New central Sydney hotel offers feel-good vibes at a reasonable price

The hotel

Caption by Hyatt Central Sydney

Check-in

This is the new kid on the block, that block being one in the buzzing-every-night heart of Haymarket; a hop, skip and a jump from Central Station and Chinatown. This new hotel sits artfully amid a mix of sandstone heritage buildings, colourful office blocks and across from the Capitol Theatre. Tip: don’t head up Parker Lane (lots of bins, one departed rat) instead of Parker Street, where a cute hotel awning blinks a welcome beside Peony Dream, a striking flower mural. Check-in kiosks are an option.

The look

Bold, bright, playful and welcoming – no grim corporate colours here. Sydney artist Chris Yee, Melbourne’s Samy Baby and Japanese-Australian artist Hiromi Tango have unleashed their talents in this hotel which opened in October, joining other Captions by Hyatt in Shanghai, Osaka, Nashville and Tokyo. Communal spaces offer pops of green, grey, orange and red, while wonky brick-patterned carpet in the corridors and scribbled directions on walls tell you this is no cookie-cutter hotel. Talk Shop, a hotel hub which acts as a cafe, bar, and co-working space, is a welcoming mix of the funky and comfy with art deco lights, plush couches, bar stools and a mix of table sizes.

The room

Playfulness continues in the 172 guest rooms, with graphic murals splashed above bedheads and cute line drawings cavorting on the bathroom walls. Our 11th-floor, Deluxe room leaves us in no doubt where we are, offering an intriguing panorama of rooftops, tower blocks and busy streets. A popping orange lounge sits at the end of the bed and there’s a leather chair, small table that can serve as a desk and a large TV with Staycast streaming.

An ironing board hangs snugly beside a cabinet offering tea, coffee, a kettle, water decanter (no single-use plastics here, fill up at a communal station), Robert Gordon mugs and bar fridge (empty). There’s no coffee machine, but the fresh stuff is available around the clock from the cafe downstairs. A cupboard offers a safe, iron, slippers, hanging space and hooks, while a light switch by the door is mercifully simply labelled High, Low and Master Off. The roomy bathroom in bluey-green has a marble sink, double rainshower, hairdryer, good lighting and Apotheke products.

Food + drink

Haymarket is home to Chinatown, tried-and-true faves like Malaysian master Ho Jiak, Little Thailand and the revamped Paddy’s Market. Keep an eye out for small bars such as Japanese whisky- and-cocktail hangout Bancho. But really, your pick of Sydney’s eat streets and bars is a mere light rail trip away, or take a train or Metro to sample suburban specialties.

Breakfast at Talk Shop offers Shakshuka (hearty, spicy $22); The Full Monty, which speaks for itself; classic pancakes with Pepe Saya butter, berries and maple syrup, or breakfast bowls of wonton noodle soup or steamed egg with crab and corn. Lunch options include a hearty bowl (the Big Fal is a Middle Eastern go-to) or burgers with attitude (try the Sydneysider – Black Angus beef, cheese, pickles, smoked bacon, fried egg, tomato, lettuce, house sauce and the clincher, beetroot). For bites on the run, Parker Street Grab & Go in the foyer offers coffees, snacks and cake.

Out + about

Look out the window – Mormons! That would be The Book of Mormon playing at the Capitol Theatre just across the road. Add to this all of Sydney’s big guns: the Opera House, the Rocks, the Botanic Gardens, ferries, beaches, the Harbour Bridge, Surry Hills, Enmore, the Art Gallery of NSW – all an easy commute away, making this hotel an excellent base for interstate or overseas visitors who will also welcome a bright, cosy space to flop, drop, refuel or work out in the onsite 24-hour gym.

The verdict

Schmick, new, bright and buzzy – this is a feel-good, reasonably priced hotel. Even though you’re close to the action and have transport to take you just about anywhere, you’ll still enjoy chilling out here.

Our rating out of five

★★★★

Essentials

13 Parker Street, Haymarket. From $269 a night. Nearby Wilson Parking available. Public areas have disabled access; some accessible rooms. See hyatt.com

Highlight Nothing beats being in the middle of the city buzz, particularly when you have a comfortable nest to retreat to when the party’s over.

Lowlight Having no choice but to order your breakfast and morning caffeine fix via QR code can be frustrating when the computer says no.

The writer stayed as a guest of Caption by Hyatt Central Sydney.