Australia’s first 25hours hotel has been given a revised opening date of December 2024 following construction delays at the Sydney site, with new renders of guest rooms released.
The new 109-room hotel, developed by leading Sydney property developer Central Element (CE) and joint venture partner Boston Global Group, is located at 1-11 Oxford Street Paddington, the heritage listed site of the former West Olympia Theatre.
“After several years of planning, we’re proud to see our vision well and truly come to life as we near doors open on our very first destination lifestyle precinct under the 25hours hotel brand in December 2024,” Central Element Managing Director, Nathan Chivas, told HM exclusively.
“As a business we strive to leave a lasting impact through developments that genuinely enrich and inspire their locales, with purpose now and well into the future.
“We believe this is what we have achieved in Paddington, reinvigorating the historic West Olympia Theatre into a beautifully designed building, further enriching Oxford Street’s culinary and bar scene with exciting new offerings and opening Australia’s first 25hours hotel for locals and visitors alike to enjoy.”
Under Ennismore’s 25hours hotel brand, which sits within the Accor portfolio, the Paddington hotel, will reflect the diverse creative and cultural scene of its surrounding neighbourhood and local community.
The hotel will feature a ground floor café, restaurant and bar, four levels of boutique hotel accommodation and a rooftop bar that overlooks Oxford Street, Sydney’s eastern suburbs and harbour.
There will also be three ground floor and subterranean retailers including a wellness facility, and a landscaped central courtyard that will host live events.
Executive Vice President of Brand Marketing for 25hours, Bruno Marti, told HM that “cinema and the history of movies” have become the Leitmotiv for the hotel’s interior design.
“We’re super excited 25hours is coming to Australia,” Marti told HM exclusively.
“Guests can expect the usual quirky storytelling, including dreamer and renegade rooms, a VHS library with the necessary players to take to the room, a collection of iconic lobby furniture inspired by timeless movies, and event spaces, including a screening room.
“A café, restaurant and rooftop bar curated by Ennismore’s in-house F&B concept studio, Carte Blanched, complete the offer.”
The site was originally Marshall’s Paddington Brewery before being replaced by West’s Olympia Pictures in 1911, becoming a destination for movie lovers for nearly 50 years.
In the 90s, it was home to popular Sydney nightclub Grand Pacific Blue Room.
Architecture firm and an expert in heritage projects Tonkin Zulaikha Greer will work on restoring and integrating the West’s Olympia Theatre’s iconic façade into the upscale boutique hotel, honouring its past.