It's an oft-asked Melbourne question: can Chadstone get any bigger?

The answer is yes. And by 2020 you will also be able to sleep there, with plans well advanced to build a hotel at the shopping centre.

On Tuesday, a sneak peek of the first stage of a $660 million expansion revealed a 31-metre-high atrium at the northern end, which will be home to the new flagship Hoyts cinemas and premium dining.

A range of more than 100 retailers, as well as some existing tenants taking new space, will open on October 13.