25hours has opened its inaugural Australian hotel on Sydney’s Oxford Street, with 109 guest rooms, four food and beverage concepts, a design store, and a central courtyard at the blurry edges of Paddington, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst.
In the spirit of the brand’s approach to reimagining historic sites as cultural playgrounds, 25hours Hotel The Olympia has taken over the building that was once West’s Olympia Theatre (which opened in 1911), and later became popular nightclub the Grand Pacific Blue Room.
“From the beginning, our vision has been to create hotels that are rooted in their surroundings and full of character, rather than repeating a formula,” says Christoph Hoffmann, founder of 25hours Hotels. “The Olympia is a perfect match for that philosophy: a historic theatre with a colourful past, right at the intersection of some of Sydney’s most vibrant neighbourhoods,”
Starting in the lobby, where vintage film-themed furniture and memorabilia are on display, the hotel’s character-filled interiors are splashed with high-contrast colours, custom-designed furniture, graphic textiles and exclusive artworks by Sydney artist Kubi Vasak. Heritage elements like a ticket box, grand staircases and original brickwork have been retained, and there’s a retro video shop from which historical artefacts (yes, actual VHS tapes) can be borrowed for in-room movie nights.
Categories for accommodation range from courtyard-facing queen rooms through to a one-of-a-kind, 69-square-metre suite, with rooms (eight of them dog-friendly) following either the Renegade scheme with bold and moody styling, or the Dreamer aesthetic with a light, airy palette.
Led by culinary director Mitch Orr (Kiln, Acme, Sepia) the four-part food and beverage program at 25hours Hotel The Olympia adds a rooftop bar to the Paddington dining scene, plus three Down Under interpretations of concepts by London-based hospitality group Studio Paskin. Since 1995, siblings Layo and Zoë Paskin have developed on-trend dining and nightlife experiences with an eye on culture — Layo even played DJ sets in the Grand Pacific Blue Room in the early 2000s.
From Soho to Sydney, The Palomar is a satellite version of the duo’s London establishment of the same name, blending the sun-kissed flavours of southern Europe, North Africa and the Levant. With a wood-fired grill central to the style, Orr and head chef Luke Davenport (who joined The Palomar London in 2016 and has since worked at Noma in Copenhagen and London’s The Ledbury) are evolving The Palomar’s menu with the seasons, sourcing organic vegetables from Newcastle Greens, retired dairy cow beef from CopperTree Farms and line-caught fish from SouEast Seafoods.
Dishes on the opening menu include butterflied blue mackerel with chermoula; Berkshire pork chop with roasted grapes and sherry; and a pistachio ice cream baklava sandwich. The dining room features black and white photography of Paddington in the 1920s, with pink quartzite, navy leather and a marble mosaic.
Across from the restaurant, The Mulwray is a cocktail and wine bar led by sommelier Eleonore Wulf. A small bar snacks menu (Sydney rock oysters; beef tartare on toast; spiced onion rings with green chilli yoghurt) complements the drinks program, with a sophisticated and intimate atmosphere built by dark leather, brass floor inlays and original brick walls. Also on street level, Jacob the Angel recreates the welcoming and community-focused London cafe, with pastries from Lune Croissanterie, and Ona coffee.
On the newly built rooftop, Monica is a bar embracing themes of playfulness, socialising and personality. Flavourful snacks like devilled spanner crab on Jatz (a Mitch Orr staple), San Daniele prosciutto with roasted figs and rosemary; and a soy-glazed fried chicken burger form the food offering, while drinks include colourful cocktails, local spirits, a DIY mimosa bottle service and a sunset-friendly list of wines and beers. A central DJ booth sets the soundtrack for the indoor/outdoor space with sunbeds, lounging nooks and a firepit corner scattered among tropical foliage.
Over 1000 titles curated by nearby Berkelouw Books (themed around culture, cinema and local history) wrap around a 60-metre-long library wall in the lobby, and classes can be accessed at nearby fitness studio Flow Athletic, while six hire bikes open up the area to guests looking to explore a little further.
25hours Hotel The Olympia’s location establishes it as a new hub for cultural, sporting and lifestyle events like Sydney Mardi Gras, games hosted at the Sydney Cricket Ground or Moore Park, and the Sydney Marathon or City2Surf. Rates start at $399 per night.
25hours-hotels.com/sydney/the-olympia
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