There’s no better place to stay in Melbourne during a short visit, than in the Melbourne CBD. A destination in its own right, Melbourne’s city centre is a rich cultural pocket of restaurants, bars, galleries and museums. It’s also extremely walkable (not to mention the wealth of public transport options).

If you’re planning a weekend trip to Melbourne, here’s how best to spend your time – and where to stay so you’re in the heart of it all to make the most of a short trip.

Stay: DoubleTree by Hilton Melbourne - Flinders Street

Across the street from Flinders Street Station and the Melbourne riverfront, the DoubleTree by Hilton on Flinders Street is a perfect place to stay on a quick stint in Melbourne. The hotel’s design sets the scene – inspired by Melbourne’s streetscapes and laneway culture – with exposed concrete, art from local street artists and train carriage-style booths. You can even stay in a loft room with sweeping views of Federation Square and the city skyline.

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If you need energy to power you through a day on the town, there are warm chocolate-chip cookies on arrival and plenty of cafes near the hotel, including Dukes Coffee Roasters. They even put the signature DoubleTree cookie into their take on the espresso martini: The Drunken Cookie.

Do: Immigration Museum

Less than a ten-minute walk from the hotel is the Immigration Museum, housed in the restored Old Customs House on Flinders Street. With around 140 different cultures represented in Melbourne, the museum celebrates Melbourne’s diversity and gives insight into Australian migration and identity through rotating exhibitions and events, including Fam by Australian-Nigerian writer and curator Sabina McKenna, on till January 28.

Lunch: Shandong Mama Mini

After a morning spent wandering around the museum, you’ll likely be ready for some lunch. Melbourne is home to many great dumpling destinations, but there are none quite like Shandong Mama. Owners Ying Hou and her mother Meiyan Wang have been serving thin, pan-fried Shandong-style dumplings for over a decade – first in a Chinatown arcade and then from a second, "mini” location just off Melbourne’s iconic Degraves Street. As an ocean town, Shandong is famous for its seafood and it shows here. The mackerel, coriander, ginger and chive dumplings and the “Melbourne” dumplings (calamari, chicken mince, lemon rind, parsley and garlic) both have a loyal following and make a great mid-day meal.

Do: Ian Potter Centre

Next up is the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), home to an impressive collection of art from around the world. But the Ian Potter Centre, off-site at Federation Square, is dedicated to Australian artists. With nearly 25,000 works and free daily entry, it’s a great way to spend the afternoon. Don’t miss current exhibition Planetary Redesign, the first major Australian solo exhibition of filmmaker and speculative architect Liam Young. It offers a radically optimistic solution to the climate crisis – on till February 11.

Dinner: Maha

Celebrity chef Shane Delia owns several venues across Melbourne, but his flagship restaurant Maha was his first. The subterranean venue is hidden down a quiet street off Flinders Lane and the cuisine is inspired by the Middle East. The slow-roasted lamb shoulder with smoked eggplant, za’atar and pine nut jus is a staple – but there’s an equally enticing vegan menu. Try the Lebanese garlic dumplings with ras el hanout, pumpkin and pine nuts. The Turkish delight-filled doughnuts, available on both the standard and vegan menus, are also a must.

Nightcap: The Douglas Club @ Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street

If you’re not ready to turn in after your meal, wander over to The Douglas Club on Bourke Street just inside the heritage Equity Chambers building. The dark, moody bar is best known for classic cocktails with a new-school twist – think a Lamington-inspired combo of cacao butter-washed rum, coconut rum, Cinzano Rosso and mixed-berry jam. Or a friand-inspired cocktail made with triple-juniper gin, lime, apricot-pepper-thyme jam and egg-white foam.

Watch: The Cocktail Concierge: A Guide to Melbourne
When you’re looking for things to do while visiting a new city, there’s no one better to ask than the hotel bartender – part mixologist and part concierge for curious patrons looking for insider’s tips on where to go. Checking in? Here’s what to check out around Melbourne, according to Brandon Linsley of The Douglas Club.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Hilton. When a great location is a must for your weekend getaway, it matters where you stay.