Australian Heritage Hotel

Make sure you order food and drinks before heading up to the rooftop bar. It’s a lovely heritage place, with a great view and a top location, but after the steep climb you find there’s no bar or way to order up there. Get your beer first. They bring the food up once it’s ordered.

The lamb salad I had for dinner was really tasty, and breakfast was included with our two-night stay upstairs. It’s basic, just cereals, fruit, tea and coffee, but enough to get the day started. The rooms were clean and neat, and the shared bathrooms were kept that way too. It’s a great old school Aussie pub with plenty of character and different areas across several levels. Staff were friendly and efficient. The location is perfect for the Rocks, Harbour Bridge and Circular Quay. Just be aware, getting to the accommodation means climbing two stories of steep stairs, so it’s not suitable for people with impaired mobility. Also, there’s a pub downstairs, so it can be noisy until midnight.

The rooftop could be a nice stop on a fine day, especially with all the significant places nearby, though there are better restaurants down the road. The kangaroo pizza was nothing special, definitely felt aimed at tourists. The rooftop itself is nice, but the bar is split between the front, back and rooftop, with little signage for bathrooms or access. Staff weren’t the friendliest.

We came for Saturday lunch. It’s a typical Aussie pub, with vintage everything, a big range of beers on tap, indoor and outdoor seating, poker machines and accommodation. There’s a lot to like about the place. The food was below average for the price, though maybe that’s the location. It was busy, so we waited a long time, and our pizza was disappointing.