The Old Clare by Ode Hotels

This was our second stay at The Old Clare, and once again it was wonderful. We were celebrating a birthday, and the team helped make it special, including going along with a surprise room upgrade for one night and arranging a late checkout while we travelled with a toddler. The rooms were lovely, and breakfast was excellent. We stayed in both the Loft and Showroom Suite, and each had its own memorable feel. The care in the details made the whole stay feel elegant and luxurious. We’d highly recommend it.

The Old Clare feels like Sydney: creative, relaxed and a little unconventional. You can still see the building’s industrial past, and its heritage character gives it a sense of authenticity. The hotel sits in Chippendale, close to galleries, restaurants and bars in a neighbourhood that keeps changing, while inside it feels like a retreat. Staff are attentive and knowledgeable without making service feel formal or overbearing. The rooms are spacious and thoughtfully furnished, with original brickwork and exposed structure adding character. The design feels sophisticated and comfortable without unnecessary extravagance. The hotel brings its heritage buildings into the present without turning the past into a museum display. Its appeal comes from quality, detail and a strong sense of place, rather than excess. A hotel with real personality and substance, and one that stays with you after checkout.

We splurged on this stay while passing through Sydney on our way home, mainly because it promised some of the city’s most comfortable beds. They were right, the bed was insanely comfortable and worth the money. The rooftop bar was closed, unfortunately. I’d absolutely stay here again.

I was given a complimentary room upgrade when I arrived, which made me hopeful, but the stay went downhill after that. The room was in unacceptable shape, with stained walls and marked carpets, and the cleanliness was nowhere near what I’d expect from a reputable hotel, especially one calling itself 5-star. Hot water also took far too long to heat. Housekeeping repeatedly failed to clean the room despite my putting the sign out. On the first day, I returned at 3 PM to find it untouched and had to call reception. Someone came up, but the towels they left had holes. The next day, the room still wasn’t cleaned by 4 PM after I put the sign out again, so I had to call reception again. The replacement towels that time were stained. Giving guests visibly dirty linens is shocking and inexcusable. The rooftop was dated and poorly maintained, with stains around the space and dirty glasses left out for a long time. The minibar wasn’t restocked during my stay either. Room service stops at 11 PM, and the food was mediocre at best, not what I’d expect from a hotel presenting itself as high-end. This place doesn’t deserve a 5-star rating. In its current state and with service like this, it barely reaches a 3-star standard. Extremely disappointing.