The Wharf Hotel Winter Igloos, Melbourne
Located at Siddeley St Docklands, within the South Wharf precinct, The Wharf Hotel pitches up its seasonal Winter Igloo Village between the months of June to September.
A self-proclaimed ‘Winter Wonderland’, the Wharf’s Igloo Village is a truly unique experience – ideal for a cute date idea, or perhaps a foodie friend group catch-up. Each private igloo is set up with its own Bluetooth speaker, heaters and blankets – making for a cosy, warm and inviting atmosphere.
The Winter Igloos at The Wharf Hotel, Docklands.
Experiencing The Winter Igloos at The Wharf Hotel, Docklands
Keen to catch the last moments of these extremely popular Melbourne Winter Igloos (securing a booking was quite a challenge, hence our slightly odd mid-afternoon session time), we headed to The Wharf Hotel to celebrate the hopefully soon-to-be closure of our city’s frosty season on an admittedly less-than-chilly September Saturday.
Indeed, at a sunny 19 degrees, the unexpectedly warm day wasn’t quite giving us the Winter ambience we had anticipated. However, The Wharf Hotel still managed to pull out all the stops with an invitingly decorated Winter Igloo set up just for the two of us.
The Cosy Interior of our Wharf Hotel Winter Igloo.
The Wharf Hotel Winter Igloo Package: Shared Entree and Individual Mains
Along with the cosy accoutrements our igloo was decked out with, our 2-hour sitting included the following:
- A Shared Entree of a gourmet Charcuterie board
This included a delectable baked brie, a selection of cured meats, and other grazing accompaniments such as olives, dried fruits, crackers, and warm focaccia-style bread.
Charcuterie Board Entree at The Wharf Hotel Winter Igloos
- One main each, selected from the Winter Menu.
I chose the Port Arlington Mussel Bowl. The mussels were doused in a delicious white wine broth that was prepared with bacon, garlic and chilli. The dish came with a side of fries, which were unfortunately slightly undercooked.
Mussel Bowl at The Wharf Hotel Winter Igloos, Melbourne.
My partner chose the Beef Brisket & Guinness Pie, which he said was flavourful but disappointingly, not quite warm enough.
Beef Brisket Pie at The Wharf Hotel Winter Igloos.
All in all, we felt the food inclusions were quite good value for $49 per person. Our only suggestion? Adding on a bottomless drinks package for thirsty diners. With this not being offered, we had no choice but to purchase a la carte beverages – the French Martini and the Amaretto Sour – which were a delightful addition to our meals, and the overall experience.
French Martini and Amaretto Sour at The Wharf Hotel Winter Igloos.
We would definitely do this again, perhaps with a larger group (the Winter Igloos sit up to 6 people), and ideally on a much colder day to allow us to soak up the cosy atmosphere. Hot tip: A night session may also be preferable, to allow diners to benefit from the cute fairy lights adorning each igloo, as well as evening views across the Yarra River.
The Wharf Hotel Winter Igloo Menu
