The Thousands

The last time you were in Melbourne you spent two nights on a friend’s couch, three nights on a friend-of-a-friend’s yoga mat and one night slumped over a sink somewhere. It was free, it was fun, but you now have a gammy hip and can’t remember seeing anything except the front of a strobe light and the back of your eyelids.

Let us tell you about a different Melbourne experience. It comes at a similar price but includes a corner room at an inner city hotel, a double bed cloaked in the softest linen, a dedicated concierge and a bathroom sink lined with Aesop products. This describes a very small section of the Lost & Found Hotel Room, where you have the chance to stay for free.

Developed as a real world extension of Tourism Victoria’s Lost & Found publication, the Lost & Found Hotel Room is taking reservations from June 1. To stay there, all you need to do is apply online. If successful, you will be required to make your own way to Melbourne. Once there, your hardest task will be deciding whether to drink one million perfect coffees at one million wonderful cafes, or cocoon on the couch in an Elpin throw rug before rolling into your very own bed.