I wanted to stay at the 25 Hours Hotel Sydney for its history alone. I have a confession to make. I am obsessed with historic theatres and have toured them around the world. When I discovered that one of Sydney’s newest boutique hotels was once the heritage-listed West Olympia Theatre which opened in 1911, nothing was going to keep me away. Rather than being like another bland corporate hotel, 25hours Hotel Sydney The Olympia felt as though it has inherited all the best bits from its former life.

Where is the 25 Hours Hotel in Sydney?

The 25 Hours Hotel in Sydney is located in Paddington. It’s around 3km from Sydney’s CBD which is one of the hotel’s biggest drawcards but this can also be a bit tricky. Step outside and you’re surrounded by the boutiques, cafes, restaurants and galleries that make Paddington such a fun suburb to explore. However, the closest train station is almost a kilometre away which means you’ll probably want to catch an Uber or a taxi. I loved the fact that the hotel felt connected to the neighbourhood rather than sealed off from it, but it was a bit of a journey getting to the city or Darling Harbour.

25 Hours Hotel in Sydney Has A Retro Movie Theme

If you’re the sort of person who thinks a hotel room should have more personality than a beige box with a king-sized bed, you’re going to like this place. The entire hotel plays on its cinematic history, with everything from vintage film memorabilia and the original ticket box to the cinema’s historic staircase. And then there’s the hotel’s retro video shop. Guests can borrow movies to watch in their rooms, which is a fun touch given the building’s history as a cinema.

Should You Book A Dreamer or Renegade Room?

There’s a wonderfully playful quality to the design of the hotel. There are 109  rooms and they are divided into Dreamer and Renegade styles, inspired by the classic movie protagonists who drive the plot forward. Dreamer rooms are lighter and airier with shades of pink and blue, while Renegade rooms are darker, moodier and more dramatic.

I stayed in a Renegade room and loved it. Think rich colours, graphic patterns, atmospheric lighting and a slightly mischievous feel that makes it considerably more interesting than your standard hotel room. Rooms also feature exclusive artwork by Sydney artist Kubi Vasak, giving the rooms an added local connection.

25 Hours Hotel Sydney Room Inclusions

I loved the nice little extras in my room that made my stay feel fun and more relaxed. Wi-Fi is free, and the room comes with complimentary minibar drinks, so you don’t have to brace yourself for the usual mini-bar price shock when you fancy something from the fridge. The rooms also have Kreafunk Bluetooth speakers, meaning you can easily put your own soundtrack to the stay.

You also get two complimentary bottles of nail polish as a cute arrival gift to take home. These are pink and blue for a Dreamer room and black and red for the Renegade room. I loved my Renegade room but black and red nail polish isn’t really my style, so I asked to swap the Renegade colours for the Dreamer room’s pink and blue. Like anything else you might ask for, this was no worries at all.

My only room-related gripe was one that only became apparent after a long day spent at a conference: there’s no room service. When you’ve had a big day in Sydney (whether you’re there for work or out sightseeing), sometimes the last thing you want to do is get dressed up and venture out for dinner. I would have happily ordered something to eat in bed and borrowed a video for a movie-and-snacks night.

25 Hours Hotel Sydney Restaurants

That said, you certainly won’t go hungry at 25 Hours Hotel Sydney. In fact, food and drink are a major part of the hotel’s appeal, with four venues ranging from a neighbourhood cafe to a rooftop bar. Provided you’ve got the energy to go out, it’s great!

The Palomar is the hotel’s main restaurant, serving food inspired by Southern Europe, North Africa and the Levant, with Australian ingredients and open-fire cooking at its heart. The kitchen counter seating puts diners right in the middle of the action, which makes it feel more like an experience than simply somewhere to eat. I had breakfast here and really enjoyed it. The coffee was great too!

Next door, The Mulwray is the place for cocktails and wine, with a menu of elevated but approachable bar food. It’s named after Evelyn Mulwray from the classic 1974 film Chinatown, so naturally it comes with plenty of cinematic atmosphere. For coffee, breakfast or something lighter, Jacob the Angel has a relaxed London-cafe feel and opens directly onto Oxford Street. It serves local baked goods from Tuga Pastries, coffee from Australian specialty roaster Ona and teas from Tea Craft.

Then there’s Monica, the rooftop bar, which is probably the hardest place to leave once you’ve settled in. With city views, a generous terrace, tropical greenery, lounges, sunbeds and a lively atmosphere, it’s designed for lingering. DJs provide the soundtrack on Friday and Saturday nights, with Sunday afternoons getting in on the action too.

Should You Stay At The 25 Hours Hotel in Sydney?

Absolutely! 25 Hours Hotel Sydney won me over with it’s stylish, bustling energy that makes you feel as though you’re staying in the heart of the action. I particularly loved the way the building’s cinema history had been woven through the design. From the movie-inspired rooms to the vintage memorabilia, video shop and theatrical public spaces, there was always another fun detail to discover.

Disclosure: The writer stayed as a guest of the hotel. She would not hesitate to pay to stay at this hotel again at her own expense, but next time she’ll bring her husband.

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