Suite Spot: The EVE Hotel Is Sydney’s Most Considered Stay Yet

In the reimagined Wunderlich Lane precinct, Sydney’s newest boutique hotel sets a new benchmark in considered, quietly confident design.

Some hotels you sleep in, and other hotels feel like letting go of a breath you didn’t know you were holding. The EVE Hotel Sydney is the latter. I’ve been fortunate to have checked into a few places over the years, but few have left an impression quite like The EVE. It wasn’t the size of the room or the view from the balcony; it was the way the afternoon light moved across the walls. The softness in the textures. The sense that someone had considered not just how things looked, but how they made you feel. 

Tucked away at the cultural crossroads of Redfern and Surry Hills, in the reimagined Wunderlich Lane precinct, The EVE doesn’t shout for your attention; it earns it slowly. From the moment you step inside, you feel The EVE before you entirely see it. Every material, placement, and shadow feels like it was chosen with care. Soft curves, textured surfaces, and a mood that leans more home than hotel.

First Impressions

It starts at the carpark (yes, the underground carpark) where wisps of the hotel’s signature scent flow through before you even park your car. It continues as you make your way through the lobby, which feels more like a contemporary gallery lounge. Warm, textural, and layered with intention rather than brand messaging or logos, in this setting, the furniture invites you to sit, to feel, rather than just observe. There are no sharp corners, no jarring lines; instead, there’s only an easy sense of flow that puts you at ease before you even realise it.

The Suite

The EVE Suite is the hotel’s centrepiece room on the fourth floor, offering a well-proportioned layout with distinct zones for dining, lounging, and sleeping. This isn’t your flashy, double-height ceiling type of suite. This one feels like stepping into a lived-in designer apartment you secretly wish was yours. Natural light pours through soft-filtered windows, shifting the feel of the space as the day unfolds. Come evening, layered soft-lighting and warm tones take over, creating a vibe that feels cocooned but never closed in.

Now let’s talk amenities. The first point of call is the lounge area, which leans more towards an inner-city creative’s sanctuary than a hotel corner. It’s anchored by soft, sculptural seating and a low table perfect for slow mornings. In the bookshelf, discreet board games are nestled between art books and ceramics, just in case you fancy a round of Boggle or Connect Four with a side of design appreciation. Even the mini bar feels like it’s been raided from a boutique grocer, full of snacks and drinks I’d never seen before but now am actively tracking down. The art isn’t just there to fill the walls. It speaks to the suite’s palette and pace, reinforcing the idea that nothing here has been chosen out of convenience.

Design & Details

The EVE, on the whole, feels like a love letter to Sydney’s creative scene brought to life by a group of local design heavyweights. Architect Adam Haddow of SJB says, “The hotel’s beauty lies in its relationship with the local surrounds. Using Australian designers throughout and a tonally rich Australiana palette, the design highlights the beauty of its surroundings.”

Inside, the hotel interiors by SJB bring warmth and depth through textured materials like soft-finished stone and mosaic-style tiling. These choices give the space a relaxed, natural feel that’s more organic retreat than a cold, modern hotel.

Then there’s the huge (but often unnoticed) part of what makes the space feel luxurious and transportive: the landscaping. Daniel Baffsky from 360 Degrees softens the edges with lush greenery, blending native and tropical plants to turn the rooftop garden into a retreat rather than a standard hotel feature. 

In a charming anecdote about the greenery on site, Baffsky shares, “Often when buildings get demolished, you’ll find beautiful old plants on the site. What we did was rescue this from a local nursery. Some might say it’s cheating time. But for us, it is more than that. We’ve made sure that beautiful living thing doesn’t go to waste.”

Nothing here feels off-the-shelf. Everything has been chosen with care. It’s a space that doesn’t just look good in photos. It makes you feel instantly at ease.

Food & Drink

For most hotel stays, it serves as a home base for exploring the city. But The EVE makes a strong case for staying in. Lottie, the hotel’s signature rooftop restaurant, offers a contemporary Mexican dining experience under the guidance of Head Chef Alejandro Huerta, whose culinary background includes stints at Noma in Copenhagen and Pujol in Mexico City.

Highlights included the raw trout ceviche with tomato and Geraldton wax and the pork jowl with cola mole. The tortillas came tucked inside a flat brown leather pouch that looked somewhere between a record sleeve and something you’d carry your passport in. Oddly enough, it felt completely on brand.

Breakfast the following morning was at Bar Julius, which felt more European café than hotel dining room. One tip for dining here: make sure you look up. The vaulted ceiling features a striking installation titled Still Life, an original work by Louise Olsen from her 2023 Manifestations series.

The walls are thoughtfully littered with stunning art pieces, including a portrait of Queen Elizabeth with her eyes closed, by Blak Douglas, quietly stealing the show. Food-wise, the in-house pastries were a standout, but the Egg Royale and Croque Madame deserve their own mention; both rich, indulgent, and hard to share.

But beyond the hotel walls, the precinct is brimming with local gems all in one spot.  Olympus Dining, which sits just downstairs, was always a buzz whenever we walked past. Its modern Greek menu and moody interior are clearly already drawing a loyal crowd, and it’s on top of my list to visit next time. Regina’s Pizzeria, a short stroll away, serves up wood-fired pizzas with crisp bases and natural wines in a laid-back, welcoming setting.

For dessert, Gelato Messina is around the corner and still deserves the hype. And for something more casual, S’Wich has just opened nearby, slinging some of the city’s best sandwiches with a low-key vibe and high-flavour payoff.

Who It’s For

The EVE Hotel is best suited for design lovers, weekenders looking to reset, creative travellers, or couples who appreciate the kind of stay where the lighting is as carefully considered as the linen. It’s for those who pay attention to the scent in the lobby, the curve of the banquette seating, and the texture of the plaster walls, and actually care about those kinds of details.

We stayed with our three kids, aged six to ten, and they enjoyed it just fine. But this isn’t a kid-centric hotel. There are no kids’ menus, activity zones or in-room entertainment setups. Families with toddlers or little ones who need to burn off energy might find themselves doing more managing than relaxing. If your idea of a great hotel stay includes poolside mocktails and splash zones, this might miss the mark.

But if you’re happy trading those in for quiet moments, good wine, and design that makes you look twice, this place will feel just right. Or, if like me, you’ve somehow raised fancy kids who expect nothing less than hand-churned Pepe Saya butter in their lunch sandwiches, they’ll probably enjoy it too.

The Verdict

Unlike my recent stay at the Four Seasons Hong Kong, which impressed with sweeping harbour views and grand, expansive spaces, The EVE Hotel takes a quieter, more thoughtful approach. It does not try to overwhelm you. Instead, it wins you over with mood, materiality and the feeling that every detail has been carefully considered.

It is the way the afternoon light lands on the travertine floor, the way the silence inside the suite makes the outside world feel miles away, the sense of being welcomed, not wowed, and the kind of comfort that makes you want to unpack, unwind, and stay a little longer. 

The EVE Hotel feels like a breath of fresh air in the city. Much like The Calile in Brisbane redefined what a resort could look like in the middle of a city, The EVE is carving out its own lane in Sydney. Not a copy, not chasing trends, but offering a boutique urban experience that feels equal parts grounded and elevated. It may be early days, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts collecting accolades before long. The EVE is not just a name. It’s a reminder that something new has begun.

Disclaimer: The author of this article, John Guanzon, stayed at The EVE Hotel Sydney as a guest of TFE Hotels for this review.