‘Ridiculous’ feature in revamped Sydney hotel

Hotels are a dime a dozen when it comes to originality, but one recently revamped Sydney hotel is bucking the trend.

The SOUL Deli near the hotel’s lobby serves the most delicious breakfast options.

Hotels can be funny places at times.

You can spend heaps on a nice hotel or check in to a dingy motel by the side of the road and there will be noticeable difference, but to be honest many of them feel the same.

The buffet breakfast, the airless rooms and drab decor can make even the fanciest hotels seem like a bit of a drag at times.

A funky establishment in Sydney’s bustling Surry Hills however is trying something different.

Recently the hotel just off Crown Street launched a major new refurbishment.

Its 254-room tower, situated on the former site of the Cambridge Hotel, is now fully complete and ready to welcome guests.

The first thing that hits you is how cool this place is. The Adge may not boast heaps of features, but it is offbeat, friendly, clean and refreshingly different.

The rooms are surprisingly spacious and feature a statement colour-blocking design that’s eye-popping but not hideous. It feels like you’ve been invited to somebody’s very cool apartment. Even the teaspoons have rainbow-tinged glow.

The rooms are funky...

As are the teaspoons.

I stayed on the unlucky 13th floor, but got pretty lucky with the view from the balcony.

Most out-of-towners might think the best hotel views would be enjoyed from the CBD. But Adge, sitting just outside the centre in Surry Hills, gives you an awesome vista of the city’s skyscrapers. I could even spot the Sydney Opera House, albeit from an obscure angle, through the towers.

The view also highlights the hotels other great feature — its location. Let’s face it, Sydney’s CBD can be pretty uninspiring, especially during the weekend and in the evenings.

You can clock the Opera House on the right-hand side.

It’s a pretty awesome view.

The Adge however sits in the cool part of town — with the hip bars, cafes and pubs of Crown St on your doorstep. We went out for ramen and $15 cocktails at Gogyo and stumbled back to the hotel with minimal effort. Sydney institutions like the A.P Bakery are a stone’s throw away.

For breakfast, you don’t even need to leave the hotel complex for a taste of something incredible.

Korean deli Soul Deli is nestled beneath the hotel and it features some breakky dishes that will put a spring in your step.

I chowed down on a breakfast of champions — a Korean Fried Chicken pancake stack. No reputable doctor would recommend this dish more than once a year, but it is one hell of a way to start your day. There’s also some inspired, lighter options on the menu like kimchi avocado on toast.

This certainly put a few hairs on my chest.

The hotel’s makeover, developed by local architecture companies Tzannes and Team 2 Architects, with interiors designed by SJB, began in 2024.

“The hotel has a great vibe and energy, creating an atmosphere that caters to various groups of

people, including the LGBTQ community, business and corporate guests, couples, self-made

entrepreneurs, up-and-coming artists, and anyone who ‘dares to be different’,” said Paul Cundy, General Manager.

“The ADGE offers a unique and exciting opportunity to explore the best of what the neighbourhood has to offer. It is an ideal location to indulge in contemporary facilities and amenities while immersing in the sights, sounds, and tastes of the culture precinct.”

The writer stayed at the ADGE as a guest of the hotel. For more information, visit the ADGE website.