The Little National Hotel in Newcastle is hitting the mark

I think I've found my new favourite hotel in Newcastle, perfect for that little weekend getaway. 

Newcastle's latest hotel is doing things differently. 

The low down

With rooms the size of a standard cruise cabin, a considered lack of food options and the ability to come and go without ever speaking to a single member of staff, DOMA Group’s Little National dares to be different. Pitching themselves as merely a base from which to explore its resident city (there’s one in Canberra and Sydney) rather than offer a full in-room experience, this newcomer to Newy doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t.

Location

Sitting at the northern end of Honeysuckle Drive and across the road from the redeveloped foreshore precinct, Little National is an easy five minute walk to the many restaurants and cafes that line the foreshore and those on nearby Hunter Street. It is also minutes from the Newcastle Transport Interchange where the trains from Sydney pull in.  

Little National Hotel's modern exterior.

The (little) room

In a world where we have been accustomed to appreciate ‘the bigger the better’ when it comes to hotel rooms, Little National, ironically, stands out for what it doesn’t offer. Keeping it simple, they only have two room categories: LN Rooms (of which there are 172) and LN Apartments (there are just nine). The LN Rooms come it at around 17sqm and are as wide as the bed (though, to be fair, it is a super king size bed). However it doesn’t feel cramped, thanks mainly to the floor-to-ceiling window behind the bed.

Little National claim to provide everything you need and nothing you don’t – so I put them to the test, from my own personal must-have list: massive TV (tick), coffee machine (tick), good room lighting (tick, and an extra tick for not having ultra-confusing light switches you can never figure out), decent strength hairdryer (tick), good shower pressure (tick) and, best of all, super comfy – and ironically, extra-large - bed. In fact, I could stretch my leg entirely in one direction and still not hit my partner (big tick, no offence honey).

Effortless in its simplicity.

If you do want extra space – say you’re staying a week or two for business or travelling with little kids – the LN Apartment is a perfect upgrade as it includes a self-contained kitchenette and a separate lounge area with a second television. 

Food and drinks

There is no restaurant at Little National, but they make up for this in a couple of ways. The Lounge is dominated by a long bar overlooking Newcastle Harbour and flooded by light thanks to its split-level parameters. They have a small menu, including a few breakfast offerings, like the delicious Sydney-based Crumpets by Merna, toasted muesli and toasted sandwich made with locally-sourced Uprising Sourdough.

If you’re after a little more, you will find the Little List in your room which is filled with local restaurant and café suggestions, or you can order in. A card in your room directs you to ask for the delivery to be left at reception and hotel staff will bring it to your room, or the Lounge, with cutlery and plates. 

Dark and mysterious: the bar is exactly the vibe you need after a long day.

The library

Little National caters predominantly to a corporate guest, and to this end they offer a large space they call The Library. It has a few small soundproof meeting pods, shared working stations with plenty of USB ports and power sockets and complimentary tea, coffee, printing and scanning facilities. 

Connectivity

You can stay at Little National and have zero interaction with staff if that’s what you want, thanks to a high level of connectivity. Four self-check-in and checkout kiosks can be found at reception which allows you to choose your own room (like when you book a flight), deliver your room card and accept payment.

From in-room tablets you can call reception, order from the virtual minibar or scroll UberEats. And panels at the front door and by the bed allow you to control blinds (which open automatically every time you enter your room) and turn lighting to ambient, night or reading settings – instead of pressing every light switch until the one you want comes on, which is my usual tactic. 

Minimalism is the key at Little National Hotel Newcastle.

What's hot

Maddy in the Lounge created a ‘cool bar’ crawl for us that took us to the secret speakeasy, Coal & Cedar, and Japanese cocktail bar, Koutetsu, both on nearby Hunter Street.

What's not

With space at a premium in-room, my favourite hotel inclusion was sadly sacrificed – the bath. You also want to make sure you travel light as there’s limited space to stow luggage.

The Verdict – 9/10

Those looking for a hotel with a cool poolside vibe and several onsite eateries won’t be thrilled with the pared-back offerings at Little National, but that’s ok, this hotel doesn’t claim to be anything it’s not. 

This writer was a guest of Little National Hotel Newcastle

Originally published as The Little National Hotel in Newcastle is hitting the mark