The Eve Hotel Sydney makes a case for leaving the CBD

On the border of Redfern and Surry Hills, The Eve Hotel Sydney channels the creative energy of its neighbourhood through bold Australian design, a glamorous rooftop pool and one of the city’s most alluring lobby bars. The result is a polished base for experiencing a more local side of Sydney

Why Stay Here

If Sydney’s familiar territory, The Eve feels like the natural choice. This is the place to stay for those in the know – a luxury hotel in a neighbourhood that’s off the main tourist trail (but not by too much), and puts guests firmly in the centre of inner-city Sydney living. Proudly perched at the intersection of gritty Redfern and buzzing Surry Hills on the site of the once-maligned Redfern Mall, the 102-room property is the headliner of Wunderlich Lane, a new mixed-use precinct that was 10 years in the making. Opened in early 2025, The Eve delivers a highly curated, design-led experience in a neighbourhood defined by vivid and emotional history – the heart of the city’s Aboriginal political activism, where surrounding streets honour notable Indigenous figures through large-scale murals that stand as lasting reminders of cultural strength and legacy.

The Eve leans into its roots, and does so with impressive panache – it is, in my opinion, the cool kid of the Sydney hotel crowd. I can’t help but notice how ubiquitous the Australian accent is among guests during my stay, making me realise that I’m not the only local keen to become part of the addictive vibe. Also on the area’s doorstep is Crown Street, which funnels to the heart of Surry Hills – still one of the city’s trendiest areas, peppered with an array of shops, restaurants and pubs. And a 10-minute stroll in the other direction, down Baptist Street, gets you to the design mecca that is Waterloo’s Danks Street, with its high-end furniture stores and galleries along with a small selection of eateries. 

Design

There is something special about staying in a brand new hotel – let alone one so imaginatively and boldly designed as The Eve. The sensory experience begins the moment you set sights on Wunderlich Lane’s attention-commanding, mixed-brick exterior. Sydney firm SJB, with director Adam Haddow at the helm, paid homage to the site’s federation-era roots through the curved brickwork and terracotta blades of a heritage-listed former bank, which anchors the precinct. Inside, everything feels considered and expensive, like stepping into the penthouse of a wealthy friend with impeccable taste. 

The Eve is a meeting of Australian creative minds, interpreting colour, texture and biophilic design principles through an ultra-modern lens that strikes a balance between contemporary slickness and residential warmth. There is an aesthetic moment at every turn, beginning in the lobby – from the calming, whitewashed cloistered walkway to the eye-catching gold The Moon sculpture by artist Tarryn Gill, which appears to be weeping.

“I liked the idea of people checking out and, if they’d had a wonderful experience, the moon would shed tears as they left,” says David Stein, who curated artworks throughout the hotel. Among other standouts that make up The Eve’s gallery is a mixed-media installation made from sequins, white Lycra and lead lighting. Add designer furniture and you have spaces that feel expertly curated, not contrived, loud or polarising.  

The design highlight for me comes in the form of The Eve’s lobby hangout, Bar Julius, where a vaulted Barrisol ceiling is emblazoned with a digital print adaptation of an original work by Surry Hills artist and co-founder of Dinosaur Designs, Louise Olsen – daughter of the late John Olsen. One of Australia’s most celebrated artists, John was well known for painting ceilings in Sydney in the 1960s. Louise’s tribute is at once moving and memorable. Throughout Bar Julius, the rich palette of burgundy, marble and leather echoes the cocooning mood of Europe’s great lobby bars, with a decidedly contemporary energy that makes the intimate space hard to leave.

Dining

Bar Julius’ dining offering, created by Sydney hospitality group Liquid & Larder, doesn’t make leaving any easier. We feast on ocean-fresh Sydney rock oysters with bloody Mary vinaigrette; watermelon tartar with nori, avocado and finger lime; and an ultra-unctuous wagyu that’s not for the faint of heart. That uniquely Australian approach to gastronomy – fresh ingredients, front and centre, perfectly balanced and full of flavour – is on show, and once again reinforces my love of this country’s dining scene. Breakfast is also served here, giving guests a different perspective of the space’s vibrant design in the morning light.

Up on the glam rooftop, Mexican restaurant and mezcaleria Lottie – designed by George Livissianis of restaurants and Apollo and Olympus fame, read more below – takes a different approach. Where Bar Julius nods to old-school glam, Lottie feels set on new-world energy. With my three-year-old as my dining companion on a Saturday evening, I feel oddly out of place among a sea of glamazons of all ages, dressed to the nines and ready for a night out. Lottie is, no doubt, a scene – with the too-relaxed service, and food, taking a backseat on the night I dine.

Other culinary options come courtesy of the numerous restaurants in the Wunderlich Lane precinct, with Greek restaurant Olympus (Livissianis again), located off the lobby, getting plenty of praise not just for the food but for its garden courtyard featuring a 50-year-old bougainvillea at its centre – rescued by The Eve’s landscape architect Daniel Baffsky from a local nursery.

We feast on ocean-fresh Sydney rock oysters with bloody Mary vinaigrette; watermelon tartar with nori, avocado and finger lime; and an ultra-unctuous wagyu that’s not for the faint of heart.

In the Suite

Our west-facing Sunset Suite is in keeping with the Australiana palette on show throughout the hotel, a cosy space awash in rich shades of green, with curved upholstery and harmonious textural clashes of terrazzo, wood and velvet. The room oozes an inviting, residential ambience, but feels on the smaller size for a luxury hotel suite, with what is usually a separate living space confined to a banquette lounge and small dining table alongside the wall facing the bed. There is 16 square metres of space outside on the balcony, though, with a four-seater dining table – although the weather-proof metal chairs don’t invite long sittings and a comfortable outdoor lounge would go a long way. The ensuite is the star of the suite, with a large freestanding bath, his-and-hers basins and a luxurious mix of materials in glossy tiling and terrazzo.

Spa & Wellness

Surprisingly for luxury hotel, The Eve does not have an in-house spa. Instead, staff direct guests next door to Sydney beauty outfit The Parlour Room, a pilgrimage site for those wanting to glow. It’s all a part of The Eve’s positioning as the gateway to the Wunderlich precinct and the surrounding neighbourhood – and a deliberate move to support local operators. But I choose to get my wellness hit in the form of vitamin D, swimming and sunning up on the hotel’s glamorous 20-metre rooftop pool. With its retro, LA-inspired style replete with terracotta-hued umbrellas, cabanas and cocktails – not to mention a daily 4pm ice-cream offering – it’s an inner-city sanctuary worthy of the hype.

Special Touches

As someone who loves lotions and potions, the beautiful quality and fragrances of the bathroom amenities by Saardé – whose flagship store is located on the ground floor of The Eve – did not go unnoticed. Suite guests also gain exclusive access to complimentary local transfers in a Range Rover Sport. Be sure to put in a request upon check-in.

If you want to upgrade

The Eve Suite is a moody bolthole with an enviable corner location overlooking Wunderlich Lane, replete with separate living, dining and sleeping areas. The dining space accommodates six guests, with a stocked wine fridge and locally sourced minibar for intimate entertaining.

Hotel Notes

The Eve
Sunset Suite
Size 36 square metres
Price per night From AU$649
Website theevehotel.com.au