We recently spent an amazing week in Sydney, it’s now one of our favourite cities in the world (Francis’ number two, behind London…). We stayed at Wake Up! Sydney which is a huge hostel right in the center of the city. And, with SO much going on, we really needed to have stayed longer to fully experience everything.
My first impressions
The building itself is magnificent. It used to be a department store back in the day, with each floor dedicated to a different type of clothing. Wake Up! have made sure this history stays within the walls with a modern interior twist. It sits perfectly centered where George Street and Pitt Street meet, right across the road from Central station (2 min walk).
Eat, drink, play
Inside, the space is set out in an open way, meaning lots of interaction with other guests. It really gives the communal spaces a homely feel. Off the side of the building is Roy’s Cafe which serves an amazing breakfast (or brunch!) and beers in the afternoon.
Down under the building (no pun intended) is Side Bar where all the evening activities happen. There’s so much to do, with pool competitions, trivia nights, live music and even a beer pong comp (that Francis won!!). There were endless amounts of drink and food deals – so we took advantage of the pizza and beer ones!
All inclusive activities
If you’re like me – more of a morning bird than a late nighter, Wake Up! also organise free trips around the city. On Wednesdays, they offer the famous Bondi to Coogee Beach Walk, and Mondays and Fridays a Guided City Tour. We seem to have a habit of going on walking tours on our last day in a city, but make sure you do this one ASAP! We learnt so much and saw some parts of the city we hadn’t even heard about!
Perfect location
One of the most undeniably great things about Wake Up is the location. It’s a convenient 2 minute walk away from Central station. Plus, Sydney Harbour is 30 min walk or about 10 mins on the train. Get to Bondi beach in 30 mins and the Blue Mountains in 2hrs, all from Central station. You’re right on the edge of the CBD so there’s so many great restaurants and shops within a few mins walk.
Final thoughts…
Thanks again to Wake Up Sydney for having us for the week, we were exhausted by the end of it but managed to see so much of Sydney and meet some amazing people here! Especially recommended for solo travellers, beer fans and those of you that don’t like to walk far for an epic breakfast.
About Jess Dixon
Jess, a blogger/photographer living a sustainable lifestyle and passionate about making the world a better place. Follow her journey @naturallynomadic_