The Old Clare, Sydney - hotel review

Chloe Sachdev checks into Sydney's chicest new city bolthole
1/5
Chloe Sachdev3 February 2016

Take a break from the sun and surf and explore Sydney’s inner city via its newest bolthole, The Old Clare Hotel.

Where is it? On Kensington Street in Chippendale, a rapidly gentrifying inner-city suburb of Sydney. Once a seedy dead zone, Chippendale is now a thriving scene bustling with cafes, small bars, restaurants and galleries, proving there’s more to Sydney than just the beach.

Style: Old meets new. For its first Australian project, the Unlisted Collection has renovated two iconic heritage-listed buildings – the former Clare Hotel and the Carlton & United Breweries Administration Building – transforming both buildings into one 62-room hotel linked by a glass atrium. Preservation of the original building was key during the renovation, but so too was a sleek and modern outcome, and it succeeds. Much like the neighbourhood, the hotel is filled with contrasting elements: industrial cornices and original tiles paired with contemporary custom-made furniture and vintage lamps,or the exposed original walls twinned with high gloss features. But it’s the high ceilings, large windows and stripped-back interiors in all rooms (across seven categories) that round off the overall style.

Facilities: Two bars, three restaurants, a rooftop pool and a gym. Except the gym, all facilities are open to the public.

Big draw: The Old Clare's rooftop pool

Extra-curricular: Take advantage of your inner city location and stamp the pavement around you. Visit the award winning aMBUSH Gallery, located next door, or take a walk to the White Rabbit Gallery and peruse the permanent Ai Wei Wei collection. Design junkies, don’t miss Frank Gehry’s ‘paper bag’ building just down the road.

Food and drink: Credit to the hotel, the bar and restaurants are constantly bustling with non-hotel guests. The original pub adjacent to the lobby, The Old Clare, is an old boozer that has been restored rather than renovated. Post 6pm, it's standing room only. The rooftop pool, open to the public on the weekends, has a steady footfall but it’s the three restaurants that have all of Sydney talking. Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton heads up the casual, all day Kensington Street Social, which also provides in-room dining. Clayton Wells (ex-sous chef from Momofuku Seiobo) takes charge of Automata, the smart-casual warehouse-style space serving up a seasonally led five-course menu at an affordable $88. Matching drinks are an additional $55. And lastly, Silvereye, is the fine dining option: a 17-course degustation (or 11, if you choose the shorter menu). Led by Sam Miller, who spent 5 years as René Redzepi’s right hand man at Noma, the style here may be Nordic-inspired but the cuisine is uniquely Australian, with the focus on indigenous ingredients. A standout.

Attracting Sydney's hip crowd: The Old Clare bar

Which room? The 62 rooms and suites are all spacious and bright, some keep true to its industrial past with original and exposed brick walls, whereas others have had a lick of new paint. Our Abercrombie room (slightly larger than the standard), part of the more modern set, can’t be faulted (except, perhaps for its open bathroom, leaving little to the imagination). If budget weren’t an issue, we'd rest our head in the Mary O’Suite. The second largest suite, it's loaded with character and history. The fact that it has a separate entertaining and dining area for up to eight guests, a separate bedroom and comes with its own bar adds to the appeal.

Best for: couples and groups of friends. Its buzzing bar, restaurants and rooftop pool doesn’t lend itself to a kid-friendly atmosphere.

Push the boat out with a suite and you'll get your own living area...

When should you go? If you're thinking of going to Sydney in summer you might want to stay beachside. March through November on the other hand, this inner-city hotel is just the ticket. Close to bars, cafes, shops, restaurants and galleries all amidst the hustle and bustle.

Price: Rooms from $350, The Old Clare Hotel, including taxes, fees and wifi. 1 Kensington St, Chippendale, NSW; theoldclarehotel.com.au

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