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Overview
If you've long thought of The Rocks as a gimmicky tourist trap, join us for a rediscovery. Like so many of Sydney's villages, this one is continually reinventing itself. The cobbled lanes and sandstone buildings mightn't have changed since Sydney Town days, but, within them, there are ever-evolving adventures to be had. From small bars, boutique hotels and off-beat eateries to new festivals and imaginative pop-ups, here's your guide to avoiding the traffic and taking a little staycation right here in your home city.
STAY
If you're after a little history blended with modern creature comforts, book yourself into the Harbour Rocks Hotel on Harrington Street. Walking into the historic foyer feels like being invited into someone's lounge room — if that someone just happens to have the knack (and the cash) for arranging beautiful, beautiful objects in a welcoming, cosy way. From the street, dark wooden doors slide open — like curtains lifting on a play — revealing lounges, sculptures, bookshelves and an ethereal light feature that looks curiously like candles tumbling down a waterfall. The reception desk, tucked away to the right, is friendly and efficient.
Now part of Accor's MGallery collection, the 59-room hotel occupies what were once two separate buildings: three sandstone terraces on one side and, on the other, a former store, originally built in 1887. In the early '70s a bunch of artists, who came to be known as the Harrington Street Cooperative, seized on its rundown state and moved in — though today you'll find them in Chippendale, still painting, drawing and sculpting away.
It was in 1989 that the buildings merged to create a hotel, but it wasn't until 2007 that master hoteliers Robert and Ruth Magid (who also own Sebel Pier One) nabbed it. A few years later, a 10-month revamp peeled back interior layers to expose some stunning rough-hewn wooden beams and hand-chipped sandstone. Today, a stunning atrium forms the hotel's centre, with rooms on either side.
Book a room, and you'll follow a winding staircase to an open-plan studio suite. As in the lobby, the interior achieves the right balance of style and comfort, of old and new. Dark taupe paint covers the walls, brightened by a series of vast, arched, New York loft-style windows along two sides. The furnishings, arranged to maximise the room's airiness, add subtle, earthy splashes of ochre, tan, maroon and yellow. There's a king-sized bed, a sofa, a desk, tea and coffee-making gear, a large LCD TV on a pole (so you can watch from anywhere you decide to drape yourself), a simple bathroom with a shower and aromatherapeutic toiletries by Appelles.
Don't spend your whole weekend in the room, though — be sure to leave time for a tipple on the bamboo-filled terrace overlooking Nurses Walk.
DRINK AND EAT
In addition to the terrace, there are three spots to explore before leaving the Harbour Rocks Hotel's front door. For brekkie, head downstairs to the 40-seat Scarlett Restaurant. There's a bit of a wait by 9.30am, but once you're safely ensconced in a soft leather seat, you'll be adequately recompensed with a continental buffet featuring light, fluffy pastries, and an aptly named Healthy Start of eggs, avocado, truss tomatoes and Persian feta on Sonoma sourdough — just one of the a la carte offerings. For a quick dash to Paris, pop into Creperie Suzette, where you'll find a warming variety of galettes and crepes, and for boutique wines, cocktails and tapas later in the day, visit the hotel's classy yet warm Eric's Bar.
Pei Modern
Meanwhile, at Mark Best's Pei Modern on George Street, things are even better than when we visited a year ago (and they were pretty damn fine then). The biggest news is that Joachim Borenius has taken over as head chef. He's spent ten years in Michelin-starred restaurants The Fat Duck and New York's Per Se, and six years as head chef and sous chef at Marque. Pei is sticking to the formula that it's known for, but continues to perfect the details; premium quality, locally-sourced ingredients are creatively combined with an absolutely cracking wine list, curated by 2014 Vin de Champagne champ Annette Lacey.
Tuck into Pei's pork and fennel sausage, with impossibly smooth, creamy white polenta and sweet 'n' hot bullhorn pepper, and ricotta gnocchi with butternut squash, mint, parsley and pepitas. For dessert, you can't not order the duck egg sauternes custard that Best made famous — that delicious contradiction of burnt caramel and sugar, that ambrosial alcoholic follow-up is not to be missed. The roasted meringue with mango and coconut sorbet is like a brief, dreamy stopover on a tropical island. Contemplating a post-dinner night cap? There are more than 150 geographically diverse whiskies next door at Grain Bar.
Ananas
For a fancy-schmancy outing, reserve a table at Quay, one of Sydney's four three-hatted restaurants. Head chef Peter Gilmore spends hours in his experimental garden perfecting heirloom varieties, which he then commissions local producers to grow, before turning them (the varieties, not the producers) into magical dishes. Also on the posh side is the one-hatted Sake, where traditional Japanese cuisine gets a contemporary spin, and the French-inspired Ananas, whose brunches are legendary for their 'edible graveyards', 'fairyland desserts' and bottomless champagne. For a post-dinner beverage worthy of your feast, trot across George Street to Bulletin Place for a cocktail made by the man who's actually been named the world's best bartender, Tim Philips.
Thinking about going a bit more casual? Join the locals for a Golden Gaytime shake, Coffee Alchemy cold brew or house-cured salmon bagel at The Fine Food Store. Or, for harbour views (without Quay's price tag), dine in the company of giant-sized sculptures at the MCA's fourth floor terrace cafe. As far as a sweet hit goes, it's still hard to beat a Picasso Mousse in La Renaissance Patisserie's quiet, leafy courtyard, where the dessert making's been reaching Parisian standards for over 40 years. And, at The Tea Cosy, hidden away in a rambling terrace, the scones are made from scratch and the tea is the real, leafy deal.
The Rocks Village Bazaar
DO
Given the area's heritage significance, you may as well start with a historical refresh. The most fun — albeit cheesiest — way to go is with a Ghost Tour. Instead of hearing a dreary list of dates, you'll discover all the dirty, dingy stuff: murders, opium dens and disappearances. Or, if Sydney's been bearing down on you of late, do the opposite: wipe away the cobwebs with a Bridge Climb and re-appreciate the city from a whole new perspective.
We know, we know, we're possibly sounding way too touristy right now. All right, you culturati, go on and get yourself down to The Wharf instead. Take an impromptu dance lesson with The Sydney Dance Company for all we care. Better still, book a ticket to one of their shows. The Sydney Theatre Company is in the same spot, and Rose Byrne will be dropping by later in the year.
Alternatively, plan your stay to coincide with a festival or special event. One of our favourites is the Aroma Festival, a paean to the mighty coffee bean. Roasting, grinding, frothing, cupping and sampling happen throughout July, with the biggest day set for Sunday, July 26. It's a great place to stay for a night during Vivid mid-year, and we also love The Rocks Village Bizarre, which, in November and December, takes over every nook and cranny with magic, music, cabaret and unexpected occurrences.
Jasmine Crittenden travelled as a guest of Harbour Rocks Hotel and Pei Modern.