Chippendale was once a gritty inner-city suburb, but in 2024, it ranked as Sydney’s coolest neighbourhood – seventh coolest in the whole world, actually – and at least some of the credit for that can be granted to The Old Clare. The Old Clare is a boutique hotel with bars and restaurants on Kensington Street, the area that’s the beating heart of Chippendale. The Old Clare was here first, then the eateries down the laneway – as well as Spice Alley and the plant-covered Central Park Mall – grew around it.
Back in the day, when I was a student across the road at UTS, The Old Clare was my go-to pub. I enjoyed countless nights in this drinking hole clad in pale yellow Art Deco-slash-Aussie-pub tiles (the tiles are still here), having formative experiences and reading messages scribbled onto the back of the dunny door.
Since then I’ve grown up and so has the good old Clare. In 2015, the building was converted into a classy yet welcoming bar (thankfully they retained a lot of original features), a pool bar on the rooftop, and really good hotel rooms in between.
Why stay at The Old Clare hotel, Sydney?
The Old Clare hotel isn’t just another boutique property – it’s a landmark, and you can feel the sense of history in the rooms (this is no soulless stay). “The hotel is stitched together from two grand old neighbours – the Clare Hotel pub and the Carlton & United Breweries admin block. When the site was reborn in 2015, the team cleverly kept the best bits: the tiles, the lofty ceilings, the creaky timbers and brewery quirks, then softened them with new layers of comfort and polish.
Today, The Old Clare is part of Ode Hotels, a new boutique brand launched by EVT Hotels & Resorts. It sits alongside sister properties like Harbour Rocks Hotel in The Rocks and The Inchcolm in Brisbane. This collection is designed to spotlight unique, character-rich hotels with a story to tell – and The Old Clare might be the most charismatic of the lot.
What are the rooms like at The Old Clare?
During my two-night stay, I checked into an Abercrombie Room, one of the hotel’s largest and most striking rooms. The first thing that hits you is the scale – the ceilings are brewery-high, the layout sprawling and open. The room combines a lounge space, king-sized bed, deep soaking tub positioned dramatically between the bedroom and double shower, and a wall of floor-to-ceiling curtains that add theatre to the whole experience.
The details here are thoughtful and imaginative. A wall of vintage brewery fridges has been refashioned into a sleek marble-topped unit that houses modern luxuries: a large flat-screen TV, espresso machine, mini-bar, and even a Bluetooth record player to set the mood. Timber floors, mood lighting, curated books, and a double vanity in the bathroom make the space feel both homely and indulgent.
If you’re not in an Abercrombie, there are Connollys and Showroom Suites to choose from. The showstopper is the CUB Suite, a reimagined boardroom where the brewery’s brass once met. The long table and old timber walls are still there, giving it a gravitas most hotel rooms don’t even dream of. Across all categories, the blend of industrial heritage and design-forward details creates a vibe that’s nostalgic, creative, and undeniably romantic.
Where to eat and drink at The Old Clare Hotel
One of The Old Clare’s biggest draws is its food and drink offering. The Clare Bar pays homage to its pub heritage while serving up modern cocktails and good pub grub. Upstairs, the Pool Bar is a rooftop retreat with a drinks list perfectly suited to afternoons by the water. Breakfast is served at TOCH Bar, where you’ll find a-la-carte options done with flair – a refreshing change from tired buffet spreads.
For something more elevated, the hotel is also home to Longshore, a special-occasion restaurant with a menu that celebrates local, seasonal produce.
As mentioned, step outside and you’re in the thick of Kensington Street, one of Sydney’s best dining precincts. Highlights include the hawker-style Spice Alley, the wildly affordable Str’Eats Pasta Bar and classic Italian eatery Andiamo Trattoria.
What is the service like at The Old Clare?
The service strikes the perfect balance between casual and attentive. During check-in, the team were warm and welcoming, happy to share stories of the building’s past and offer insider tips on the neighbourhood. At breakfast, staff moved effortlessly between tables, making genuine conversation without ever hovering.
What facilities does The Old Clare offer?
The rooftop pool is the crown jewel here – an urban oasis with views over Chippendale’s mix of heritage rooftops and modern architecture. It’s small but stylish, and it feels like a secret spot above the bustle below.
The hotel also offers event spaces that make the most of its history. The CUB Suite doubles as a boardroom for private functions, while other flexible event areas nod to the building’s industrial past. There’s a simple 24-hour gym with Technogym equipment and free weights. There are free bikes for you to borrow. There’s a book library in the linkway, a record library, and the public areas – filled with historic photos and design quirks – are as much a part of the experience as the rooms themselves.
Accessibility is considered: there are elevators, and some rooms designed with wheelchair users in mind.
What’s the area like around The Old Clare?
Staying at The Old Clare puts you right in the heart of Chippendale, a neighbourhood that’s earned its global reputation for creativity and cool. Once dominated by breweries and warehouses, it’s now home to galleries, design studios, and some of Sydney’s best restaurants. Across the road is UTS’s Frank Gehry-designed Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, a modern architectural marvel. A short walk takes you to Central Park Mall, an eco-friendly shopping centre covered in vertical gardens, and the cultural hub of White Rabbit Gallery, one of the world’s leading collections of contemporary Chinese art.
The area is also incredibly convenient: Central Station (with trains, the metro plus light rail and buses) is just a five-minute walk away
Why should you book?
The Old Clare Hotel is a living piece of Sydney’s cultural history that has been reimagined for the modern day. With its thoughtful design, rooftop pool, and prime location in one of the city’s coolest neighbourhoods, it’s a hotel that appeals equally to design lovers, couples, and travellers looking for something beyond the ordinary.
In all honesty, I could quite happily live here at The Old Clare, going up and down between the room, to TOCH Bar where they serve a delicious a-la-carte breakfast, the Clare Bar with its Art Deco touches and great food, the rooftop pool bar, and Longshore. When you want to spread your wings a little further, Kensington Street, busy Broadway, Central Park Mall and all the other gems of Australia’s coolest neighbourhood are all just outside the front door.
Address: The Old Clare, 1 Kensington Street, Chippendale, NSW 2008
Price per Night: From approx. AU$280
Closest Transport Link: Central Station (5-minute walk)
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