Hotel Challis Potts Point

We were fortunate enough to find this beautiful period hotel, Hotel Challis, at extremely short notice, and, although only one night, will love to return. With an amazing choice of cafés, restaurants, and bars in a very relaxed walk’s distance, you are spoilt for choice. The first impression, of a grand residence in the tree’d Potts Point, is true, as you enter into a wonderful atrium and reception, to be greeted by Victoria, who was most cheerful, helpful, and informative. Rooms are served by both a lift, and stairs in a quaint two up, one down manner. The king bed room was sooo comfortable, with a balcony for our afternoon tea, and outstanding cleanliness, overlooking Challis Avenue, a quiet avenue of trees and residences. Parking is available on-street for 2 hours if available, or about 500 metres away at a 24 hour parking station, with your parking ticket being validated by and at the Hotel. Highly recommended, and a very good price!

This was booked for a work trip. We wanted to stay in a cute neighborhood and Potts point was recommended so to start positively the neighborhood was nice but that’s about it. This is a budget hotel and if that’s what you are looking for/expecting you should be fine but that was not my take away from previous reviews so I felt compelled to share our experience. The rooms were smaller than expected. You literally could not open a suitcase other than on the bed. The bathroom had zero counter space and was also quite small. There were steps to get into the room and around the hotel so if you have any accessibility issues I would not recommend this hotel. The sheets were scratchy, you could hear everything outside and there was one small window in the room. If you’re looking for a cheap room in a cute part of Sydney this may work but if you’re trying to enjoy a holiday or need to open a suitcase (forget about 2), or use a counter for your toothbrush or makeup, this isn’t it. We were supposed to stay for almost a week and checked out after one night.

I stayed at Hotel Challis for 2 nights during the Sydney Marathon and my experience was extremely disappointing. 1. I paid for an upgraded, larger room advertised as having a desk and couch. The room I was given had neither. When I raised this with the receptionist, he suggested I simply take a refund and find another hotel – hardly a solution during a fully booked marathon weekend. His attitude was dismissive, and only after I insisted did he reluctantly contact a supervisor. 2. I was sent the wrong bill, adding to the confusion. 3. My friend’s room went uncleaned for four days straight. 4. I arranged and paid for a late checkout, but the note was never recorded. While I was mid-marathon, I received a call demanding to know why I hadn’t checked out. The only redeeming feature was a lovely young receptionist who had only been there three weeks. She was kind and sympathetic, but ultimately had no control over the situation. For a hotel charging top rates, the service and professionalism were shockingly poor. I would strongly advise anyone considering Hotel Challis to look elsewhere.

The hotel is brilliantly situated in the heart of Potts Point - an easy walk to the Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens, with lots of cool cafés and restaurants minutes away. The hotel itself looks very smart and newly refurbished. The rooms are small, but super clean and comfortable. The reception staff are perfectly friendly and helpful.

Comfortable and clean. Very helpful staff and good location for my needs. But the ad on Booking.com stated 'Parking', when in fact there is no parking AT the hotel, instead you have to park at a public lot and walk 10 minutes back to the hotel. They give you free passes, but only one per day, so after that you are paying for the parking. Then on my departure day I had to go and get the car drive up and down the street for almost 45 minutes waiting for a street parking space to open up so I could load my bags. Had I been catching a flight it could have made me very late.

We stayed here for a week during our trip to Sydney and were pleasantly surprised! The location is absolutely fantastic, just a short walk to the train station, lots of restaurants for lunch or dinner, and even bars only 1 minute away. If you’re travelling with a lot of luggage (e.g., two big suitcases), the standard rooms might feel a bit small since there’s no closet or storage space. Also, room service is every two days, which was totally fine for us — you can always walk to the reception for fresh towels, toilet paper, or anything else you need. Overall: amazing hotel, perfect location, great price. We’ll definitely be back!

5 stars for an overnight stay. Flew in to visit family, and it was perfect for cleaning up, resting, and exploring downtown. Reasonably priced with solid amenities—crisp, clean sheets, a mid-firm bed, hot running water, gentle lighting, and a quiet part of the city. We're an independent, not-so-fussy crew, so we didn’t really test the customer service. Check-in was late, but we got to our room quickly! We took advantage of their coffee station—great for a quick fix, though not a café-level brew (as expected). Overall, a wonderful experience in a quaint, quirky early-century hotel nestled in the heart of Sydney.

The room was overpriced for what it offered. It was a twin share, but the space felt cramped and lacked the basic amenities you’d expect for the price. There was mould in the shower and the body wash was watered down, which made it feel unhygienic and poorly maintained. The only bedroom window faced a metal staircase with bright lights on 24/7, making it difficult to relax or sleep comfortably. There was no smart TV or streaming options like Netflix, which was disappointing. Additionally, there were no toiletries such as moisturiser or facial wipes, items that are typically standard in most hotel rooms. Overall, the stay was below expectations for the cost. The room was functional, but the lack of comfort, poor amenities, and maintenance issues made it not worth the price.