Terrace/patio
Check availability

Reviews of The Old Clare Hotel

4.5 out of 5
The Old Clare Hotel
1 Kensington Street, Chippendale, NSW

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 308 out of 447 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 95 out of 447 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 28 out of 447 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 10 out of 447 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 6 out of 447 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.2/10

Staff & service

9.0/10

Amenities

9.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Corey

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
Clever use of the building to create large open rooms and relaxing bathroom spaces. Rooftop bar was a highlight! Great for out of town visitors, a staycation for us - glad we did it but lacked warmth and an atmosphere.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

2/10 Terrible

Tim

Traveled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
What an absolute disaster of a hotel. It was awful from the moment we arrived to when we fled this edifice of misery. On arrival we were greeted by a surly and disinterested front desk attendant and then had to navigate past trays of stale and festering room service cluttering the corridors only to find our room had seen better days, a long time ago. This hotel would be given 1 star by Russians in the eighties. It’s grey, worn out and grimy. That they claim to be 5star and charge what they do is outrageous and worthy of a police investigation. It’s a miserable dive. The only good part of our stay was leaving.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
Response from Juan Echeverry Front Office Manager on Apr 12, 2024
Hi Tim,Please accept my apology on behalf of the whole team here at The Old Clare Hotel. While it’s certainly a shame to hear we didn’t live up to expectations, we hope you’ll give us another chance to make it right. Please drop us a line at juan_echeverry@evt.com. Let’s chat it through, and see what we can do to make it up to you.

6/10 Okay

Robert

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Beautifully styled hotel, but the building hasn’t been soundproofed and as a consequence noise from late at night and started again at 5.50am with refuse collection. Good to be back home now for a decent night’s sleep. An expensive choice for poor sound insulation and no breakfast inclusion
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Charles

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Wendy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 6 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ryan

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chloe

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is my 5th or 6th time staying at The Old Clare. It is by far my favourite hotel in Sydney. Great location, friendly staff, rooms are spacious and of an impeccable standard.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Bodie

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Damon

Traveled with group, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nish on reception and Juan in F & B are both exceptional! Thanks for making our stay so pleasurable
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Marcelo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was exactly as pictured on the website. Also enjoyed the proximity to Central Train station for ease of travel around town and Spice Alley is right next door for lots of dining options.
Stayed 9 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Marianne, New York

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Andrew

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hip, cool & central
Excellent location - 6 mins walk to Central Station which connects to just about anywhere in Sydney via tram, train, bus or light rail. Despite the central location, this hotel has a rooftop pool! Awesome for a dip before heading into town. We walked to many places in Sydney - and an Uber back from Barangaroo took only 11 mins! The room was ver big and double glazing kept it relatively quiet inside. Lots of cool architecture and restaurants nearby. Thoroughly recommend for a short stay to explore Sydney.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Carmel

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A brilliant, eclectically styled and stylish hotel option that is centrally located. Room was excellent. The bed incredibly comfortable. Hotel amenities were fantastic. Staff super helpful. Would stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

thunpitcha

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

2/10 Terrible

Thomas

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Really poor hotel
Honestly, this hotel is pretty rough. On the surface it looks nice enough, but during our three night stay we ran into a pretty large list of problems that demonstrate just how little the management care about the guest experience at the Old Clare. To be clear, all the staff we spoke to were friendly, polite and apologetic. This isn't a staff problem, but a management one. Here goes... 1) The room we were put in (101) has a terrible problem with traffic noise. Not just noise, but also deep vibrations from the large vehicles passing by on Broadway (one of the busiest, most 24/7 roads in the city). There was a limited effort at sound proofing in place, but the downside of that is that the windows couldn't be opened, which leads to issue number 2... 2) The place doesn't smell great. The lobby area smells of old cooking oil whilst the room smells of stale fast food and even light cigarette smoke. Without the ability to open windows, this isn't awesome. 3) The beds are genuinely the worst I've ever slept in. They are either extremely old and have lost all structure, or the hotel deliberately chose the softest, saggiest mattresses they could find. This will be subjective, but if a very very soft bed bothers you, you will definitely want to avoid this place. It was actually so bad that for the last night we threw in the towel and booked a cheap room at the Mercure next door just so we could sleep.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Jennifer

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
great
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Valda, Edmonton

Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Kristy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
I had ongoing issues with the lights in andnthrnppwer socket in my room not working
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Louisette

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Phoenix

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Old Clare is an exceptional boutique hotel option if you are looking to explore Sydney from a central location. The rooms are beautifully renovated with insanely tall ceilings, luxe toiletries, and literally the most comfortable beds and pillows I have ever experienced. Seriously, I am going to email the hotel to ask what they are so I can get some for myself. The staff is also amazing, the food is excellent, and the rooftop pool is Instagram worthy. Highly recommended!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Miranda

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Julian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous property, style in spades, and an old charm that feels luxe but never generic. The staff were superb and the bar and breakfast place in the lobby are not only convenient but very charming. Highly recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great hotel in central location.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Amy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great location to access public transportation, friendly and accomodating staff, most importantly clean with a great eclectic vibe. Would definitely stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

6/10 Okay

Sharon

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice hotel. Unique design. Clean. Beds super soft, feel like a cloud, but no support, so very uncomfortable for a whole night sleep. Very noisey street noise late into the evening. Very limited in house dining options. Went to bar downstairs, small space, but cosy. Bar staff seemed unhappy, with no enthusiasm for any kind of customer service. 50-minute wait for bar style food. Morning coffee (both mornings) order luke warm, even when asked for extra hot. Unlikely to stay again.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Benjamin, Rochester

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great place! Well located!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

David

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wedding venue a muct
We attended my daughters wedding on the 2nd and the experience was outstanding.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on Jun 7, 2023
Dear David,Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback about your daughter's wedding at our venue. We are thrilled to hear that the experience was outstanding. It was an honor for us to be a part of such a special occasion and contribute to making it memorable.We appreciate your kind words and the opportunity to be a part of your family's celebration. Should you have any future events or if there's anything else we can assist you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.Best regards,

10/10 Excellent

Thomas

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Really nice stay and would highly recommend to anyone! Good size rooms, comfy, great facilities and friendly staff! Also very convenient location. Only downside was when I asked to checkout just 45 minutes later due to flight times. They said it would cost $30 which I think is unnecessary.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on May 15, 2023
Thank you or your great comment. Sorry we couldn't accommodate your late check out on this occasion. Next time please do not hesitate to let us know in advance and we'll try to move things around based on availability.Sincerely,

10/10 Excellent

Cindy

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We loved the Old Clare Hotel! Such a great vibe in and around the hotel, with plenty of options for dining and a little bit of shopping all within walking distance. Was pleasantly surprised and would most certainly recommend!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023
Response from The Customer Relation team on May 15, 2023
Hi Cindy,It's a pleasure to read your warm comments about your experience. We are glad you felt the vibes of The Old Clare Hotel, and we hope to see you again in the future!Best wishes,

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great stylish hotel
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on May 15, 2023
Thank you Stephanie, for such a lovely review of The Old Clare Hotel. We appreciate your 10/10 rating. Best wishes,

6/10 Okay

Prue

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

4/10 Poor

Melanie

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disappointing
Disappointed from the onset with a special accessibility type room given which was not requested/ wanted. Ongoing discussions required with staff to change rooms when paid moderate room rate and hotel not fully booked ( room next yo mine which was larger and nicer empty). In new room, noisy but tolerable however aircon on faulty setting created 27degreesC every 2 hours, no compensation for a bad nights sleep. Last night out of three loud clicking noises from pipes in walls- 3-4am due to rainfall…called desk- offered move rooms on last night at 4am…other room slightly less loud and not worth the trouble when checking out at 8am. Front desk staff argumentative and not solution oriented to compensate customer for three nights of poor sleep. Will require escalation to senior management as manager on site offered a coffees/ breakfast to compensate which whilst kind is not realistic given the cost per room and lack of sleep. Such a shame as had potential to be great but staff main reason for very disappointing stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ellen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from The Customer Relation team on May 15, 2023
Thank you for your review Ellen. Until next time!

4/10 Poor

Greg

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Pool area has a public bar so it’s hard to relax around a pool without a group of people watching you. Rooms were ok at best. For what we paid, we were expecting more.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on Mar 29, 2023
We are sorry to read that your stay at The Old Clare Hotel didn’t meet your expectations. The rooftop bar is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, but access to the pool is only allowed to hotel guests.It would be a pleasure to have the opportunity to welcome you again to convince you completely.Yours sincerely

8/10 Good

Frederick

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Nice Pool, check in seamless. Surrounded by great restaurants Pillows too big, hard to sleep on, mix it up on the pillows, some big, some small.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on Mar 29, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to comment, we are delighted that you had a pleasant time with us.You can already find different sizes of cushions on the bed, however, you can ask for other sizes and consitencies at the reception.Best wishes

10/10 Excellent

Sarah

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing rooftop pool and bar
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on Mar 6, 2023
Thank you very much for your note.We look forward to welcoming you soon.Yours sincerely,

10/10 Excellent

Rex

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I'll be back
The staff and hotel can't be faulted... Just loved my stay and will be back again soon
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on Mar 6, 2023
Hi. Thank you for your kind comment, which we are happy to pass on to our staff! We are delighted to hear that you had a great time at The Old Clare Hotel and we hope to see you again soon. Yours sincerely,

10/10 Excellent

Chris

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Old Clare is not only super cool, with funky rooms and excellent staff, but it could not be better situated right next to Sydney's Central Station. Also, don't miss out on the rooftop Pool Bar action. Highly recommended.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on Mar 6, 2023
We warmly thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us.We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your stay including our location and Rooftop Pool & Bar! Will be sure to pass on your comments to all our departments. It is with great pleasure that we will welcome you back to The Old Clare Hotel.

10/10 Excellent

Kylie

Traveled with family
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very happy with the level of customer service. The staff were friendly and helpful
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on Mar 6, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience following your stay at The Old Clare Hotel. Our entire team works hard to make every stay memorable and your compliments have been shared with all of them.We look forward to welcoming you soon.Yours sincerely,

8/10 Good

Craig

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Cool building good spot
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023
Response from The Customer Relations team on Mar 6, 2023
Thank you for your review Craig. Until next time!

2/10 Terrible

David

Disliked: Staff & service, amenities
Their website says outdoor heated pool. This is false . The pool is not heated. On conde naste it says largest outdoor heated pool in Sydney. The pool is 7 meters , very narrow and not heated. When I asked about this, they said it’s heated by the sun 😂😂😂. One staff member told me it’s warmest in the morning!! Other things were not right as well. The first hotel I’ve been to with no glasses in the bathroom!! Don’t u like to rinse your mouth?! I also had a few bed bugs bite me at night. Many taxi drivers have trouble finding the hotel and waiting because it’s on a no parking side street. At best , a 3 star hotel

10/10 Excellent

Stephen

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Right from the start this place is just oozes coolness. The rooms are beautifully renovated as is the hotel. The renovated bar downstairs is amazing and it’s in a great part of Sydney that is really starting to rebuild. Has a cool laneway with other bars and restaurants adjacent to the hotel. Will definitely look to stay there again.
Response from The Customer Relations Team on Mar 6, 2023
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback.We are delighted to hear that your experience met your expectations, and we look forward to welcoming you at The Old Clare Hotel in the future.Sincerely,

10/10 Excellent

Priyamvada

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2022

8/10 Good

Margaret

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great location
Desk staff very cordial. Suggest you provide free coffee or some sort of liquid refreshments in your lobby. Loved the steampunk decor. Need some rat control in the back courtyard
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lexi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2022

6/10 Okay

Charli

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Room was unusual, I wouldn’t want to stay there with a partner as the bathroom is not private at all. Was very noisy at night time. Convenient location though.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022

6/10 Okay

Scott

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022