If a hotel’s lobby is an indication of what to expect from your stay then Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour’s delivers in spades.

Warm, inviting, quirkily stylish, fun, generous (you had me at free lollies!) and downright comfortable, it’s as far from a sterile, ‘just-passing-through’ cookie-cutter hotel lobby as you could imagine, and something of a hallmark of the chic Ovolo group.

Doing double duty as Mediterranean-themed wine-bar-restaurant Mister Percy (named for Percy Ewart, a wool classer who etched his name into the building), it’s also the kind of location that effortlessly turns a quick refresh-and-recharge pit stop into a ‘coffee, a bottle of wine, a plate of pinchos and, oh, let’s just have dinner and some more wine’ all-day escape.

The good news is, when you do finally tear yourself away via the (very cool glass-walled) elevators for your room within this converted wool store, the stylish charms and generous nature continue.

Rest Your Head

There’s something for everyone here, from ‘shoebox’ (perfect for the solo traveller) to junior suites, and on to split-level spaces to leave you ‘shaken’ and a patio’ed penthouse for those who want to be ‘stirred’. We’re in a king deluxe, a large, character-filled space that celebrates the hotel’s warehouse origins and again eschews any thought of the ordinary (the bright graffiti-style mural above our king-size bed adds to that).

Sinking into the bed, we command our in-room Alexa (so convenient) to fire up some suitably relaxing tunes as we explore (read demolish) the free (yes, free) mini bar – wine, beer and lolly bag for the win! And for those who rate a hotel stay via its bathroom, this is five-star territory, courtesy of walk-in monsoon shower, monstrous deep-sided soaking tub and fluffy robe for post-soak lolling. Another bonus? Windows that actually open, a rarity in too many hotels.

Added Extras

In a world of hotel booking sites promising a ‘great deal’, sometimes it pays to book direct. Case in point, the bonus freebies that come with a stay booked via the hotel. On top of that free mini bar, look forward to free social hour drinks and snacks (enjoyed to group owner Girish Jhunjhnuwala’s personally curated Spotify playlist) and free continental breakfast at Mister Percy, free wi-fi and free self-laundry.

Eat and Drink

As with lobbies, not all hotel bar/restaurants are created equally. Beyond its stylishly luxe surroundings – all mood lighting, industrial fixtures, muralled walls, gleaming bar, leather sofas, marble-topped tables for two and expansive wooden tables for larger groups – Mister Percy rises above the ordinary courtesy of a stellar drinks offering overseen by group wine curator Shun Eto, a man as affable as he is knowledgeable, and the seasonally driven share-style Mediterranean menu from award-winning Italian chef Luca Guiotto, who has Sydney’s ever-popular Catalina Rose Bay and A Tavola on his CV.

Bite-sized pinchos of manchego and prosciutto, haloumi and heirloom tomato, and Ortiz anchovy on toast are the ideal introduction to Luca’s moreish Rangers Valley Black Angus beef tartare and schiacciata flatbread served with a devilishly addictive hummus. We follow that with perfectly cooked and generously sized dishes of Cone Bay barramundi and grilled spatchcock. From the drinks list, Shun’s recommendations of a Dal Zotto pinot grigio, a Ravensworth sangiovese and a Nick Spencer shiraz, all served quartino-style in generous quarter-litre carafes, hit the spot.

Sitting quietly in Pyrmont’s warehouse district, a street back from Darling Harbour’s frenetic entertainment scene and the International Convention Centre, Ovolo 1888 is the ideal spot to be close – but not too close – to the action. Add in stylish, thoughtful design, generous freebies, that cosetting lobby and Mister Percy’s abundant charms, and you have a hotel worthy of your hard-earned.

Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour, 139 Murray Street, Pyrmont, NSW 2009