Last Friday Kon, Nat and Luke flew down to Sydney to take a closer look at some of the hospitality venues that have opened up over the past year, focussing particularly on recently refurbished hotels.

Places visited …. [The Riverview Hotel, Balmain] [Four in Hand Hotel, Paddington] [The Local Taphouse, Darlinghurst] [The Beresford, Surry Hills] [Longrain Cocktail Bar, Surry Hills] [The Cut Bar and Grill, The Rocks] [Sake Restaurant and Bar, The Rocks] [The Argyle, The Rocks]

Observations …. [The rustic charm of the old Sydney pub lives. Much attention is being given to preserving the integrity of materials and character of the historic old corner pub, from glazed tiled facades to refurbished original furniture and fittings, the emphasis is on keeping what’s there and working with it rather than gutting the place and starting from scratch. We find this very positive] [The eclectic stylings of many small Melbourne bars seems to now be present in larger scale venues in Sydney well and truely changing the ethos from the ‘clean white’ Sydney bar scene of 5 years ago] [The inner city Sydney pub isn’t ruled by the poker machine. They’re all about good food and comfortable surroundings] [Tolix Bar Stools are everywhere] [A great deal of time, effort and money is still being invested in toilets and we still do wonder why?]

A definite highlight for all of us was the Beresford Hotel which presents a sophisitcated approach to pub design. A striking facade that gave it presence on the street was a perfect introduction to a corner public bar that was thoughtfully detailed and offered a lovely warm ambience. The courtyard to the rear was the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city with a generous spread of greenery and eclectic furniture.

The trip was worthwhile and enjoyed by all.