Where 6 Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo, (02) 9331 9000,
Cost From $299, with breakfast.
At a glance 100 rooms and suites, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant, pool, gym, paid valet parking, free self-service laundry
In room Free WiFi, iPad, some baths and balconies, coffee machine, free minibar, Biology Smart Skincare toiletries.
Best rooms Though most rooms have water views, Cityvoo rooms at the end of the wharf have the best bridge and city skyline vistas.
There’s an Alice 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 offset 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.
We love
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 Lo Lounge
Thoughtful extras
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.
Pack your swimsuit to experience the indoor pool
Dining options
The breakfast buffet 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 staff 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.
Drink up
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.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Hotel Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
