Gone are the days where spending a couple of nights interstate meant splashing out at the high end just to snag a short-term stay in the heart of town. Quincy Melbourne – the brand’s first hotel outside of Singapore – is at the crest of a wave of cool, mid-range boutique hotels bridging the gap between affordability and luxury with 241 designer rooms, two elevated dining options and a rooftop bar and pool overlooking the city.

Rooms and suites abound with colour and are designed with both work and play in mind. That means high-speed internet, a plush bed, thoughtfully curated minibars, Kevin Murphy toiletries and free on-demand movies in each. The Celestial and Degraves rooms are geared towards shorter, wallet-friendly stays for overnight travellers, while the Caledonian rooms are an intermediate option fit for longer stays as well as families.

For those with a taste (and budget) for luxury, the Hosier Club rooms offer premium views and priority booking at Quincy Melbourne’s in-house eateries, Singsong and Salted Egg. Guests receive exclusive access to the hotel’s VIP Club, which includes complimentary all-day refreshments at its rooftop bar, The Q. Plus, cocktails and canapés from 4pm to 5pm daily.

Whether you’re staying at the hotel or not, Singsong and Salted Egg – both overseen by executive chef Adam Woodfield (ex-Chin Chin and Jimmy Liks) – are open from breakfast through to dinner. Guests can hit Singsong for hawker-style snacks, bubble tea and coffee. And for a full sit-down affair, ascend the spiral staircase to Salted Egg for elegant small plates and dim sum – think smoked duck served in betel leaf; raw kingfish with green nahm jim, taro chips, salmon caviar and shiso; and glistening prawn shu mai.

The Southeast Asian influence extends to The Q on level 28, with plenty of spicy snacks backed up by a lengthy list of cocktails. For the signature drink, order the Quincy Sling, a play on the Singapore Sling mixing gin, Dom Benedictine, sour cherry, orange bitters lime and pineapple.