Sydney's Most Innovative and Future Forward Hotels for your SXSW stay

 South by Southwest Sydney (SXSW)

Just over a month away, South by Southwest Sydney (SXSW), the futurist conference and festival, will see pre-eminent and creative industries come together in the heart of Sydney, cementing the city as one of the world’s biggest cultural hubs.

Off the back of the exciting announcements of Chance The Rapper honouring 50 years of Hip Hop, SXSW Sydney’s 2023 Screen Festival including Opening Night Film, The Royal Hotel as well as more than 700 experts in the creative industries sharing their insights and knowledge, we’ve rounded up the city’s most innovative and future forward hotels to enhance the stay of all who are visiting.

From October 15-22, the weeklong program is stacked with more than 1,000 ground-breaking events and networking sessions across the pillars of Tech and Innovation, Games, Music, Screen and Culture. Get amongst the action of the world’s most visionary thinkers and enjoy a tranquil escape after a day of creative exploration, as well as having the benefit of being walking distance from SXSW’s cultural precincts.

Details below on our top picks but let us know if there is any supporting content around SXSW and Sydney we can help support with. We also have a wider cultural Sydney guide coming later this week so please look out for that. As it is the first year, keen to know how you are looking to cover the event.

W Hotel – Darling Harbour
Open just in time for SXSW, the hotel will elevate the Darling Harbour skyline with its wavy, shimmering design. 585 rooms are decked out in signature bold W style, and inside guests will find a Living Room bar, two-storey rooftop bar and a Level 29 WET Deck with heated infinity pool. Known for turning traditional luxury on its head with futuristic interiors, game-changing whatever/whenever service and buzzing communal spaces.

The Old Clare – Chippendale
Right in thick of one of SXSW’s main precincts, The Old Clare is true to style in reimagining heritage buildings. The hotel is an adaptive conversion of the iconic Clare Hotel and former Carlton and United Breweries administration building into 69 accommodation rooms across a colourful palette of room types.

Ace Hotel - Surry Hills
Reimagining urban spaces for the kind of people that make cities fascinating — think artists, musicians, curious travellers and digital nomads. Ace Hotel Sydney is the brand’s first outpost below the equator, with hotels already established in Palm Springs, Kyoto, New York and beyond.

Ovolo - Woolloomooloo
Bridges between history and modern luxury., Ovolo Woolloomooloo uses contemporary design elements and furnishings to complement original fixtures of the property. Walking distance to SXSW’s main cultural precinct at Sydney Harbour, each of the 100 rooms and suites, each one tells a unique Australian story.

Crystalbrook Albion – Surry Hills
Situated in the heart of Surry Hills, Sydney, Crystalbrook Albion is an eclectic mix of heritage and contemporary detail true to its own DNA and that of Surry Hills. Crystalbrook Albion is delightfully intimate, devastatingly gorgeous, genuinely original and refreshingly unpretentious.

The Ultimo – Haymarket
On the doorstep of one of SXSW’s main precincts, the character of the hotel showcases its original historic roots within a contemporary setting as seen through its exposed brick walls and graphic tile. You will experience an iconic story of heritage meets industrial modernism, East meets West, New York in China Town.

Novotel Sydney – Darling Square
The home of some exciting brand activations across SXSW’s calendar, and walking distance to ICC Sydney, guests here can also catch up with colleagues at Pumphouse Sydney, their vibrant, heritage-listed microbrewery offering over 60 craft and premium brews and modern Australian cuisine.
* James Toovey  james.toovey@dnsw.com.au