The Prince Hotel

The Prince Hotel is a long-running St Kilda pub, boutique hotel and live music venue, with a history that reaches back to the mid-1800s. The hotel says it has operated as The Prince since 1936, and its grand Art Deco character remains central to the experience. Today, the complex brings together a public bar, accommodation, Little Prince Wine and the Prince Bandroom, making it a place to eat, drink, stay or see a show in one of Melbourne’s best-known bayside neighbourhoods.

The public bar is positioned as a local meeting place for pub meals and drinks, while Little Prince Wine offers a more focused wine-bar experience. The neighbourhood bar and bottleshop serves curated wines alongside cheese, charcuterie and simple European plates, with the option to settle in or take a bottle home. Its programme also includes winemaker tastings, where guests can sample six wines with accompanying snacks and hear directly from the people who made them. The source site lists the wine bar as open from Monday to Sunday, 4pm to 10pm.

Music is another defining part of The Prince’s identity. The Prince Bandroom became a Melbourne music venue in the 1970s and later hosted live jazz sessions and recordings during its time as the home of radio station 3PBS. The venue continues to present live entertainment, alongside private events and conference options. Available spaces include the Sainthill Room, Atrium, Prince Dining Room and Little Prince Wine Cellar, with settings ranging from a private room with a fireplace and balcony to an intimate cellar surrounded by an extensive wine collection.

The Prince also has a substantial place in St Kilda’s social history. Its past includes welcoming the gay and lesbian community, hosting drag shows and Sunday night gatherings, and evolving through different eras of Melbourne hospitality. After a major 1990s redesign, the building’s Art Deco features were restored, while later changes shifted the venue away from fine dining and back towards a more relaxed gathering place. It suits visitors after a drink and a meal, wine-focused catch-ups, live music, accommodation or a private celebration, with the range of spaces making it practical for intimate groups as well as larger functions. The venue holds a 4.3 Google rating from 743 reviews.