Tune Hotel

There's a new hotel on Swanston Street just up from the corner of Queensberry Street.  It's part of the Tune chain.  It seems that this chain is attempting to bring to the accommodation world what low cost airlines did to the travel world:    the basic rate gets you the bare essentials, and you pay for anything extra.  On the website, click on the "optional add-ons" button, and you find that a towel and TV are optional extras!  Well, the web-site makes it clear that pay TV is an extra, but isn't clear whether you have to pay for free-to-air (is this lack of clarity deliberate?).   Early check-in is an extra charge, as are baggage storage and room cleaning on a Sunday.   At least you don't have to pay extra for air-conditioning in Melbourne (this is based on the property's response to one of the reviews on Trip Advisor).  Wi fi is also an extra, but unfortunately that seems to be a "given" in Australia.

It seems that, like budget airlines, the cheapest rates come from special offers and from booking online and in advance.
I haven't been inside, but apparently the rooms are small and basic (no tea/coffee facilities and no fridge), but the chain's pitch centres on having "five star beds and one star prices".   It seems to get satisfactory reviews on Trip Advisor, at least from those who are familiar with the concept (in some cases, based on their experiences with this chain in various Asian locations).