The Old Clare by Ode Hotels
1 Kensington St, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia
Hotel
•Why you'll love The Old Clare by Ode Hotels
- Enjoy stunning city views while unwinding by the rooftop pool with a cocktail in hand.
- A charming blend of historic elegance and modern comfort in a unique setting.
- Thoughtfully designed rooms offering a cozy yet sophisticated retreat.
Clare isn’t the new kid around the block. She knows the area like the back of her hand, turning neighbours into friends and tourists into locals
Here, community and creativity run deep, and true to Clare’s humble beginnings, her down to earth nature is disarmingly friendly. Stretching across two iconic heritage-listed buildings, The Old Clare Hotel is more than just a place to crash.
The Old Clare by Ode Hotels has been carefully curated with curious travellers in mind.
Located in Chippendale, in the land of art galleries, design studios, cafés and restaurants, it’s a place designed to keep the wanderlust going, an invitation to explore where you’ll leave feeling both rested and inspired.
The Old Clare by Ode Hotels Function Rooms
The Meeting Room
Set in the former Clare Hotel Pub’s first floor, the Meeting Room provides a sense of grandeur with the former Carlton & United Breweries’ boardroom table as the centrepiece. The perfect backdrop for professional meetings, corporate team bu...
Clare Bar
The Clare bar is a refreshing take on your traditional watering hole, embracing the same ethos that made its prior incarnation so beloved. Striking the balance between a chilled Aussie pub and a hotel bar, it’s a place to relax, have a drin...
TOCH Bar
A contemporary light filled space located on our ground floor. Featuring polished concrete floors, exposed brick walls and floor to ceiling glass overlooking Kensington Street, this inner-city space is for those looking for something effort...
The Rooftop
Being on a rooftop in the middle of the city is a great way to escape the clamour of a city by settling in above the skyline. Once you’ve soaked up the view and got all the feels, you can grab a drink and relax. Set under a glass canopy, ou...
C.U.B. Suite
Being on a rooftop in the middle of the city is a great way to escape the clamour of a city by settling in above the skyline. Once you’ve soaked up the view and got all the feels, you can grab a drink and relax. Set under a glass canopy, ou...
Mary O'Suite
The Mary O’ Suite is one of a kind. Its one-bedroom apartment layout is quite the gem, with separate sleeping, recreation and bathroom areas. Featuring an eight-seater dining table, lounge area and wet bar, you’ll be in good taste amongst d...
Showroom Suite
Our Showroom Suite is quite the show-stopper. Infused with heritage, it features an original timber bar that has been salvaged and restored from the former brewery building. Perfect for product showings, activations and photoshoots, the roo...
Heritage Stairs
Originally built in 1938, our Heritage Stairs formerly served as the Clare Hotel’s main stairwell. With its tall curved walls, and oversized Topaz pendant light from Melbourne’s Copper Design, this unconventional space is perfect for small ...
Reviews for The Old Clare by Ode Hotels
Tiarne Kennedy
This hotel has so much potential but unfortunately I don’t think it hits the mark. It’s in a good location with a lot of food options including spice alley practically outside the hotel door. I stayed in the loft room and it was quite nice to have two separate spaces and was quite a bit bigger than some of the other rooms offered. The bathrobes are amazing and probably some of the best I’ve tried in hotels I’ve visited. Unfortunately I think the execution is lacking. The check in was very sterile with the staff member exchanging probably two words across the process, didn’t explain where things were and just pointed to the lifts. The restaurant in the hotel for breakfast is a little lack luster and takes quite some time to receive your meals and even longer for coffee. The rooms also aren’t soundproof so if there’s loud music on the rooftop throughout the day you can hear all of it especially when they start at 7am which isn’t the wake-up call you want. To top it all off the rooftop bar closes at 8pm on a Saturday night with no signage throughout the hotel indicating this so whilst me and other guests were finishing our drinks they turned many people away. To add to this rather than cleaning the bar when the staff told many people it was closed and turned them away both staff sat on their phones waiting for the remaining customers to finish their drinks. This has left a very sour taste so unlikely to stay here again.
Dan Cummins
Is this a five star hotel? Let’s answer that in a moment. The staff are friendly but no more than I’ve experienced in some “lesser” properties. The reception area has a few quirky items that bring some personality into the place but apart from a novel desk lamp sadly this doesn’t extend into the room we were staying in. What our room did have was a desperate need of a good dusting as well as a bit of touching up of some worn and damaged areas. The bed, as others have mentioned in their reviews, is the highlight. It is very comfortable. However, whoever’s idea it was to have a clear glass shower in the centre of a hotel room should be shot. It gives no privacy whatsoever and you need to draw the curtains so the neighbours don’t receive a complimentary OnlyFans experience. The icing on the cake has to be the frosted glass toilet stall. Now I’m prepared to bet that the same people who came up with the strip show shower also dreamt up the idea of the frosted glass toilet stall too. A design feature I’ve always never wanted. Their dream became my nightmare when I awoke from a lovely sleep on the aforementioned bed only to roll over and see the still rather detailed silhouette of my partner doing their business on the throne! Oh but it gets better (well actually worse, much worse). Because there’s no exhaust fan (only a small vent) or a well sealed door you get to hear and smell your partner’s normally private performance too. Now yes, we’re all adults and we all know what happens on the toilet but never have I had to actually bear witness both visually, audibly and olfactorily to the act in progress in a hotel room. A five star hotel room for that matter! What a ridiculous concept. I would love to meet the people who dreamt up that lot. I’d love to meet the people who approved it. I’d love to see their homes. It would be fascinating. I imagine they are a bunch of stark raving lunatics. So overall, no this does not feel like a five star hotel at all. Four stars? Maybe. On the condition they sack the interior designer. And they dust a bit more.
K Jaws
I enjoyed my stay at The Old Clare. My partner and I were there for four nights and stayed in the Connell Room. The room was nice and spacious, loved the tall ceilings and the bed was probably the most comfortable bed I’ve ever laid on. My only gripe for the room was it did smell a little musty, I attribute this to just the fact that the place is old, but it was very strong when coming back from being out for the day. Additionally I’m not the biggest fan of the toilet door just being glass and not having an actual closed door, it doesn’t really hide or muffle any bathroom sounds. The rooftop bar was fantastic and I really enjoyed the view. The breakfasts were quite good as well.
Merry
Had a single night stay here, but could easily stay longer. Location, location, location is first - walk to the wonderful Spice Alley, a bit longer walk to Carriageworks Sat mkt, plus more. Design next - an old building repurposed with superb style, retaining original as much as possible. All required room facilities available, clean and spacious. Friendly helpful reception hosts, but bar hosts less so.
Adreena Angela
I'm surprised this is a 5* hotel. It's a nice spot, but not what I'm used to when I book 5*. I would describe it more as boutique. The hotel has everything you need- restaurant, bar, air con, rooftop pool. I will note it was one of the most comfortable beds I've ever slept in, wildly good sheets. Rooms all look a bit old and tired but had some charm. The breakfast wasn't great in comparison to usual hotel breakfasts but I liked the little touches like sweets in the lobby and the unusual decor. It's situated in a good area, next to some great vibey restaurants.
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