Well she’s certainly got history. In fact this old girl is bursting with character. It shows what you can do with a lotta love, money and vision. The former rundown Clare pub and next door Carlton United Brewery has been transformed into a 62 room boutique hotel. That was in 2015, ten years on, how is the old girl going? Well, all I can say is “Where the bloody hell are you”?

The Story

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The Old Clare Hotel (affectionately referred to as TOCH) blends old and new seamlessly from the open brickwork, sections of bare plaster, graffiti, and hotel stairs that have seen a thousand workers feet tap up and down them for generations. Every surface, textile, light filled atrium and artwork has something to say, from vintage furnishings, old dentist chairs to nostalgic pieces of art such as film lights. Hotelier Loh Lik Peng has even included items from his personal epic collection of chairs which creates a seated treasure hunt on every level. Perhaps like dating someone a bit later in life . TOCH has something to say… and over the next 24hrs we have a great conversation.

The Location

It’s practically one of the best in the city. A hop from central station with bus connections and tram stops just minutes from our door. TOCH is perched across two worlds with Spice alley’s eclectic pedestrian hawker lane eateries and classier restaurants lining Kensington Street on one side, whilst the other aspect looks out on George street with city views from some of the rooms and the rooftop (more on that later).. 

The Arrival

We enter from Kensington Street into the ‘Linkway’ which operates as an interconnected street entrance. It was purposely designed to bring the vibrant neighbourhood into the hotel, opposed to hotel doors which keep the world out. It’s 3pm and Veysel checks myself and Mr G in at the amber glassed clad front desk, sharing that this is ‘his favourite room’. We pop our heads into the Clare Bar next doort with it’s traditional Aussie watering hole vibe thanks to yellow and brown hued light panels and metal chairs. It’s buzzing with a mix of people tapping away at their laptops, couples and groups having an afternoon bevvy. 

The Room: Claire Suite #225

We step out onto Level 2 and strut over a suspended catwalk that looks down onto the Linkway below. It’s a natty design feature which instantly makes us feel like we’re stepping into a new world. Suite 225 is our home for the night.

The suite is brimming with quirky relics from the past: old filming lights, a retro record player, speakers, and even an instant camera with an invitation to snap away. But just like a Kardashian knows how to dress their showstopping curves, it’s the sweeping arc of green padded window seats that steal the show,  showing off the room’s curvature in all its glory. Add a kingsize bed and she’s a beauty. Top marks to the editorial team who have created something more memorable than a room guide, page after page talks in detail about the hotels creation and curation right down to its sustainability roots with aspects such as the woollen blankets for the beds. 

As we sink into that bed. It feels like we’re lounging in the lap of old-school glamour with a modern twist. A vintage metal bath, reminiscent of a scene from Outlander (minus Jamie and his glistening pecs), adds a nostalgic touch from yesteryear. Now, it’s a matter of personal preference, but..

The Bathroom -is both open plan and translucent. I don’t find many bathroom activities to be particularly romance-inducing. Showers? Sure. But toilets? No, no, no! Throw in see-through glass doors, albeit with some frosting, and we’re left playing rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets to wait outside in the corridor!

Sleep Quality – We came prepared with noise cancelling earbuds and the sleep-kitchen sink but WOW! We face onto George Street and the traffic is barely audible. How is that possible? Even a siren from a fire truck barely touches our ears. No noise from the corridor, other rooms. It’s absolutely blissful. Goregous bed. Snoozzzzzeeeee.

The Clare Rooftop Bar

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With stunning cityscape views, the rooftop is part bar with glass-enclosed terrace and wooden decking, part peacock ‘look at me glamour’ with a 14-meter pool oasis which is being tested out by a group of enthusiastic hotel guests.  Whilst the pool is for hotel guests, the bar is open to the public. It’s pumping by 5pm and luckily the fab hotel team has booked us a table. The bar and pool are in shade by late afternoon. We grab two cocktails; a delicate Elderflower Elixir with Skyy Vodka ($25) and a chilli marg which has lost most of its salt rim in a relay of passing the cocktail baton from mixologist to server, to me. This is a great hidden gem in the city which rarely appears in the ‘where to eat and drink with a view’ lists…

Dinner at Hatted Longshore Restaurant

If I could have a restaurant lovechild, it would undoubtedly be a blend of Australian sustainable seafood with Asian nouse. Yes, folks—I’m as happy as a pelican at Sydney Fish Markets. The famed Hartsyard duo, Executive Chef Jarrod Walsh and Dot Lee, deliver a home run with dude-friendly, laser-sharp service and insanely imaginative plates of Aussie ingredients with some wicked twists. I freakin’ love this place.

Design – It feels like an mulit level urban yacht, moored with smooth lines and nautical touches that avoid common clichés. With restrained rope-swaddled columns, floppy fabric hanging lights, and rattan rugs adorning the walls, it’s warm, romantic, and thoughtfully crafted thanks to the interior design team at Guru Projects.

Food & Wine – We could opt for a 10-course degustation ($120) with a wine pairing ($100), but we go a la carte. Starting with the dark, moody Longshore beer bread paired with creamy cultured butter, served in a pearlescent scallop shell, and Bellebone ‘Bis’ Sparkling Rosé from Pipers River, Tasmania ($25). From the ‘Raw Snacks’ section, we choose the market fish crudo. Juicy slices of bonito are dotted with chives, micro scoops of lemonade fruit, and capers the dish is the pinacle of refined balance.

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From the ‘Small Plates to Share’ section, we discover the winner of the night: two bricks of crispy hash brown, made from Sebago potatoes steamed, grated, frozen, then deep-fried. Alone, they are perfection, but topped with Fraser Island Spanner Crab, desert lime, and Aleppo pepper, they reach new heights. However, the Port Lincoln calamari, with an aftershave of hibachi grill so good it should be bottled, steals the show. The offcuts go into a sauce of XO macadamia butter—smoky, silky, and with balanced acidity. Oh my!

Mains of coal-grilled Ulladulla swordfish loin arrive, thoughtfully sliced for sharing and paired with silky charred peppers, it’s a knockout. The secret weapon condiment, yuzu kosho, made from yuzu fruit with a spicy kick from chili peppers, ties everything together. Add a risotto-like dish of creamy koshihikari rice topped with a golden cured egg yolk, and “I will slap your hand if you take another” smoked soy-glazed wild mushrooms seasoned with wasabi leaf, and it’s love at first bite.

I find myself telling Mr. G that this place outshines our experience a week earlier at Saint Peter, arguably Sydney’s most awarded seafood restaurant. Yes, folks, I’m calling it. It’s better.

This isn’t your usual hatted restaurant or ordinary dining experience. A restaurant’s self-actualisation rarely accurately describes the food or service, but here, they genuinely deliver on their promise. Expect the unexpected. Always on the move.

TOCH BAR – Rise and Shine

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I start my morning with a workout in the gym which is a narrow cavernous space which feels more like a tick the box ‘we have a gym’ rather than something more substantial. There are running machines, weights, but the fun of outdoors might just be your fitness kick.

Breakie at TOCH is wonderfully quiet at 7am. It’s an industrial space with concrete columns, big windows onto Kensington street and staff that are learning the ropes. After the highs of Longshore, it’s unfair to say breakfast is ‘fine’. It’s your standard fare with nothing deviating from the norm which is sad, when everything this hotel experience has given us on every level is anything but predictable. I have scrambled eggs on toast which could be more interesting if they partnered with a bakery which did more than white sourdough. Mr G orders the Clare full breakfast and the double smoked bacon is the highlight. Good coffee. 

Summary:

What we are addicted to – It’s a brilliant stay. The mix of vintage decor and contemporary touches makes the space feel both timeless and trendy—a perfect encapsulation of the Old Clare Hotel’s unique vibe. On our stay we met many people who said ‘best hotel in Sydney’, ‘We got married here and are back’. Feelings and connections run deep in a way I haven’t seen before. The sleep was dead quiet. Longshore OMG. Nuff said. 

What do we need to be more addicted? – A bathroom with walls. TOCH could be a more inspiring option if it tied back to the brand promise of the hotel and had a small but curated buffet of locally sourced artisanal produce.

The Old Clare Hotel, 5 Kensington Street, Chippendale. Sydney NSW 2008
Longshore Wed-Fri: 6pm – 10pm / Sat: 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm