A stylish central Sydney hotel for under $150 a night? It exists

3 months ago 24

The hotel

Ibis Styles Sydney Central

Check in

The gigantic Accor hotel group owns a vast collection of brands for all budgets, from the luxurious like Raffles, Fairmont and Sofitel, to mid-range like Mantra and Novotel, through to its budget offerings which include Ibis – where I’m checking in. To be more accurate, this is an Ibis Styles hotel, a trendier version of the Ibis brand aimed at a younger, hipper clientele than those simply seeking a cheap room. The Sydney Central property, first opened in 2022, recently underwent a multimillion refurbishment which saw the public areas revamped along with new looks for rooms and the creation of a new restaurant (see below). The hotel is just south of Hyde Park, a short walk from Museum Station and close enough to the heart of the city.

The look

The unassuming lobby has little to distinguish it from the anonymous lobbies of the ubiquitous apartment skyscrapers in this part of the city, with one exception – a newly added mural by abstract expressionist Rowena Martinich, which adds a welcome splash of colour to the entry.

The carpet adds a touch of style to the otherwise bland corridors.

Visitors can check in via kiosk or a small reception desk which doubles as a cafe with various Japanese treats on offer. The corridors could easily seem sterile with their white walls, bare metal edgings and grey room doors, but a newly laid carpet with a bright abstract pattern adds a touch of style (though, bizarrely, despite the refurbishment most of the doors on my floor have badly chipped paint at the time of my stay).

The room

I’m in a Deluxe Queen Room with balcony, one of only four in the 413-room property (21 wheelchair accessible). The balcony is more of a terrace – about one third the size of the room itself with a large table and chairs for outdoor dining, and high surrounding walls keeping it fairly private. That said, it’s raining, as it often seems to in Sydney these days, so I’m restricted to remaining indoors throughout my stay.

The hotel’s rooms offer good value for money.

Inside the room itself features the titular queen-sized bed, two armchairs and a small table (which is too high to sit at comfortably in one of the chairs, as it happens). It’s mostly muted tones with grey carpet, white walls and beige cupboards, the exception being the bright art above the bedhead. There’s a kitchenette with a sink and microwave, plus crockery, which is standard in all rooms. The bathroom is big enough for one to be comfortable, but two at a time would be a squeeze. The toiletries, in large bottles, are limited to body wash and a shampoo/conditioner combo. Ibis Styles spruiks its “Sweet Bed” beds, and it is indeed very comfortable.

The food

Mee Soo Bar cooler than you might expect.

A restaurant at a budget hotel hardly screams “must try”, but I’m pleased to report the property’s Japanese and Korean style eatery, Mee So Bar, dispels any reservations one might have. I indulge in the tasting menu ($65) of six dishes, including peking duck baos, prawn wontons and a spicy pork taco, each beautifully presented. There’s also a long and fun Japanese-influenced cocktail list, with detailed descriptions of each concoction. I have a Great Wave of Kanagawa ($21), which “depicts the pureness of what lies beneath the ocean”. I’m not sure about how pure it is, featuring a mix of vodka, blue curcao, alize bleu and Japanese calpis with nori syrup, but it is quite refreshing. Another thing that defies expectations here is that, for a hotel restaurant, it’s busy on a Tuesday night – seemingly with many patrons who are not guests at the hotel. See meeso.com.au

Stepping out

From the hotel it’s a short walk to Hyde Park or head straight up Wentworth Avenue to and on to College Street to visit the Australian Museum, which is particularly appealing for kids with its extensive displays of wildlife, fossils and dinosaurs. See https://australian.museum/

The verdict

It’s in a great location, it’s clean, it’s comfortable and you can get rooms for less than $150 a night – what’s not to like? The fact there’s a lively, cool bar and restaurant downstairs is a bonus.