Hotel review: The Eve hotel is Sydney’s newest urban oasis
The centrepiece of a $500m development, this architecturally beautiful property has top restaurants, a rooftop pool and is already the place to meet in the city. Get there now.
The centrepiece of a $500m development, this architecturally beautiful property has top restaurants, a rooftop pool and is already the place to meet in the city. Get there now.
Location
The Eve Hotel Sydney is part of Wunderlich Lane, a $500m development that includes apartments, restaurants and retail on the site of a rundown 1970s shopping centre. On the border of Surry Hills and Redfern, the hotel is across the road from Crown Street and its fabulous restaurants, shops and streets lined with trees and beautiful terrace houses.
First impressions
Our first look at The Eve is actually in the carpark two floors underneath the property. As we drive into the hotel’s designated car spaces, an attentive staff member, Ryan, is waiting for us. We park, and Ryan takes our bags and escorts us to the lobby. It is a seamless experience. More smiling staff meet us in the spacious reception. Modern furniture in striking colours and materials encourage guests to linger. Art pops on the white walls with dramatic effect; a giant glittering golden sun crying tears and a porcelain fruit creation are my favourites.
Design
Many luxury properties claim to be design hotels, but The Eve has the serious credentials to back it up. The building is the brainchild of architect Adam Haddow of SJB, while the gardens are by Daniel Baffsky of 360 Degrees. Haddow lives locally and won the Robin Boyd Award, the nation’s most prestigious residential architecture prize, for his house in Surry Hills; 360 Degrees has provided landscape design for restaurants, art galleries and resorts.
This expertise can be seen in all the detail, from the vibrant maroon tiles that frame the oversized doors at the entrance to the oasis created on the rooftop. There are even custom-designed umbrellas with a floral print of a pomegranate, paying homage to what John Baptist grew in his nursery on the site in 1829.
Accommodation
There are 102 guestrooms and suites across six categories, ranging from 27sq m for an entry-level courtyard room to 63sq m for a Sunset suite. All have king beds and either a sun-filled balcony or courtyard space. We are staying in a Wunderlich Balcony room, overlooking the development named after the Wunderlich brothers, who opened a factory there in the 1890s. The curves of the arched windows in the building opposite are literally reflected in the arched mirrors of the room and in the shape of the lamps. The earthy green tones of the walls are complemented by dark green velvet couches and emerald tiles in the rainwater shower to create a relaxing retreat. Double-glazed windows and effective black-out blinds mean the city outside rarely intrudes.
Dining
Hospitality group Liquor & Larder run two restaurants in the hotel. There’s European-inspired all-day eatery Bar Julius, and Lottie, a contemporary Mexican restaurant on the rooftop. There is also Olympus, a Greek restaurant from the team behind The Apollo, and in the adjoining Wunderlich precinct are Island Radio and Baptist St Rec. Club. These dining destinations are absolutely packed. Hip Surry Hills residents, families and friends catching up all mingle with hotel guests, creating an electric atmosphere. There is no mistaking the feeling this is the place to be eating and drinking, right now, in Sydney.
We dine at Lottie at midday on Saturday and are the first to arrive in the sun-drenched rooftop space, designed by restaurant interiors guru George Livissianis. There are staff everywhere and I think it could be overkill until about 30 minutes later when I look up to see every table and seat occupied. We start with guacamole with tortilla chips, and margaritas. The guacamole is topped with pepitas, dill and, surprisingly, mint, something I’ve never seen on guacamole; the flavour is utterly delicious. Another highlight is a beef chop with roasted onions and salsa picante. The meat is served with tortillas delivered in an ingenious leather pouch to keep them warm; I’d like to take it home (but I don’t).
The bar
Located on street level, Bar Julius would not be out of place in Paris or Berlin were it not for the Sydney sun streaming through the windows. There are burgundy leather banquette seats, beautiful timber walls adorned with art, and a stunning Barrisol ceiling featuring an original work by Louise Olsen. But it’s as much about the food as beautiful interiors.
We are there for breakfast on two consecutive days; the coffee is perfection as are the buttermilk pancakes, and lemon thyme ricotta on sourdough toast with toasted hazelnuts. But by 10am on Sunday they have run out of salmon and caper taramasalata bagels. The secret is already out.
The pool
The rooftop 20m heated pool is bordered by terracotta red lounges, umbrellas and well-established palm trees and gardens. There are underwater speakers so swimmers can hear music playing; it’s a rather extraordinary sensation, like a private aquatic disco. My children attempt to dance, which looks like wonderfully bad synchronised swimming. We spend most of our Sunday by the pool, which is a rarity for a city hotel, enjoying spectacular views, blue skies, icy Paloma cocktails and snacks from Lottie. There is simply no better place to be.
Likes
This hotel has seriously good design and food credentials and is set to be the hottest new place to meet and socialise in Sydney. The rooftop pool is an urban oasis so get in before those poolside lounges become the city’s hottest property; believe me, it won’t be long.
Dislikes
The pricing of the mini bar is bordering on ridiculous. A 200ml bottle of Four Pillars Gin is $65 and a packet of Natural Confectionery snakes $14. At Coles in Wunderlich Lane next door, I could buy two packets of the same snakes for $7 and a 700ml bottle of Four Pillars at Vintage Cellars for $65. The guestroom key cards are also temperamental.
Tariff
Courtyard Room from $549 a night; Wunderlich Balcony from $649 a night; valet parking from $55 for a 24-hour period.
Milanda Rout was a guest of The Eve Hotel Sydney.
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