The Loft (I687)

I found the room clean, comfortable and well equipped, with a good fridge and kettle. I preferred eating food from the organic store, so I didn’t need to dine out. The shared bathrooms were fine, too. There was some traffic noise, but running the in-room aircon made it disappear. The location is great: Fish Market is a 10-minute walk, convenience stores and a couple of organic supermarkets are within five minutes, and the Light Rail is nearby. I took the metro all the way from the airport. A much better experience for me than a soulless concrete shoebox hotel.

The bar staff were rude, dismissive and openly unpleasant. I hadn’t said anything to them, raised no complaint and had no confrontation, so the behaviour felt completely unprovoked. The pub also closed half an hour before midnight on New Year’s Eve. That’s embarrassing, shocking for tourists and laughable for locals. A pub that can’t serve a drink as the New Year arrives has missed the point. I’ve spent several New Year’s Eves in Sydney pubs and every one stayed open. Why didn’t this one? The explanations don’t hold up. I work in town planning, and not applying for extended NYE trading hours looks like either gross mismanagement or total incompetence. Don’t insult customers by pretending otherwise. Your response wasn’t honest, just a weak, predictable PR deflection. I won’t come back for New Year’s, birthdays or any other celebration, and I’m unlikely to return casually either. I’ll share this experience widely because people deserve to know what they’re walking into. You didn’t just lose one customer, you lost dozens. I review venues regularly and stand by this: avoid this place. Don’t waste your time. They don’t care. So un-Australian, and a complete joke given the name.

The oysters on Friday are simple, but fresh from the fish market and well worth trying. I had the rump steak cooked bleu, which they did properly, and my partner’s chicken burger was cooked to perfection. All three of us got tacos, too, and even people in their native place of origin would be proud of them. We went on a Friday two weeks ago with a friend, and I was really impressed. The staff were friendly and, unlike a lot of city pubs, knew how to pour a beer. There was a good range on tap and everyone seemed to be having a good time during karaoke. Hats off to the staff and management for one of the best nights I’ve had out in a long time.

The Wednesday trivia night was an absolute blast. The host had loads of energy and the staff got into it too. I wasn’t expecting much from a small pub’s cocktail menu, but it was much better than expected and the drinks tasted pretty damned good. Manager Marta was extremely friendly while still professional, with that special flair you’d expect from a girl from the continent. She and the staff made us feel like locals even though we weren’t. Thanks, guys. I’ll recommend you to friends and family. Keep doing a great job.