Potts Point and Kings Cross

Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point

★★★★★

Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point gives you a stylish, mid-priced base in one of Sydney's most characterful neighbourhoods. It sits on Kings Cross Road at the point where the old red-light strip of Kings Cross gives way to the tree-lined streets, Art Deco apartment blocks and excellent cafes of Potts Point, a neighbourhood that has quietly become one of the best places to eat and drink in the city. The hotel's personality comes from the area's history as Sydney's bohemian quarter, home to artists, writers and musicians; the design uses sketch-style artwork and music references, including vinyl records, rather than generic chain decor. There are 105 rooms, from standard rooms to suites and one-bedroom suites, and higher floors look out over Rushcutters Bay and towards the harbour. On the ground floor, Luc-San is a French and Japanese-inspired restaurant that draws locals as well as guests, and The X does coffee and breakfast. The hotel has a fitness centre, free Wi-Fi and daily housekeeping, and it is a single-use plastic-free property. Dogs up to 30 kilograms are welcome for a nightly fee with a pet package. Kings Cross station is a short walk, with trains to the city in a few minutes and to Bondi Junction for the beaches, and the walk down to Woolloomooloo, the Art Gallery of NSW and the Royal Botanic Garden takes around fifteen to twenty minutes. Nearby, Elizabeth Bay House, The Yellow House and the bars of Potts Point make for good evenings.

Where it fits: Kings Cross has changed a great deal over the past decade. Strict licensing laws closed many of the late-night venues, and the area has been reborn around restaurants, wine bars and cafes, especially in the Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay streets just north of the hotel. Some of the old edge remains on Darlinghurst Road, which is part of the character, and the area is busy and well lit. For visitors, it means good food, easy transport and lower prices than the harbour hotels.

Room craft: ask for a high floor for the Rushcutters Bay outlook; the suites and one-bedroom suites suit longer stays and couples who want to spread out. If you are driving, note that on-site parking is limited and charged daily, and the hotel has suggested an off-site car park nearby when its own is unavailable, so check when you book. Check-in is from 3pm and check-out by 10am, earlier than many hotels, so plan your last morning accordingly.

Who it suits and the trade-offs: couples, food lovers, travellers with dogs and anyone wanting a neighbourhood stay with quick access to both the city and the eastern beaches. There is no pool, and the area around the station can be lively at night. It is a good-value alternative to staying in the CBD, especially for a second visit.