Here are top hotels in Melbourne that are especially well suited to hosting business conferences, grouped with their strengths and headline capacities so you can match venue to event size and needs.

Top picks (by strengths)

• Large plenary / exhibition (500+ delegates): Crown Conference Centre (Crown complex), Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Pullman (Albert Park / On the Park), Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. (crownhotels.com.au)

Recommended hotels (short summary + why they’re good)

1. Crown Conference Centre / Crown Hotels (Southbank)

• Best for very large residential conferences, exhibitions and plenary events; purpose‑built conference centre with multiple plenary rooms, 16 breakouts and dedicated exhibition and registration spaces (the centre handles ~800+ theatre delegates and large exhibition footprints). Strong AV, on‑site production teams and extensive F&B. (crownhotels.com.au)

2. Grand Hyatt Melbourne (Collins Street / CBD)

• Luxury hotel with a full event floor including the Savoy Ballroom (very large, pillar‑free — up to ~1,100–1,200 capacity theatre/1,200 cocktail) plus many breakouts and in‑house event/concierge services and an Encore AV partnership. Great for large galas, conferences and multi‑room programs. (grandhyattmelbevents.com)

3. Sofitel Melbourne on Collins (Collins Street / CBD)

• Large, versatile Grand Ballroom (configurable and pillarless — up to ~1,000 theatre) and ~12 event spaces; high‑end service and strong AV/catering capabilities — ideal for big corporate forums and international delegations. (sofitel-melbourne.com.au)

4. Pullman (Pullman Melbourne Albert Park & Pullman on the Park)

• Two Pullman properties with large, flexible ballrooms and very extensive exhibition/pre‑function space. Pullman Albert Park can host very large conferences/exhibitions (1,000+ / up to ~1,400 in some configurations); Pullman on the Park also offers a large, modern Grand Ballroom and 11 meeting rooms. Good when you need strong exhibition capability plus nearby sports/venue access. (pullmanalbertpark.com.au)

5. The Ritz‑Carlton, Melbourne (CBD)

• Luxury property with ~2,700–2,800 m² of dedicated event space, an impressive Grand Ballroom and multiple breakout rooms (largest ballrooms able to host several hundred / theatre ~700–900 depending on layout). Ideal for high‑end conferences, executive forums and gala dinners. (ritzcarlton.com)

6. Park Hyatt Melbourne (Collins Street / CBD)

• Elegant, distinctive ballroom and several smaller function rooms — the circular Ballroom and other rooms suit premium corporate conferences, dinners and product launches (ballroom capacities in the several hundreds). Strong service and bespoke event planning. (eventsathyatt.com)

7. InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto (historic CBD hotel)

• Combines heritage character with modern meeting tech — multiple meeting rooms and ballrooms with flexible configurations (capacity up to ~400+ for larger setups). Good choice for executive meetings, conferences needing character and central CBD location. (ihg.com)

8. The Langham, Melbourne (Southbank)

• Upscale hotel with an elegant Clarendon Ballroom and 10+ meeting spaces (ballroom to ~400 capacity). Good for mid‑sized conferences, board meetings and events that prioritise service and riverside/Southbank location. (langhamhotels.com)

Quick selection checklist (what to confirm when you shortlist)

• Exact capacity by room and preferred seating layout (theatre vs classroom vs banquet).
• AV/internet specs (hardwired internet, streaming/web‑casting capability, in‑house AV vs preferred supplier).
• Number and size of breakout rooms and pre‑function/expo space.
• Accommodation blocks (how many rooms the hotel can reserve) and delegate proximity to meeting spaces.
• Loading/delivery access for exhibition stands or AV gear and on‑site storage.
• Catering options (menu flexibility, dietary requirements), and sustainability/CSR options if needed.

If you want, I can:

• produce a short shortlist (3–4 hotels) matched to your expected delegate numbers, budget tier and preferred area (CBD vs Southbank vs Albert Park), or
• draft an email/requirements brief you can send to each hotel’s events team to request quotes and floorplans.

(If you’d like that shortlist or a ready‑to‑send RFP, tell me expected delegate count, preferred dates and priorities — I’ll prepare it.)