A Sydney hotel has become an unlikely mecca for Japanese visitors
A narrow staircase leads to nowhere; room numbers in this one-time convict hospital are out of sequence, and the higgledy-piggledy layout echoes inner-Sydney's crooked one-way streets, a factor destined to toy with the minds of visiting Melburnians, lost without a grid.
And in perhaps the biggest quirk of all, one room has become somewhat of a shrine for Japanese anime fans after detailed depictions of the interior of the hotel with its landmark tower featured in a 2016 YouTube episode of Free! Eternal Summer, where two characters, Rin and Haru, stayed in room 25.
This gathering of old and new charms has been enhanced by a top-to-toe renovation of this newly reopened heritage-listed hotel on Globe Street, next door to the Fortune of War, Sydney's oldest pub.
Each of the light 28 rooms – no two alike and all different sizes – now boast custom upholstered bedheads and joinery, striking Australiana-themed wallpaper, one-off antique pieces, plus refurbished bathrooms with signature scented products inspired by native flowers. Corridors on each floor showcase artworks, stunning light fixtures and different coloured carpets to aid in navigation.
A restored sitting room and spacious rooftop with Harbour Bridge glimpses provides more spaces for guests to unwind or mingle with a drink or snack, while a grand staircase delivers them downstairs to the Fortune of War's new venue, Bistro 1828, for breakfast – included in all stays – or to sample an all–day menu by new executive chef Mark Williamson, ex-Woollahra Hotel.
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