Ovolo Woolloomooloo – Hotel Review

Everything about Ovolo Woolloomooloo is designed to delight – from the help-yourself lolly stand just past reception to the free pool table and retro gaming consoles alongside Bar Woolloomooloo, tempting almost every passer-by into a Pacman tournament. The place even has its own Spotify Radio station (streaming retro-cool tracks by Bowie, REM and the Stones) and the rock’n’roll vibe continues with music-themed loft suites honouring the likes of AC/DC and INXS. The 100 rooms over five levels make up the perimetre of the cavernous, heritage-listed space, which honours its past life as a working wharf handling the export of wool with exposed beams, original timbers and industrial conveyor ramps. 

Where is Ovolo Woolloomooloo?

On Woolloomooloo’s historic Finger Wharf, perched over Sydney Harbour and just east of the CBD. It’s about 15 minutes’ by car from Sydney Airport and close to all forms of public transport (train, bus, ferry, the new Sydney Metro). The hotel doesn’t have onsite parking but there are several nearby public car parks and valet parking is offered at $95 per night.

What’s near Ovolo Woolloomooloo?

Ovolo benefits not only from a healthy ring of steps-away restaurants (try Otto for sophisticated Italian, steakhouse Kingleys or China Doll for modern Asian fare) and traditional-style pubs but also from proximity to neighbourhoods that bear a similar shade of cool. Potts Point and its experimental eateries are within walking distance and Surry Hills and its cafés and boutiques are but a 10-minute cab ride away. A short stroll west and you’re at the Art Gallery of NSW and its spectacular new modern art building, located on the edge of the CBD and beside the harbourside Botanic Gardens of Sydney.

Room types

King, Deluxaroo Double Double, Deluxaroo Loft, Cityvoo King, Cityvoo Double Double, Cityvoo Loft and Ultraroo. Standardised with fast, reliable wifi, an in-room iPad, minibar, bathrooms with all inclusions, the main difference between them is size and splendour. Larger rooms have more space to play with when it comes to art, design and interiors, not to mention a few little extras like an in-room bar. The lavish AC/DC Ultraroo suite, for example, offers a split-level loft space with city views, a cushioned and curtained play area, library, neon fireplace, record player with vintage vinyl and bar. 

Restaurants and bars

Fun, friendly Bar Woolloomooloo is the hotel’s onsite offering, with a strong beverage selection, bar snacks and enough substance to satisfy a main meal appetite if you feel like staying put. Choose a seat at the bar or relax in one of the cosy nooks cleverly created beneath a greenhouse-like roof within the vast, cavernous venue. Your first drink is complimentary at Apero Hour (4 to 6pm) and includes a choice of wine, beer or a daily cocktail special. Bar bites are seriously tasty and generously plated. Weekly specials may include a just-right barramundi burger with fries or pesto pasta with pea and ricotta, a nod to the eatery’s former plant-based life. The same space serves as a breakfast venue, offering great coffee, a quality buffet spread and a tight selection of cooked options.

Sustainability

The Ovolo hotels group has a Do Good, Feel Good mantra that encompasses sustainable sourcing of goods, services and menu items. The initiative supports Eden Reforestation Projects, which plants sustainable trees in communities around the world, and the Bali Children’s Foundation to empower disadvantaged communities through education and employment opportunities.

Accessibility

There’s wheelchair access to the property and two accessible rooms on the premises. It also caters for guide dogs.

Travel for work

Digital nomads will love the free wi-fi and the comfy breakout spaces in-room and also sprinkled downstairs, with heavy, sound-absorbing drapes providing privacy. If small amounts of printing are required, the front-desk staff will happily oblige for a fee. The hotel also has 7 spaces for conferences.

Gym and pool

Not keen on sacrificing your routine during your stay? The property has a compact 24-hour gym stocked with free weights and high-end Technogym machines plus an adjoining 17-metre heated indoor pool. In-room yoga mats (suites only) make morning sun salutes virtually obligatory.

What you need to know

If you can’t bear to leave your pup at home, the hotel’s V.I.Pooch package includes premium food, a take-home toy and dog bed so your best friend can holiday alongside you. Staying for a few nights or more? The hotel’s complimentary self-service laundry has all you need for a wardrobe refresh. And if you want to know more or to order in-room dining, scan the QR code in your room for a handy guide to just about everything.

SEE ALSO: Where to Eat and Drink in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo