The Old Clare Hotel Opens in Sydney

The Old Clare Connell Room Detail.

The Old Clare Abercrombie Room.

The Old Clare Loft.

The Old Clare Loft Bathroom.

Chippendale has undergone a tremendous transformation from its humble beginnings as an industrial suburb and a district with a rather raunchy past, to what is now a landscape of creative clusters and a bourgeoning arts precinct. For its small size, this little suburb packs the most it can into its streets, from cosy cafes, beer gardens with twinkling lights, to world-class contemporary art galleries.

A recent string of prime residential redevelopments have brought Chippendale into the new era and the new economy, putting it on the map as one of the cultural epicentres of Sydney. Despite these significant large-scale developments, Chippendale manages to maintain it’s bohemian village feel with a real creative pulse.

Possibly the most thrilling new development in Chippendale is the highly anticipated Old Clare Hotel, which recently opened on Kensington Street. The Old Clare is the newest property of hospitality entrepreneur Loh Lik Peng of Unlisted Collection and his first venture down under. Peng enlisted the help of local architecture practice Tonkin Zulaikha Greer for the restoration and adaptive reuse of the two heritage-listed buildings: the Clare Hotel and Carlton United Administration buildings, joined by a monumental glass and steel structure.

The Clare Bar.

The Old Clare Pool.

Automata Restaurant.

Silvereye Restaurant.

The hotel offers 62 individually designed guest-rooms that have come about with the greatest respect of the buildings’ original architectural elements. The series of venues is set to become not only a place for visitors to stay, but also a hangout for locals with a rooftop pool and a series of slick eateries helmed by highly-acclaimed local and international chefs.

The Clare Bar serves as the hotel lobby bar and a laid-back place for a drink or two. Meanwhile, chef Clayton Wells’ Automata Restaurant serves a five-course menu in an imposing 1930s warehouse-style interior with lofty ceilings and arched windows. Chef Sam Miller pairs a northern european approach to food with local ingredients at Silvereye. Third diner is set to to be launched shortly, while a hotel spa will open early next year.