There’s generosity in the
free minibar restocked daily,
free local calls, daily happy hour, and
guest loans of yoga mats, Xbox
and Wii consoles, and more.
Amble along the length of the
wharf to marvel at the super
yachts or to dine in one of Sydney’s
better waterfront restaurants; the
smart money favours Aki’s, the big
money heads to Otto.
The breakfast bufet is light
and fresh: breads, cheese and
the likes of soba and kale salad. Hot
dishes can be ordered at extra cost.
The proximity of the wharf’s fine-dining
strip means even hotel staf suggest
eating out rather than in, but if you’re
craving a late-night snack they’ll
deliver a meat pie from Harry’s
Cafe de Wheels.
Happy hour from 5.30pm,
which is restricted to guests
who book their room online, covers
beer, wine and vegetarian platters.
The free minibar is stocked with
beer and a white-wine blend.WHEREHarbourside,on the city’s inner-eastern fringe.COSTFrom $299, with
breakfast.AT A GLANCE100 rooms and suites, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant,
pool, gym, paid valet parking, free self-service laundry.IN ROOMFree WiFi, iPad,
some baths and balconies, cofee machine, free minibar, Biology Smart Skincare
toiletries.BEST ROOMSThough most rooms have water views, Cityvoo rooms at
the end of the wharf have the best bridge and city skyline vistas.OVOLO
WOOLLOOMOOLOO
There’s anAlice in Wonderland
feel to this 1915 wharf conversion- it’s old but it’s new, it’s big
but manages to operate on a
human scale. New this year is
a “plant-based” restaurant, Alibi,
run by American chef Matthew
Kenney (with a wine list by
sommelier Chris Morrison)
styled to lend an epicurean
edge to the mezzanine lobby
beneath a four-storey vault. In
rooms, the odd cramped angle
of the wharf’s heritage bones is
ofset by a riot of playful décor,
from bedheads printed with
classic Australian tableaux to
flying ducks on the walls. Tying
it all together is the unmatchable
view; most rooms capture
snapshots of Sydney’s sparkling
harbour, some from private
balconies.6 Cowper Wharf Rd,
Woolloomooloo, (02) 9331
9000, ovolohotels.com.au
Every nook and cranny is
social-media ready. Now
choose your backdrop: a vintage chair,
the lobby wall of old pub posters,
or the Studio 54 vibe at the restored
Art Deco bar.
Grab a tin of Young Henrys
Newtowner ale from the
minibar and head for the rooftop pool.
It’s not made for laps but it has rock-
star views over Sydney’s favourite
vertical garden.
Kensington StreetSocial takes
care of room service and the
à la carte breakfast ($20) – a smoked
mackerel omelette, perhaps, or fig jam
on sourdough, with Single O cofee
and fresh juice. Come lunch, Automata
next door, or A1 Canteen, due to open
soon, should be top of your to-do list.
Old and new Chippendale
collide at the revamped
illuminated bar of The Clare; Reschs
listed alongside craft beers and
fruity cocktails, and students joined
by agency execs.WHERE2km from the
CBD, walking distance
from Central Station.
COSTFrom $299,
without breakfast.AT A
GLANCE62 rooms and
suites, adjoining rooms;
bar, restaurants, rooftop
pool, gym, free bike
hire, paid valet parking.
IN ROOMFree WiFi,
smart TV, Bose sound
system, some baths,
cofee machine, pillow
menu, Triumph &
Disaster toiletries.BEST
ROOMSThe nine Clare
Rooms dial up the luxury
with freestanding baths
and super-king beds.THE OLD CLARE HOTEL
Everything old is new again and, in the case of The
Old Clare Hotel, it just gets better with age. The grungy
Clare pub and adjacent Carlton United Brewery building
were transformed in 2015 into a 62-room oasis in buzzing
Chippendale. Expect superior dining, art and shopping
options on the doorstep, character in spades, and friendly
staf. The neighbourhood vibe of pedestrianised Kensington
Street and Spice Alley and the Old Clare’s front bar draw
locals as well as visitors. Set over four floors, rooms are
light-filled and luxe, marrying heritage features with
freestanding baths and super-king beds. All have high
ceilings, Mid-century furniture and Maison Balzac
glassware.1 Kensington St, Chippendale, (02) 8277 8277,
theoldclarehotel.com.auThe Old
Clare’s lobby.Lo Lounge.Sydney160 GOURMET TRAVELLER