As you wander down Sussex Street in the heart of the CBD of Sydney you will notice a blend of heritage-listed old and new buildings whichever way you look. As you edge closer to 319-325 Sussex Street the architecturally designed Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour stands apart from the other buildings down this southern end of the 1.7 km Sussex Street.
Are you after accommodation in Darling Harbour? How about Darling Harbour accommodation with a balcony or a rooftop pool in the Sydney CBD? If this is your wish list for a Darling Harbour hotel look no further than the contemporary styled 4 stars Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour.
Short History of the Vibe Hotel
The Vibe Darling Harbour stands on what was once a steam flour mill owned by Thomas Barker, who was an engineer, manufacturer, grazier and philanthropist. In 1842 Thomas Barker subdivided the land.
If you had wandered around this part of Sussex Street in the 1850s you would have come across general stores, manufacturers and the Wesleyan Chapel. The street was named in honour of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, 6th son of King George III.
Samuel Hordern, son of Anthony Hordern, who co-founded Anthony Hordern & Sons, one of the largest 19th-century retailers, purchased a row of buildings between Bathurst and James Street in 1890.
Hordern’s Buildings which consisted of warehouses and stores were constructed for commercial and retail customers in 1914 after the original site was demolished in 1913.
In 1920 the buildings were sold to R B Orchard, a private company. Not long after the Hordern & Sons company was sold to private investors and Samuel Hordern left the business.
The Vibe Darling Harbour was opened in October 2019.
Taken from the TFE Hotels Press Release in October 2019 on the opening of the Vibe Darling Harbour.
TFE Hotels’ Chief Operating Officer Chris Sedgwick said WMK Architecture’s design drew inspiration from the site’s diverse history and the brick heritage-listed school opposite the hotel whilst also incorporating a New York loft aesthetic.
“Everywhere you look old and new meld together,” he said. “Brickwork was chosen to fit the character of the street and, when you stand in some of the lower level rooms and look out of the enormous windows onto Sussex Street, it’s this brickwork that frames the view and ties old and new together.”
Read our 4 day Sydney Itinerary article here
Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour Map
Have a look around the Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour here
Our Review of the Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour
After spending 4 nights at the recently opened Vibe Hotel in Hobart we were keen to experience another Vibe Hotel Sydney property. In fact, there are two more Vibe Hotels in Sydney.
Vibe Hotel Sydney at 111 Goulburn Street and
Vibe Hotel North Sydney at 171 Pacific Highway
The Vibe Darling Harbour is adjacent to Darling Harbour just a 6-minute walk to the International Convention Centre.
Rooms at the Vibe Darling Harbour
There are 145 rooms including 10 guest suites at the Vibe Darling Harbour which consist of:
- Guest Room Queen
- Guest Room King with Balcony
- Guest Room King or Twin
- Guest Room Queen with Balcony
- Deluxe Room Queen
- Deluxe Room King or Twin
- Executive Suite King or Twin
We spent two nights in the Executive Suite King size.
Our very comfortable and spacious room had:
- a separate lounge area
- work desk
- in-room safe
- mini bar
- tea and coffee making facilities
- Nespresso machine and pods
- individually controlled air-conditioning
- iron and ironing board
- a very spacious bathroom
- toiletries and hairdryer
- free Wifi at 1 Mbps for four devices in the room
- high-speed Wifi upgrade for unlimited devices for a fee
- USB charging points
- 49 inch LCD TV
After two full working days, it was so relaxing to return to the very comfortable, sleep-inducing king size bed and luxury linen.
Good to know: It is encouraging to see that all the Vibe properties have a commitment to reducing single-use plastic. They are also offering recycling and waste bins in guest rooms and motion sensors to avoid energy waste.
The Vibe Chain of hotels are part of the TFE Hotel Group who has introduced a Clean Touch program. Clean Touch is an independently verified health and hygiene program designed to give our guests peace of mind to know their health and well-being is the hotel’s top priority.
Facilities offered by Vibe Darling Harbour
The Sussex Store is located on the ground floor opposite the Reception Desk and is open from early morning. They make great coffee, not only were the guests queuing up for their coffee but many of the locals too! You must head down there for breakfast and order my favourite Yoghurt Parfait made with yummy greek yoghurt, clusters of granola and berries. Such a healthy way to start the day!
Above 319 is the Vibe’s rooftop restaurant and bar – the perfect opportunity to enjoy a sundowner after a hard day’s work or a full day of sightseeing with friends whilst sharing delicious platters.
Relax by the heated rooftop swimming pool or enjoy a workout at their fully equipped gym.
Parking
Off-site public parking is available opposite the hotel at Centro Cinema Centre Car Park (306 Sussex Street) for $40 per 24 hour period and is limited to one entry and exit per day. A parking ticket must be validated at the hotel reception prior to exiting the car park.
Would we return to the Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour?
Yes, in a heartbeat. We loved the location – it is just perfect for visiting Darling Harbour and its food and beverage establishments, for shopping in the CBD or even walking down to the Rocks and jumping on a ferry at Circular Quay.
Check-in was efficient and speedy. Check-out was very easy as well. The staff were excellent, friendly and extremely helpful. We felt very comfortable with the current COVID regulations in place.
Latest Guest Reviews:
“Loved the room. The bed and pillows were so comfortable. The rooftop bar was great. The staff were lovely. Convenient location to the Darling Harbour precinct.”
“Great location and design of the hotel. Comfortable bed and really loved the bathroom with rain shower! The rooftop bar and pool were fun! We only tried the cafe once but the breakfast was great.”
How to get to the Vibe Hotel from Sydney Airport
You can book a private transfer – details here
You can pre-book an airport shuttle – full details here
Car rental is also available to be booked from the airport or city – details here
Do you need travel insurance – check here before booking.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a Darling Harbour hotel with great facilities, a rooftop bar, rooms with balconies this is the hotel for you. The hotel is well located to enjoy all that Sydney has to offer.
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Disclosure: We paid a media rate for our stay at the Vibe Hotel Darling Harbour. As always, our opinions are our own.