Every room in Darren Rubenstein's South Yarra hotel United Places contains two bottles of rare Sullivans Cove whisky from Tasmania, in either Double Cask or French Oak variations. The perfect accompaniment, according to Rubenstein, is another "Bottle of Sullivans Cove American Oak whisky in a leather whisky roll," naturally.

Sullivan's Cove, Whisky Roll, $175. Shop now
Courtesy of Sullivans Cove
"I love using a straight razor and its time for an upgrade," says Rubenstein, who approached every aspect of his hotel's design and fit out with the goal of reducing its environmental impact as much as possible. It's little surprise, then, that he should add that this should make the perfect gift, as "disposable razors are wasteful."

Thiers Issard, Black Straight Razor, $259. Shop now
Courtesy of Theirs Issard
Also on Rubenstein's wishlist: "An incredible sculpture from Tangentyere," a community in the Northern Territory. Rubenstein recommends sourcing one from the Aboriginal owned, not-for-profit Art Centre in the Larapinta Valley, Town Camp, Alice Springs.

Trudy Inkamala, Woman Showing the Way, 2, 2018, from We use our Kapurta (heads) for looking after things, mixed media, 46 x 31 x 14 cm. Find out more
The Dutch designer Marcel Wanders is perhaps best known for his Knotted Chair, a 1997 design that somehow manages to find the perfect balance between contemporaneity and historicism. Says Rubenstein, "My throne in the office. Amazing!" Indeed.

Marcel Wanders, Knotted Gold Chair, Approx. $27,677. Shop now

When you consider how central ideas of locality, craftsmanship and sustainability are to Darren Rubenstein’s singular South Yarra hotel, United Places, it comes as little surprise that those values should carry through through to the hotelier’s holiday wish list.

From an icon of Danish design to whisky and works of art that are the unequivocal expression of their maker, their time and place, Rubenstein’s selection mirrors his exquisite tastes and unwavering commitment to sourcing and championing the very best, no matter the field in question. And should an item of furniture that’s found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the V&A Museum, London and the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, among others, not be entirely feasible, you would do well to consider gifting a loved one (or yourself) a night at Rubenstein’s exquisite property, overlooking Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens. A word of warning: you’ll never want to leave.

Tile and cover image: Composite

topics: All I Want For Christmas, CULTURE NEWS, United Places, MELBOURNE, Darren Rubenstein

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