The Espy’s back: Take a look inside St Kilda’s revamped iconic hotel

Gone are the sticky carpets — but they’ll be back, in more ways than one.

St Kilda’s iconic Esplanade Hotel will re-open this week with a breezy new art deco design.

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There are five levels, 12 bars, two restaurants and three stages, with owners determined to respect the building’s history while looking to the future.

“12 bars in the Espy, hey. The 12-bar blues…”
– Ross Stevenson

The Espy will open on Thursday, with an official opening night event on Friday.

Co-owner Andy Mullins told 3AW Breakfast the pub aims to be “everything to everyone”.

Famous for its grungy past, with grimy walls and alcohol-soaked carpet that made shoes stick, Mr Mullins told Ross and John the slick new design was ready to be well-worn.

“There is so much carpet, it is ready to get sticky,” he said.

“We actually collaborated with Four Pillars gin, and they said ‘What do you want to call the gin’ … and we said you can only make it one thing: Sticky carpet gin.”

Click PLAY to hear Ross and John chat with Andy