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Hotel Challis offers a charming local experience in Potts Point, set over two beautifully restored 1893 heritage-listed terrace homes. Part of the unique collection of Locay properties in Sydney's East, this beautifully decorated residence is our founding premium accommodation located down the "Parisian end" of the Potts Point village just a short walk from Kings Cross train station with only one train stop to the city centre or a 15 min walk around the harbour foreshore to Circular Quay and the Opera House. Close to everything, Hotel Challis is the perfect choice for your next stay in Sydney. There's something for everyone from historical architecture on beautiful tree lined streets with city and harbour glimpses, to chic cocktail bars, emerging and renowned fine dining restaurants and the favourite locals. Explore eclectic boutique shops, local galleries and fringe theatre, or wander weekend markets. A place for everyone; from corporates to creatives, foodies and artists, bohemians to global travellers. Hotel Challis Potts Point provides a unique stay inside one of Sydney's most grand and decorative heritage-listed mansions, built in the late Italianate Renaissance Victorian period. Being a heritage building, our rooms are not all the same size and shape as most, however, your stay with us will be unique and charming without compromising your comfort or your wallet! Originally part of the 19th century Estate owned by John Henry Challis (1806-1880), an Englishman and self-made philanthropist, a major benefactor of the expansion of Sydney University's Arts, Sciences and Medicine faculties; and whose name is given to our property and the avenue. All our guest rooms feature reverse cycle split system air-conditioning giving you climate control. Premium beds are made with cool white bedlinen and fresh towels are available in the ensuite bathroom with all Australian amenities. We offer guests free access to high speed Fibre Optic Wi-Fi, a work desk; a compact wardrobe if you want to unpack and Digital LCD TV. Relax or revive with local Australian teas or Nescafe blend - we don't offer coffee pods because we love our environment - and who needs them with so many cafes nearby! Elegantly furnished and set over 4 floors with lift access, Hotel Challis Potts Point offers a guest laundry with washing machine and dryer, negotiated off-site parking rates and free 24-hour gym access at a nearby fitness centre. The property offers 3 wheelchair accessible rooms and bathrooms with rear entrance/exit accessibility for guests who require it, please contact the property directly prior to arrange your arrival. Discover our local restaurants, bars and cafes just steps from your front door for a sun-filled morning coffee or an evening aperitif and dinner. Join Max our local guide to explore the eclectic sights & hear stories that made Kings Cross & Potts Point an international playground for entertainment, bohemia & crime for a guided Neighbourhood Walking Tour.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Residential Neighbourhood
Quaint
Languages Spoken
English
Location
21-23 Challis Ave Potts Point, Sydney, New South Wales 2011 Australia
Hotel Challis
1,039 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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The staff were very kind. The room had all the things that we needed and was clean. The location is great because there are a lot of bars and small eating places nearby. Public transportation is very close by and easy to walk into the city centre. Down side was the shower, the pressure was not enough. But is easy to fix and there was a bit of noise because of the workers in the street. They were getting rid of the trees that have fallen during a big storm that hit Sydney a couple of days ago. Just ask for a room within the building and not at the backend which is basically outside.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hotel C, Guest Relations Manager at Hotel Challis
Responded 26 Feb 2020
Dear 150DannyP, Thank you for reviewing our hotel on TripAdvisor. We are pleased to read that you are happy with our services and also, the location of the hotel. We have brought it up to the maintenance department in regards to the issue that you have brought up. We are happy to inform that it has been fixed. All our 55 rooms are actually in the building itself. We would have loved to put you on the upper floor. Unfortunately, during your stay, we were fully booked due to the cruise ship in town. Once again, thank you for taking the time to review us and thank you for staying with us! Kind regards, Guest Relations Manager
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A great location in the delightful neighbourhood of Potts Point. A residential area, a reasonable walking distance from the Sydney Opera House, with many cafes and restaurants. We had a room with city views on the fourth floor - very quiet, although the room was quite small with no wardrobe or drawers for clothes (we lived out of our suitcases). We were surprised to find the hotel doesn’t serve breakfast, although it really wasn’t a problem as it gave us the opportunity to try out the local cafes and restaurants, all of which do breakfast. The room was pleasantly decorated, and the bed was very comfortable. We would definitely recommend it, on the basis of the location, in a lovely residential area, which felt quiet and safe, and is well connected by public transport (buses and trains).
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:They don’t do breakfast but there are lots of smart cafes and restaurants just a few minutes walk...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent several nights in this hotel and found it comfortable and very well located. We walked to the City Centre and the Botanic Gardens. The staff were friendly and very helpful, especially when we needed to do some printing from e-mails.
The local area is interesting and vibrant, with restaurants, individual shops and a grocery store nearby. The hotel suited our needs exactly and I therefore have no hesitation in recommending it to other travellers.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Our room was at the back of the hotel so it was very quiet. Front rooms have balconies but may be...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hotel C, Guest Relations Manager at Hotel Challis
Responded 2 Apr 2020
Dear AlexinaFullerton, Thank you so much for your lovely review. We are happy to read that we met your expectation in terms of customer service and the location of the hotel. Word of mouth is the best form of marketing and recommendation that a business can ask for. Once again, thank you for taking your time to review us and thank you for staying with us. We look forward to welcoming you again at Hotel Challis. Kind regards,
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Beautiful building and excellent location. Clean and small rooms offer basic amenities. Apart from that, the staff was unpleasant, sexist, and unhelpful. Unfriendly and greedy policies restrict checkout time and free wifi. There's a limited data usage and number of devices for internet connection. If you need additional Gb's or check out at 12h you have to pay extra fees for both. The staff response was rough when asked for recommendations and sexist comments towards women marked our stay. The noxious attitude at the reception should be taken to the attention of the hotel management as a serious issue for the reputation of the hotel. Truly unexpected and disappointing experience of the otherwise friendly Australian environment.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hotel C, Guest Relations Manager at Hotel Challis
Responded 12 Feb 2020
Dear Fabio F, Thank you for taking the time to review our hotel on TripAdvisor. We offer complimentary late check-out till 12 pm for our “Guests With Benefits” loyalty members who have booked directly with us or on our Sydney Lodges website and for all other guests, the standard check-out time is 10 am, like most comparable hotels in Australia. This is just one of the perks for booking directly with us. Other benefits include unlimited wifi, priority early check-in and free upgrade (subject to availability at check-in). Our record shows that even though your booking came via third party online accommodation, we did extend our complimentary 12 pm late checked-out to your booking. We believe strongly in equality and this is one of our core values at Sydney Lodges. Hotel Challis is part of Sydney Lodges. We treat our guests equally with respect regardless of their race, religion, gender, age and preference. We are not sure what you encountered to make you feel otherwise and we suggest you send us an email to elaborate on the situation further as our Manager received no record of complaint. We thank you again for taking the time to review us and for staying with us. Kind regards, Guest Relations Manager
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Don't stay at this hotel. I booked my stay via Expedia for 9-11 December. Shortly after I booked, I tested positive for COVID-19. Expedia contacted the hotel and a representative spoke with Amelia (Front Desk) and a manager by the name of Nicole. I advised Expedia I needed to cancel my booking at least 16 hours before my expected checkin time to the hotel (the hotel was emailed as well). Although the hotel offered to refund one night's stay (out of three nights), there was no refund offered (or even a credit voucher) for the remaining two nights. I'm really upset that the hotel didn't really make an effort given my circumstances. As such, I'm writing negative reviews regarding my poor experience. Undoubtedly, what will probably happen is that the hotel will charge for two nights (when I'm not staying there) and still book someone else into the room, effectively charging twice as much and making more profit. Really, terrible. Don't stay at this hotel.
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Date of stay: December 2022
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Made a booking for May 2022, had to cancel the booking eventually. Booking was under Flexi option with full refund. I requested and refund and was promptly charged full booking fee AGAIN (TWICE) instead of refund. It has been 3 business days and I am still trying to get my double charge back. Response from the hotel: poorly written emails with meaningless suggestions to "wait" up to 7 business days (for local bank transfer, really???), helpless Chinese staff on the phone not even willing to contact their bank to see what's holding up my refund. The result to date: an unexpected hole in my budget from double charge and murky perspective of a booking refund. Stupidity and unprofessionalism.
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Date of stay: April 2022
Value
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hotel Challis was in the nice part of town, many lovely cafes / restaurants within an easy walk. We had dinner reservations at Finger Wharf and this was an easy stroll down the stairs at the end of the street 6 min walk. Walked to the Botanical Gardens the next morning an easy 20 mins. Location is 5 stars! Feel safe at night.
The Hotel is boutique, stunning architecture. The room was a Premium King very small, very comfortable bed and nice linen and comfortable pillows. The bathroom was tiny and I am small and found it very tight, a big person would struggle in this space.
Overall a pleasurable stay! Highly recommend very reasonably priced too.
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Date of stay: April 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What an amazing boutique hotel only a short 10min walk from Kings Cross StationI recently stayed here for a work event nearby.
The staff on arrival were exceptional and really helpful. They held my bags and then placed them in my room as I was expecting to come back after reception has closed. Note: reception hours are 8am-8pm
The room itself was very comfortable and had everything that I needed. I was in room 106. This room opened straight out to the courtyard. Note: Try to avoid these rooms if possible as they were very noisy. It rained heavily the night I stayed and the noise woke me up.
Overall the stay was very good and was only 1 night and had everything I needed would highly recommend this hotel if looking for something in this area.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Try and avoid the rooms that open onto the courtyards.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Filthy room and total lack of care or responsibility/ I was over charged for my room and have had to lodge a dispute with my credit card provider as Reception couldn't care less
I had to wait whilst another room was cleaned after being put in a room where every noise in the work areas could be heard and it was filthy. Carpets not vacuumed, mould in shower and broken tiles , shower head filthy . I went to make a cup of tea and the kettle in my room was filthy with rust . When I asked for a refund I was denied and given another room only slightly better
Whilst I was at front desk three people had to ask if there room would be cleaned today
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Give it a miss , there is a Holiday Inn up the street , and I would suggest much more reputable
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A boutique hotel utilizing an existing terrace of small but cozy rooms, that is mid priced between expensive hotels and hostel/backpacker hotels. Nice area within strolling distance of various cafes and restaurants along Macleay and Victoria streets. The Woolloomooloo Marina and Kings Cross precinct are within 15mins walk. Sydney botanical gardens in 20mins and about 30mins walk for Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Circular Quays precinct.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:The area does feature a lot of staircases and sloped streets, so if your mobility is limited,...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Unfortunately, we do not have any smoking area in the hotel. Hotel Challis is a non-smoking property. Smoking is only permitted outside the main gate of the hotel.
Hi,
According to the law and regulations in Australia, smoking is strictly prohibited in most of the public places. Smoking is not allowed at the balcony.
Heavy fines apply for violating these rules.
There are more places to choose from in the Sydney area.
PRICE RANGE
AU$131 - AU$265 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
challis hotel sydney
LOCATION
AustraliaNew South WalesSydney
NUMBER OF ROOMS
55
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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