There’s no room for error with rooms this compact

The place

Little National Hotel, Newcastle, NSW

Check-in

Little National Newcastle cuts an imposing figure.

Smell that? That’s the rose and oud in the signature Doma candle scent – and it’s an instant mood-shifter from the moment you enter the stone-clad lobby of this eight-storey hotel, which opened in April 2024.

The Little National experience is a feast for the senses, from the music and heated hallways, to the delicate sconce lighting and soft textiles. Given LN’s hallmark minimalism, communal spaces are deeply considered (and three speedy elevators mean you’re never waiting for long to get to them).

The library – exclusive to guests – is a cleverly designed retreat that’s especially appealing for business travellers, with individual desks, soundproof working pods and large communal tables. The lounge bar – which is currently exclusively for guests but may soon open to the public – is smooth and inviting, with nooks separated by foliage and cunningly placed couches.

If you peel out of your plush super-king bed early enough to grab a macchiato there, you’re guaranteed views of stroller-pushing runners, yachties and dragon boat racers, who seem to row in time to the hotel’s mellow lounge music.

The lounge oozes comfort.

The look

Bates Smart and Luchetti Krelle have kept the look consistent with the other LN hotels, albeit with a slightly more refined approach. The concrete, steel and glass structure cuts an imposing figure from the outside. Inside, it’s all moodiness and style with a strong use of angles and texture, from the carpeted elevator and thoughtful up-lighting to the timber slats on the ceiling above the lounge, which extend the eye out to the harbour.

The lounge oozes comfort with oversized couches and a suave granite bar, while atrium-style windows and Juliet balconies give the illusion of seclusion amid the neighbourhood hum. Timber and stone play against natural light in the library, as gossamer curtains tone down the afternoon sun. There’s a sophistication to the restraint, with purpose embedded into all elements of the fitout.

The room

A room with a view (harbour glimpses).

In a first for the brand, Newcastle offers both traditional compact rooms and one-bedroom apartments with a kitchenette and sitting area. We’re staying in the former, its clever footprint, luxe touches and signature wall-to-window wedged-in bed. (That does mean it’s accessible from only one side, so prepare to get cosy if you’re sharing.) Views overlook heritage buildings, a car park and a patch of the harbour.

Unlike the rest of the room, showers are spacious.

There’s no room for error in a space this small – happily, LN team have it down to a science. The layout follows the format of the Canberra and Sydney hotels, with everything in its place and a slimline Nespresso machine tucked in the cupboard. For a pint-sized space, the shower is large and bathroom extremely well-equipped – and the luxurious Byredo Bal d’Afrique bath products are intoxicatingly aromatic.

Food + drink

Guests can order in from neighbouring eateries and dine at the bar or lounge.Credit: Suppplied

The food selection is small but generously portioned. The bar offers evening nibbles (creamy City Larder chicken liver parfait with peach and muscatel chutney, and Mount Zero olives alongside Marcona almonds) and a small continental-style breakfast of crumpets, granola and toast in the morning. There’s a ground-floor cafe slated to open later this year.

The hotel encourages guests to support local eateries by using their “door to door” concierge service for ordering takeout, which you’re free to enjoy in the lounge and library with a tipple from the bar. Our pick? The slick Reggie’s Royale cocktail, a blend of passionfruit liqueur, vermouth and local Earp Distilling rum.

Out + about

Located near the waterfront, this part of Newy is bustling with life. Wander down the harbourside footpath, which goes all the way from Foreshore Park to Islington Park, for a scenic 10-kilometre loop. Queens Wharf Hotel is the perfect waterfront spot to mingle with locals over a schooner and a schnitty, but head further afield to the Beach Hotel in Merewether (eating downstairs or at its rooftop restaurant, Peregrin) for a top-tier night out. Uprising Bakery in Mayfield is a must for a perfect morning pastry and coffee, but baristas at LN’s lounge bar make a very fine flat white with St Ali coffee.

The verdict

Easy, thoughtful, accessible luxury in the heart of Honeysuckle, Newcastle’s newest urban development.

The essentials

From $189 a night. The hotel features nine accessible rooms. 44 Honeysuckle Drive, Newcastle NSW 2300. Phone: [phone]. See littlenationalhotel.com.au/newcastle

Our rating out of five

★★★★

Highlight

This latest iteration for the brand is a refined version of the consistency we know and love, with the bonus of fantastically quiet surroundings for the location.

Lowlight

We’re all for the latest technological advances in travel (like the seamless check-in/check-out kiosk experience in the hotel lobby: 10 out of 10) but the “smart” lighting keypads in the rooms are a little overwhelming.

The writer visited as a guest of Little National Hotel.