victoria Hotel Melbourne was re-branded The Victoria Hotel Melbourne an All Season Hotel in August
2007: ‘Home Away from Home’ the historical book was launched in April. This coincided with the opening of the South Wing’s new Bellerive Rooms.
Renovations to continue on the South wing
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