The Old Clare by Ode Hotels

The room is very nice and the location is also great with lots of restaurants and close to station. However I was charged on the day for a room fee which I’ve paid when I booked. Thought I would be refunded soon when I checked with the receptionist but it didn’t so far. It just gave me a huge anxiety for that extra $3xx Booked the hotel for my birthday but ended up leaving me with huge anxiety. Emailed the hotel but didn’t get response back yet. Might edit it once I get refund. Also, the receptionist didn’t mention any of the amenities like bar, rooftop pool etc. So i didn’t go any during my stay. It will be nicer to be told what I could have enjoyed in the hotel apart from the room. *update: get the refund after long weekend.

Super comfortable and great location! Not the biggest fan of open bathrooms but it was nice having lots of space. Staff are amazing, everyone is so kind, only downsides is no on-site parking, and breakfast can be slow but plenty of other cafes around and so close to the train station. We had an event at the rooftop and the events team made everything super simple, very professional, certainly recommend The Old Clare.

Dissapointing experience at a place that had potential to be great - multiple failures and strange occurences from check in. The only saving grace was a competent and generous manager who saved the day as much as possible. The lady in the orange jacket, who we had the misfortune of having check us in, kicked off this almost hilarious chain of events. For a start, it somehow took almost 30 mins for her to complete our check in. We tried to be understanding if she was new and learning, but eventually it became ridiculous. She stared and scrolled vacantly at the screen, clearly didn't have correct information, asked my partner to pay even though it was pre-paid, tried to send my partner away without the room key, gave us wrong information about breakfast being served till 1pm. The worst bit is that the check in took so long that another (male) staff member somehow mixed up our room key and gave it to another group next to us. Apart from the lift breaking down for 3 mins with my girlfriend inside, these other guests were checked in way faster and reached the room first. So when we eventually walked up the stairs and buzzed into the room, we weren't thrilled to see this male manager and 4-5 guests setting up the room for something a bit dodgy...so we took the stairs back to reception and got back to the absent/expressionless staff member at the desk. Again, thank god the lovely manager was there. She investigated the mixup, however we had now lost the better decorated Abercrombie room that my girlfriend had booked specifically months before. The manager kindly comped us some free food and drink, which was consolation for getting into our other room after waiting for the other one to be cleaned, by 5pm after arriving basically at 3pm. Two other dissappointing notes....we were told during our glacially slow check in that the rooftop pool was unavailable all night because of a private function. And after getting back to the hotel after dinner, we were gobsmacked that yet more surly and uncaring staff had already shut the Clare bar by 10:40pm. Even though it was a Saturday night and opening hours say 11:30pm on google. So our 2 house drink vouchers that came with the room booking couldn't be used. Again, could have been so much better and a bit sad considering the rooms, food, bath, rooftop pool (eventually open in the sunny morning) and manager were very nice.

Great location, Spice Alley just outside. Rooms are great, the history is interesting too.

The presence of cockroaches in the room severely impacted the experience. The manager's handling of the situation was rude and irresponsible. The lack of a duvet cover on the bedding was also unhygienic. Overall, the experience was disappointing.

Some hotels impress you with scale. The Old Clare impresses you with character. Housed within a beautifully adapted collection of heritage buildings in Chippendale, The Old Clare manages a difficult balancing act: respecting its history while feeling entirely contemporary. Too often, heritage hotels lean heavily on nostalgia. Here, the past is celebrated without becoming a museum piece. The rooms are thoughtfully designed, generous in size and full of detail. Original brickwork, exposed structure and carefully considered furnishings create spaces that feel both sophisticated and comfortable. There is a confidence to the design that avoids unnecessary extravagance. What stands out most is the atmosphere. The Old Clare feels distinctly Sydney—creative, relaxed and slightly unconventional. The building’s industrial history remains visible throughout, giving the hotel a sense of authenticity that many luxury properties struggle to achieve. Service is polished without being formal. Staff are knowledgeable, approachable and attentive, striking the balance that good hospitality demands. You feel looked after without feeling managed. Its location places guests at the heart of one of Sydney’s most interesting urban precincts, surrounded by galleries, restaurants, bars and the energy of a neighbourhood that continues to evolve. Yet once inside, the hotel offers a welcome sense of retreat. The Old Clare succeeds because it understands that luxury is not about excess. It is about quality, attention to detail and a strong sense of place. This is a hotel with personality, confidence and substance—qualities that remain memorable long after checkout.

$22 cocktails at the rooftop bar that took 40minutes and were extremely watery. Also the glassware was chipped.

I found hairs in bath tub so I went to reception and they quickly arranged another room for me which turns out second room is even more disgusting even more hairs in bath tub！And brown mark on glass near toilet they send someone to clean it which he vaccum hair away and told me that is cleaned！？？

Lovely stay, great hotel with everything you could possibly need! Special thanks to Brooke for making our stay extra special.

Fabulous hotel in a great location. Nice roof top bar and ground floor bar. Plus lots to see, do and eat close by

Went to The Old Clare Hotel and dined at the Rooftop Bar and Clare Bar. Service was outstanding & Food even better! Bailey at the Bar served me an incredible cocktail and was super friendly and polite!