Hotel Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour, Sydney
Expert reviews
“In a heritage-listed wool store, this stylish gem combines industrial minimalism with the warmth of ironbark-wood beams, luxury appointments and engaged staff. Rooms range from the aptly named Shoebox to airy lofts and attic suites with harbour views.”
“Uber-cool interiors in a converted wool store, paired with a kill-you-with-kindness approach to service, make this boutique Darling Harbour property both hip and homely. A complimentary minibar, evening drinks and canapés and goodie-bags in the guest rooms will bring out even the most hardened traveller’s sense of fun.”
What guests liked
- Free mini bar
- Boutique style
- Friendly staff
- Excellent Wifi
- Great location
- Comfortable beds
All you need to know
This stylish and luxury five-star hospitality center is the ideal place for tourists and travelers looking to enjoy all the excitement and thrill the city has to offer. The hotel offers nothing short of hospitality excellence and provides the best of modern amenities. Guests are sure to have a unique experience in the Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour.
The hotel is located on 139 Murray Street in the Pyrmont area of the Central Business District where it stands at a short distance to the city financial, commercial and economic hub.
The hotel offers chic room options such as Queen Room – Shoebox, Queen Room, King Room, Deluxe King Room, Loft Suite, and Junior Suite. These room options are neatly arranged and feature the most beautiful furniture. The hotel rooms also feature stylish modern decors which add a touch of beauty and elegance.
The hotel is just a 5-minute walk away from the iconic Darling Harbour while the Powerhouse Museum is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Guests can reach the Circular Quay and The Rocks within a 20-minute drive from the Ovolo 1888 hotel premises.
The rooms in the Ovolo 1888 Darling Harbour come with standard amenities and facilities such as free Wi-Fi for high-speed internet access, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, air conditioning, a minibar, a desk, and a comfy sofa. The rooms come with an en suite private bathroom which features marble floors and showers as well as thoughtful touches such as free toiletries and bathroom slippers.
Lowest price guarantee
We partner with Booking.com and Agoda. Both booking websites offer the lowest price guarantee so you can be certain you will always get the best deal for this hotel. If you have seen a better price elsewhere, all you need to do is contact the booking website and they will refund you the difference immediately. You can price match right up until the day before check-in.
Location
Recent guest reviews
9 March 2026
Beautiful and comfortable
Beautifully reimagined old Sydney building, very comfortable rooms and handy to Darling Harbour and the city
Prices are very variable but if you can get a good rate it’s a great place to stay. It’s also a pity the bar isn’t open later - there were a few groups turned away disappointed after seeing a performance at the entertainment centre.
8 March 2026
Exceptional
All excellent
2 March 2026
Exceptional
The location, the beautiful building, comfy bed and lovely room and the staff were fantastic. I'll definitely stay again.
1 March 2026
Exceptional
The convenience And comfort was just what we wanted.
Nothing, all was good.
1 March 2026
Don't eat the lunch menu
Local bars lunchtime menu made my wife sick (Fish was not fresh) Parking is a nuisance. Beds were asked to be flipped late afternoon after we asked for the morning.
Over priced unhealthy food
1 March 2026
Loud and uncomfortable
The location
The bed was uncomfortable and the noise from doors banging constantly. The room heats everything in the hallway and in other people’s rooms
25 February 2026
Very good
Small room
24 February 2026
The vibe is great in this place, the staff are excellent and food is amazing.
Conveniently located. Great vibe, good food.
-
23 February 2026
Fabulous
The room was excellent, very clean and comfortable, close to everything we needed.
21 February 2026
Beautiful hotel! Great vibe and spacious rooms.
Great ammenities, spacious rooms, parking only across the street and lovely bar downstairs. Staff were very friendly and accommodating.
18 February 2026
Very good
Location. Very easy to get to.
The rooms were very small in comparison to other hotels I’ve stayed at.
14 February 2026
Great location for walking to Tram and also Darling Harbour
Location and staff
13 February 2026
Great hotel location. Room clean and well appointed but very small and no external window.
The room was clean and well appointed. The location was great.
The room did not have an external window, there was a small window non opening into the interior area of the building above the restaurant. The room was very small and with no external window it was quite claustrophobic feeling.
10 February 2026
Fabulous
Great atmosphere and good location. Well set up for a business stay
No view
4 February 2026
Enjoyed our stay just the experience wasn’t the same.
We loved the exceptional service experience d on an earlier visit. The hotel owners have changed hands and the new level of service didnt meet the earlier experience but was close. But we still enjoyed our stay.
Cleanliness let you down. The shower had soap scum build up in the corners that any regular cleaning would have removed. There was visible skid marks at the bottom ‘s bend’ of the toilet. Again could have been cleaned easily.
31 January 2026
Nice
Close to the function we were attending
Towels. Very thin
31 January 2026
Nice place
Easy to get to our function and parking nearby
Towels
29 January 2026
Great boutique hotel, easy access to Trams and walk to Darling Harbour
Excellent staff, location, breakfast was wonderful
Nothing
26 January 2026
Front desk did a great job to solve a broken air conditioner situation. Not ideal to move rooms multiple times but far b
Funky and well located. Front desk staff all very friendly and helpful.
Poor service in the cafe/restaurant. Lost orders an inattentive staff.
22 January 2026
Great location. Comfy bed
Great location. Comfy bed n pillows. Dressing gowns were great.
Complimentary drinks not explained when checking in. Bathroom tiles had mould on them..dirty... Breakfast ordering at cafe took ages..had to cancel coffee order with breakfast as it was taking too long. Parking partnership not explained very well so had to pay full price for parking...sounds like more training of staff required
22 January 2026
Very comfortable hotel with convenient access to many of Sydney highlights.
The hotel has lots of character. It has been tastefully renovated to retain many of original Woolstore features. The room was very comfortable and we enjoyed the complimentary refreshments on arrival. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed a tapas dinner with friends and family at the Percy restaurant on Friday night, the food and service were excellent. The location of the hotel in Pyrmont is well catered for with local cafes, and short walk to the Maritime museum and the ferry to Circular Quay. The light rail service is accessible across the road from the hotel and provides an alternative route to the CBD.
19 January 2026
Cute, clean and reasonable priced
Cute hotel, staff were friendly and hotel was clean. Reasonably priced for the location. Parking available across the road for $60 a night.
Drinks at the bar were quite expensive however that’s the standard in Sydney.
18 January 2026
Great location and amazing service!
The guy working at the front desk was great! Very friendly and provided great service. The hotel was a really cool vibe, clean and great location.
Nothing.
18 January 2026
Beautifully renovated building convenient to the CBD.
Loved the industrial design and how quiet it was - the street sound was almost unnoticeable. There were thoughtful touches in the room - robes, the wool store lip balm. I loved it.
No complaints!
17 January 2026
Great location, welcoming staff & unexpected upgrade. We will most definitely be returning customers.
Location, location, location. Terrific staff & lovely room
Nil
13 January 2026
Lovely hotel, would highly recommend
The hotel (once we found it!) was lovely. The rooms were an ok size, clean and tidy. We heard no noise during our stay so assume the rooms are really well insulated! Although it would be nice to be able to open a window. The bed was very comfy and the rooms were cleaned every day, with the option to change your towels. Staff were all very friendly (there's always someone on reception to help). Breakfast was very nice, although a little small. The location is also great, it's a bit of a walk to the centre or to circular quay, but it's easily accessible and there's transport options nearby.
I can't really pick any faults with the hotel, everything was perfect. My only minor comment is breakfast, which although was really lovely, could be a little bit bigger!
6 January 2026
Comfortable new year’s stay
Liked the style and ambiance in restoration of building
Room was a bit stuffy, perhaps some fresh air or windows access , also I know there hard to control,but the was cockroaches in the room , did mean to tell front desk but forgot to mention it . The staff were very nice and obliging,cheers
29 December 2025
Definitely my new go to hotel in the city.
Full of character and loved the fact it is small and quiet. The tapas for dinner was some of the best I’ve ever had!
Nothing not to like about this gorgeous hotel.
27 December 2025
Great fo a short stay in Sydney!
Super cool location - walking distance to the center. Everything was super stylish and clean. The employees were (nearly all) super welcoming and friendly!
I would have given 10 stars but unfortunately the lady working at the breakfast bar was suuuper unfriendly that we never felt welcome. It is very unfortunate that such a grumpy employees sticks to our memory of this nice hotel…
24 December 2025
Great location
Great location for our stay in Sydney!!
Our room was small but we only slept there and it was extremely comfortable
22 December 2025
Exceptional
I loved the loft suite. The bed was super comfy. Location was awesome and not too busy. The room was very quiet and the window furnishings cut out all the outside light. All the staff were really nice. The brekkie was nice as well as the coffee. would like to have dinner in the restaurant next time.I love those old heritage buildings which created a very romantic setting.
The air con in the loft made a funny noise every now and then, but no biggie
21 December 2025
I would stay here every time we go to Sydney. I love it.
Loved the location. Loved the style of the hotel. Bed was very comfortable. Staff were very helpful and lovely to deal with. Room was nice and cool on this very hot weekend. Would love to stay here all the time when in Sydney.
It would be great if the prices were better. Quite expensive. There isnt much negative feedback I can give as it is such a fabulous place to stay. When we used to stay a few years ago. There was a bottle of wine on arrival. Chocolate in the fridge and a few drinks. But there was still complimentary soft drink, water and Pringles so that was really nice.
19 December 2025
Fairly expensive but excellent service, location and comfort with great character
Great location and heaps of character. Staff were helpful and friendly. Breakfast excellent. Comfortable bed, complimentary snacks and soft drinks in the room a nice touch.
Only one person doing check-ins so there was a 10 minute wait before being able to check in while we waited for the couple in front of us to finish at the desk. Value for money was ok but not exceptional.
14 December 2025
Great
Location, very unique hotel, old and new feel
Bit noisey
14 December 2025
Exceptional
Love the rustic feel of the hotel, awesome place to stay. The staff and rooms are great and in a really handy spot in the city,
Can’t think of one thing
13 December 2025
Great boutique atmosphere with mod cons
Restaurant was not open
9 December 2025
value for money, outstanding service and quality rooms, and food
great service, clean, comfortable, quite, spacious and a wonderful experience, with an excellent breakfast that i was late 30mins after closing yet without hesitation the waiter asked the chef whom duly cooked for me, outstanding
nothing
9 December 2025
Fantastic experience for us!
Customer service was excellent which created our stay amazing!
Understand maintenance items pop up so this is the only item we could say, leaking pipe / drain. But action was taken. Thus we appreciated the efforts.
7 December 2025
Exceptional
Loved it we always stay here wgen in sydbey x
4 December 2025
Meet our essential requirements; close to the venue, a secure and reasonable place to stay.
Location was excellent as we had tickets for the Lyric Theatre. Breakfast was good, however my partner did not enjoy her choice. Some Breakfast staff were good but other were very good. Enjoyed the complementary drinks and snack in the room. The room was just adequate size wise, about the size of my caravan for a lot more money.
Size was adequate but a little more space would have been much better and appreciated. Having space for a chair to relax in would be appreciated, particularly for the cost of the room
3 December 2025
Location, quirky rooms, friendly staff
It’s a lovely old Hotel with lots of charm and an amazing renovation. It’s located across the road from the Harbourside Car Park, which is cheap on the weekend. We went to a show at the ICC which is a safe 10 minute walk. The rooms are quirky and well-provisioned. The snacks are included which is a nice touch. The staff are friendly and helpful.
We went to breakfast, which can be a bit expensive. It would be nice to have a breakfast option on booking.
2 December 2025
Perfect location for easy access to Darling Harbour
Great location for Darling Harbour
I prefer softer pillow
28 November 2025
A wonderful place for a convention at the ICC
Perfectly located just behind Darling Harbour, giving you easy access to the city while still being tucked away from the noise. The room was impressively quiet thanks to the heavy insulation and blackout curtains — genuinely one of the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a hotel. Staff were friendly and attentive, and the ground-floor bar/restaurant was a great convenience. The complimentary bottled water and snacks were a thoughtful touch.
False fire alarm went off at 5am😵💫
25 November 2025
Lovely stylish hotel!
We had a lovely stay Beautiful hotel and super close to ICC Breakfast was lovely, thank you Clean room regularly serviced
The only down side was fire alarm going off at 5am twice We understand it was set off by the guest but we could do without
16 November 2025
Weekend Getaway
The property is beautiful in design combining heritage and modern architecture. Centrally located across the road from Wilson’s Harbourside Parking is convenient. Room was lovely and dark and bed was comfy for a good nights sleep. Reception staff were lovely and welcoming.
I felt the $5.00 room service fee was unexpected considering the amount paid for the accommodation. Check out was rushed and felt very in-personal for a supposedly 5 star hotel, no question with regard to the stay etc.
10 November 2025
Great Location and great vibe
We like the vibe of the Hotel, the included breakfast is A LA CARTE that was a nice surprise. located very close to Darling Harbour. Great spot we will come back if in Sydney again.
There was some signs of wear and tear in the rooms but nothing too problematic.
9 November 2025
Very comfortable small room but with everything needed.
Comfortable, modern. Every amenity. Free snacks.
Booked a city view room, but received an interior room overlooking the lifts.
8 November 2025
Fabulous
Loved the fabulous service at check in, so welcoming. Beautiful hotel in a great location
The bed was very uncomfortable
8 November 2025
Brilliant staff
Helpfulness of staff. We lost a wallet in a taxi and they went above and beyond to get it returned.
Menu somewhat limited
Hotel facilities
Food & Drink
- - Restaurant
- - Bar
- - Snack bar
- - Wine/champagne (additional charge)
- - Coffee house on site
General
- - Room service
- - Non-smoking rooms
- - Lift
- - Safety deposit box
- - Heating
- - Non-smoking throughout
- - Air conditioning
- - Shared lounge/TV area
Business facilities
- - Meeting/banquet facilities (additional charge)
Reception services
- - 24-hour front desk
- - Luggage storage
- - Invoice provided
Cleaning services
- - Laundry
- - Dry cleaning (additional charge)
- - Ironing service (additional charge)
- - Daily housekeeping
Parking
- - Parking garage
Outdoors
- - Outdoor furniture
Miscellaneous
- - Security alarm
- - Smoke alarms
- - CCTV in common areas
- - CCTV outside property
- - Fire extinguishers
- - Face masks for guests available

More photos

14 March 2026
Beautiful hotel with excellent staf