Melbourne has never been shy about reinventing its buildings. Warehouses become galleries, laneways turn into dining precincts, and former tram depots occasionally find a second life as boutique hotels.
Which brings us neatly to Richmond’s Bridge Road, where Amora Riverwalk Melbourne has stepped into a new era under the name Amora Herencia Riverwalk Melbourne.
For regulars who know the property, the address hasn’t changed. What has changed is the ambition.
The refreshed identity arrives alongside 45 newly designed guest rooms, part of a broader transformation aimed at sharpening the hotel’s 4.5-star positioning in Melbourne’s increasingly competitive accommodation market. In a city where hotel supply continues to grow, and travellers have no shortage of choice, standing still simply isn’t an option.
The redesign, delivered in collaboration with SORA Interior Architecture and Design, has struck a careful balance between comfort and character. Think premium fittings, tailored furnishings and upgraded bedding, the sort of touches seasoned travellers quietly notice the moment they open the door.
But the most interesting part of this project isn’t the thread count.
It’s the story.
The property occupies a site that once functioned as a tram depot, part of Melbourne’s vast transport network that helped shape the city in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Rather than strip away those historical layers, the redevelopment nods respectfully to them, allowing heritage details to sit comfortably alongside contemporary design.
The name itself carries meaning.
“Herencia” translates to inheritance, heritage and legacy, a fitting descriptor for the Siriphatrawan family, whose multi-generational stewardship has guided the Amora brand across Australia.
For the group, this relaunch isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about building on foundations carefully laid over time.
Tamer Habib, Chief Operating Officer of Amora Hotels and Resorts, says the new chapter reflects exactly that philosophy.
“The launch of Amora Herencia marks an exciting new chapter for our team and for the Melbourne hotel market,” Habib said.
“The addition of 45 beautifully designed rooms reflects our commitment to delivering a refined 4.5-star contemporary experience, while honouring the heritage character that makes this location so special. We’re excited to welcome guests into a space where legacy and modern hospitality come together seamlessly.”
Melbourne’s hotel scene is hardly short of big names and flashy openings, yet properties with genuine history remain rare.
That may well be Amora Herencia’s quiet advantage.
The official launch celebration is scheduled for Wednesday, 25 March, when invited guests will be among the first to step inside the new rooms and see how the transformation has unfolded.
For travellers wandering down Bridge Road in the months ahead, the building may look familiar.
But inside, it’s very much the start of something new.
More details on the hotel can be found via Amora Hotels & Resorts: https://www.amorahotels.com.
by Prae Lee – (c) 2026.
Read Time: 3 minutes.
About the Writer.
You can tell a great deal about a person by how they meet a Bangkok morning. Prae Lee doesn’t charge into it; she glides, unhurried, as if time itself has agreed to behave. There is a calm assurance about her, the sort earned by knowing both your roots and your destination.
A graduate of Chulalongkorn University, she earned her business degree with quiet pride, then further polished it in Singapore and Australia. Travel didn’t change her. It refined what was already there: curiosity, discipline, grace.
Back in Bangkok, she slipped modern life into the family business, mastering social media with an instinct for listening and selling with Thai gentleness.
Prae never seeks attention, yet everything she touches grows brighter.
Now with Global Travel Media, she writes with authenticity, drawing on culture, travel and a rare, steady confidence.
