--- title: "Imagine Marco vs Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers: which hotel is better?" description: "Imagine Marco or Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers in Melbourne? Compare guest ratings, location, amenities, rooms and prices side by side." url: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/imagine-marco-melbourne-vs-shadow-play-melbourne-by-peppers-melbourne/ language: en source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com) retrieved: 2026-11-07 --- # Imagine Marco vs Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers Both are in Melbourne, 410 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger. Apartment · Southbank ## [Imagine Marco](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/imagine-marco-melbourne/) - **Guest rating:** 8.4 · Very good - **Location score:** 8.1 - **Score by category:** 0 of 6 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1660696/agoda/?lang=en) Hotel · ★★★★½ · Southbank ## [Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/shadow-play-melbourne-by-peppers-melbourne/) - **Guest rating:** 8.8 · Excellent - **Location score:** 8.2 - **Score by category:** 5 of 6 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/2079114/agoda/?lang=en) The short answer ## Pick Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers It leads in 5 of 6 categories. 410 m apart. ### Choose Imagine Marco if you want - a big hotel with more facilities (Rooms: 190 / 75) ### Choose Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers if you want - the more consistently praised stay (8.8 / 8.4) - a smaller, quieter hotel (Rooms: 75 / 190) ### Why is Imagine Marco better than Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers? 1. 380 m closer to the area centre (−380 m) 2. More guest reviews (2,130 vs 160), so the rating is more reliable (×13) 3. 7 more sights within 1 km (+7) 4. A larger hotel with more facilities (190 vs 75 rooms) (×2.5) ### Why is Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers better than Imagine Marco? 1. Higher guest rating (8.8 vs 8.4) (+0.4) 2. 210 m closer to public transport (−210 m) 3. 34 more restaurants and cafés within 500 m (+34) 4. Newer or more recently renovated (2019 vs 2016) (+3y) 5. A smaller, more intimate hotel (75 vs 190 rooms) (−115) ## All compared facts Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel. | | Imagine Marco | Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers | | --- | --- | --- | | Score by category | | Guest rating | 8.4 | 8.8 (+0.4) | | Location | 8.1 | 8.2 | | Facilities | 5.0 | 5.8 (+0.8) | | Spa & wellness | 3.0 | 5.5 (+2.5) | | Beach access | 1.1 | 2.0 (+0.9) | | Public transport | 6.5 | 7.7 (+1.2) | | Ratings & reviews | | StayVersus score | 8.4 | 8.7 (+0.3) | | Guest rating | 8.4 | 8.8 (+0.4) | | Number of reviews | 2,130 (+1,970) | 160 | | Google rating | – | 4.2/5 | | Google reviews | – | 419 | | Rank in Melbourne | bottom 37% | top 29% (+34%) | | Location | | Location score | 8.1 | 8.2 | | Distance to Southbank centre | 170 m (−380 m) | 560 m | | To the beach | 2.7 km | 2.4 km (−280 m) | | To public transport | 800 m | 580 m (−210 m) | | To the airport | 21 km | 20 km | | Restaurants within 500 m | 95 | 129 (+34) | | To the nearest food shop | 130 m | 120 m | | Shops within 500 m | 4 | 6 | | Sights within 1 km | 21 (+7) | 14 | | Rooms & building | | Star rating | – | ★★★★½ | | Rooms | 190 | 75 | | Floors | 40 | 10 | | Newest building or renovation | 2016 | 2019 (+3y) | | Listed amenities | 14 | 16 (+2) | | Policies | | Check-in from | 14:00 | 14:00 | | Check-out until | 10:00 | 10:00 | | Amenities | | Concierge | ✓ | ✓ | | Laundry | ✓ | ✓ | | Luggage storage | ✓ | ✓ | | Bar | ✓ | ✓ | | Gym | ✓ | ✓ | | Terrace | ✓ | – | | Air conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | | Balcony | ✓ | – | | Minibar | ✓ | – | | In-room safe | ✓ | – | | Coffee or tea maker | ✓ | – | | Blackout curtains | ✓ | – | | Free Wi-Fi | – | ✓ | | Parking | – | ✓ | | Breakfast | – | ✓ | | Room service | – | ✓ | | Outdoor pool | – | ✓ | | Sauna | – | ✓ | | Steam room | – | ✓ | | Wheelchair accessible | – | ✓ | | Distance to the main sights | | National Gallery of Victoria | 700 m (−380 m) | 1.1 km | | St Patrick's Cathedral | 2.2 km | 2.5 km | | Melbourne Museum | 2.7 km | 2.9 km | | Which hotel suits you | | Couples | – | ✓ | | Beach holidays | – | ✓ | | Business trips | – | ✓ | | Spa & relaxation | – | ✓ | ## Live prices around both hotels Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer. [Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers prices by month](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/shadow-play-melbourne-by-peppers-melbourne/prices/) ## Location 410 m apart Imagine Marco: city centre: 1.0 km, nearest station Victorian Railways Spencer Street: 800 m, Melbourne Airport (MEL): 21 km, beach: 2.7 km, 95 places to eat within 500 m, 21 sights within 1 km. Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers: city centre: 1.2 km, nearest station Victorian Railways Spencer Street: 580 m, Melbourne Airport (MEL): 20 km, beach: 2.4 km, 129 places to eat within 500 m, 14 sights within 1 km. [Top-rated of 30 hotels in Southbank](https://stayversus.com/en/australia/melbourne/area/southbank/) ## Weather in Melbourne [Melbourne weather: 15-day forecast](https://atlasofseasons.com/en/australia/victoria/melbourne/weather) ## Imagine Marco or Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers: common questions ### Which is better, Imagine Marco or Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers? Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers leads in 5 of 6 categories, including guest rating, facilities, spa & wellness. ### Which is cheaper, Imagine Marco or Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers? Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side. ### Which hotel is closer to the centre? Imagine Marco is closer: 170 m from the centre, against 560 m for Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers. ### Which hotel is closer to the beach? Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers is 2.4 km from the nearest beach; Imagine Marco is 2.7 km. ### How far apart are Imagine Marco and Shadow Play Melbourne by Peppers? The two hotels are 410 m apart in a straight line. ## More match-ups - [Imagine Marco vs WRAP on Southbank](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/imagine-marco-melbourne-vs-wrap-on-southbank-melbourne/) - [Imagine Marco vs Experience Bella Hotel Apartments](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/experience-bella-hotel-apartments-melbourne-vs-imagine-marco-melbourne/) - [Imagine Marco vs Aria Hotel Apartments](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/aria-hotel-apartments-melbourne-vs-imagine-marco-melbourne/) ## Compare now Updated 6 Oct 2026. Data: Agoda, Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports and hotels' own websites. We may earn a commission from partner links; it never changes the comparison. [How we score](https://stayversus.com/en/about/) --- Source: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/imagine-marco-melbourne-vs-shadow-play-melbourne-by-peppers-melbourne/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/