KIRKETON HOTEL
Boutique chic on a budget in deepest Darlinghurst
THIS MUCH-HYPED ADDRESS in trendy Darlinghurst – Sydney’s answer to SoHo – offers a slice of urban living smack in the middle of a vibrant quarter packed with boutiques, cafes and voguish bars.
Less-is-more is the distinctly modernist credo of The Kirketon's interior designers Burley Katon Halliday, who have pared things down to the stylish essentials.
Bedrooms are the max in minimalism: expect smart, clutter-free spaces with bold lines. Bathrooms are chic and simple, and come stocked with Kevin Murphy toiletries as well as the hotel’s own passionfruit soap.
Gadget junkies will home in on the free wi-fi internet access, CD player and 14-channel TV.
Public spaces are glamorously bold with touches of retro. The classic booths, leather chairs and bronze wall mirrors of Kell's Kitchen echo the iconic style of chic eateries in New York and London, while vivid colours make the bar a show-stopper. Not surprisingly this is
a fave location for fashion shoots and a popular hangout for 20-something media types.
Hit the spot
Next to the action in trendy Darlinghurst.
Bedtime
The stripped-down look might inspire you to follow suit. Crisp linen, soft down pillows and mohair throws provide the comfort zone.
Be savvy
Rooms are compact and there's no lift.
Be smitten
Bags of affordable chic in a great location.
Nightlife on the doorstep
Down a Martini cocktail or freshly shucked oysters in the bar before getting stuck into the cosmopolitan menu at Kell's Kitchen. Then head out on the town: Sydney’s cafe life and liveliest night spots – plus all the rest – are right here on your doorstep.
The Kirketon Hotel was reviewed for Room for Romance by
Gabi Angell.
Click on any picture to enlarge it and move through the gallery.
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Dining in
Chic and informal dining awaits at Kell’s Kitchen, with its mirrored walls and funky frescoes. Chef Eric Tan’s menus give classic favourites a new twist:
try the wagyu beef mini burgers or roasted miso butterfish. Down a cocktail at the bar to kick things off.
You can order an in-room continental breakfast here, or simply stroll across the street to the Darlinghurst cafe strip.
Dining out
Fancy Japanese, Thai, or Italian? It’s all right here at your door. The eclectic Victoria Street coffee strip is second to none: lounge in the Tropicana Café (known as the Trop) over a cappuccino or try the de-lish scrambled eggs and ricotta hotcakes at nearby Bill’s. For sheer tradition, you can’t beat the seafood – and the sunsets – at Doyle’s on the Beach in Watson’s Bay.
Where?
Kell’s Kitchen at the Kirketon Hotel.
What’s cooking?
Contemporary cuisine that’s as cool as your surroundings, such as seared yellow fin tuna.
Top table?
Where you can preen next to the mirror. Bag a place close to the log fire on cooler nights.
See & Do
Wander through Darlinghurst – Sydney’s answer to SoHo – and mix with eclectic café society. Stroll past Paddington’s galleries and pretty Victorian terraces, or take in the antique shops of nearby Woollahra.
Be sure to check off the city’s big sights: book a front-of-house tour of the Sydney Opera House, or a Bridgeclimb to get a bird’s eye view of the famous harbour. Chug across the waves on a ferry for some of the best city vistas, or head for the surf of Bondi and South Head, near Watson’s Bay. Take a guided tour of Sydney’s old colonial buildings or have a picnic in Centennial park.
Shop
Join Sydneysiders for a browse along Paddington’s Oxford Street, or hot-foot it to Diederic the Cat and Alfie’s Friend Rolfe on Darlinghurst Road for designer-label gear.
After dark
Darlinghurst, Pott’s Point and Oxford Street are abuzz after dark, so don’t expect many early (or quiet) nights. Start with a glass of fizz at the Kirketon before a cocktail-crawl around the neighbourhood’s happening bars and clubs. For slick and stylish surrounds and jaw-dropping views of Sydney Harbour, try ECQ on Macquarie Street at East Circular Quay.
Dates
New Year’s Eve
Apologies to Edinburgh, but Sydney is THE place for New Year’s Eve. Celebrations culminate in spectacular fireworks on Sydney Harbour Bridge.
26 January
Make sure you’re around for the Australia Day celebrations, where Sydney becomes one big party with festivities all over town.
February-March
Mardi Gras Aussie style! A month-long series of arty, social and sports events culminating in an outrageously pink parade.
GETTING THERE
Location
Darlinghurst Road, Sydney, NSW 2010
Parking
There is no guest parking. Secure underground parking (chargeable) is available nearby.
Trains
King’s Cross station – 300m
Taxis
AUD 25-30 from the airport
Airport
Sydney Kingsford Smith – 14km
Rooms and suites
40 rooms
Special features
Shades of charcoal, chocolate and purple are twinned with essentials like wi-fi, cable TV, CD players and voicemail. Rooms are compact, so book a premium (queensize bed) or executive (kingsize).
Also…
Dine in style in Kell’s Kitchen, then work off your excesses with a complimentary gym pass.
ESSENTIAL INFO
Rates guide
AUD 250-900
Open/closed
Open all year
Check-in
2pm
Check-out
10am
Minimum night stay?
No
Breakfast
Continental breakfast is served in your room (charged extra). You’re also just across the street from some trendy breakfast cafes.
Room service
Available morning and evening.
Children
Welcome
Pets
Boutique hotels are best appreciated by people, so leave Rover at home.
Air conditioning
Yes – all rooms
Languages
English and Portuguese
Wedding license?
No
Eco conscience
The Kirketon is keen to lessen its impact on the environment, and implements recycling and energy conservation policies.