THE LOCATION 

The Langham Melbourne must sometimes feel like a goldfish beached next to a whale, located as it near to the gargantuan Crown casino complex that dominates the Southbank precinct beside the Yarra River. But The Langham consistently dominates  TripAdvisor's coveted No.1 or 2 (mostly No.1) hotel spot, battling it out with - yes -  its neighbour, Crown Towers .

THE SPACE 

Originally a Sheraton, the 388-room Langham Melbourne has made a relatively ageing space very much its own. There's that certain big-city buzz - rare in Australian hotels – that strikes you on arrival (and at checkout time in the mornings, when things can get rather hectic). The reception staff are among the most effusive and courteous we've ever encountered. Chances are the hotel's signature pink London taxi (a feature of Langham hotels around the world) will be parked in the driveway, ready to ferry guests brave enough to be seen in it on short trips around town.

THE KIT 

My Club Terrace, king-sized-bed room, as the name suggests, features a spacious terrace – big enough for a plunge pool or perhaps a Jacuzzi - there are all the mod-cons you'd expect from a five-star hotel. It's stylishly, if conservatively, furnished and the pervasive presence of pink throughout the hotel and in its collateral adds a welcome note of personality. A Club Terrace room on the higher levels of the hotel allows access to the 24th-floor Club Lounge "privileges" including breakfast daily, afternoon tea, pre-dinner drinks and canapes.

COMFORT FACTOR

Close the curtains and you could be ensconced in a room in an urban European hotel. The terrace, at 45 square metres larger than the room itself, is a little wasted on me since I'm travelling alone, and also it's a bit too cool on the days I visit to linger too long. But in the warmer Melbourne months it'd be the perfect spot for an al-fresco room service breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea, soaking up the sun and the impressive city views. Even the Yarra looks glam from here.

THE FOOD

The hotel's flagship restaurant, Melba (named, of course, after Dame Nellie Melba), with sweeping views of the Yarra and the city skyline, is listed in The Age 2015 Good Food Guide. But, what with a hat-studded lineup of eateries at the nearby Crown casino complex, persuading foodie guests to dine in-house mustn't be a sinch. If you prefer to go out for breakfast, cross one of the pedestrian bridges spanning the Yarra and head to Degraves Street, one of the atmospheric cafe-studded alleys for which Melbourne is deservedly famous.

STEPPING OUT

We hate to mention that "c" word again, but the Crown entertainment behemoth is nearby, as is the long-standing Southgate restaurant and shopping complex. And, if you're up for a show, the Arts Centre Melbourne or the city's Recital Centre along St Kilda Road is an easy stroll from The Langham, as is the city centre across the Yarra.

THE VERDICT

After having established itself as an essential part of Melbourne's hotel fabric, the Hong Kong-based Langham extended its Australian portfolio to Sydney, where it recently overhauled the erstwhile Observatory Hotel at The Rocks. The new Sydney property need look no further than its Melbourne counterpart for guidance on how to position itself as an intergral part of a city's accommodation. If your tastes in hotels revolves around assured classic five-star luxury digs with a grand, big-city feel than you'll be well and truly in the pink at The Langham Melbourne.

ESSENTIALS

Doubles start from $248 a night. 1 Southgate Avenue, Southbank, Melbourne. Phone 03 8696 8888, see langhamhotels.com 

The writer was a guest of the hotel.