New Year's in the city can be tricky. You want to go somewhere central, somewhere close to public transport, somewhere with a great vibe and somewhere you can see the fireworks. But you also don't want to be crammed in cheek by jowl with half of Melbourne, as the crowds on New Year's Eve can be intense.
That's why Transport Hotel is the ideal spot to ring in 2020 (yikes!). Transport is across the road from Flinders Street Station and has sensational views of the fireworks over the river. There are three different ways to celebrate New Year's Eve at Transport Hotel, so you can dance the night away however you choose. And when you're ready to head home on January 1, there are plenty of trains and taxis to get you there safely.
The Public Bar on the ground level is hosting a Big Horny NYE Party, and ten-piece New Orleans funk and soul band Hoodoo Mayhem will keep toes tapping and punters entertained between 8pm and 2am. The vibes will be pure New Orleans Mardi Gras, with a Southern-style menu and plenty of decadent fun to be had. Tickets are just $25, and we advise you to get in quick if you want to ring in the new year in New Orleans style.
Want a fancier way to celebrate? Upstairs Taxi Kitchen is hosting the Taxi Kitchen Sparkle NYE, a five-course degustation meal with a curated Champagne list. The early sitting is 5-7.30pm and costs $125, and the later sitting is 8.30pm-1am and costs $185 (drinks extra). Guests are encouraged to dress in their sparkly best.
Or you can kick up your heels on the rooftop with Transit Rooftop Bar's Uptown Swing NYE. The $190 price tag includes five hours of canapés and unlimited beverages, which we think sounds like a pretty good deal. Tunes on the night range from swinging jazz to R'n'B, so make sure you wear your dancing shoes. The price goes up to $230 after December 1, so you'll have to be quick.
You can buy tickets to all three parties now, so get your New Year's plans locked in.