A chef's stay: Shannon Bennett visits The Eve

I can’t believe this is Redfern! Fifteen years ago, no one would’ve dreamed of a hotel like this here. The Eve is bold, brave, and beautifully executed—hats off to the owners and the opening team. The foyer and street-front bar are glamorous and feel special, with a sharp art collection of well-known locals and genuinely warm, understated service that is still familiar.

Lottie, on the rooftop, nails it—small-producer tequila on the rocks, great vibe, and a fresh take on Mexican via the Pacific. Olympus stuns with its open roof, massive tree, and standout dishes. Rooms may be compact, but they’re glamorous. A welcome and exciting addition to inner-city Sydney.

Olympus had a real buzz. I loved the design—open, confident, inviting. The food was great, but what I really want is simple, local, outstanding produce, especially seafood, done right. No tricks. This place could become something really special if they trust that less is more. That takes confidence—and maturity—and it will get there, I can feel it. If you haven't been, go. And if you haven't stayed, stay.

The Eve Hotel, Redfern: Review

A cultural landmark disguised as a hotel, The Eve opens in Sydney with sharp design, rooftop escapism, and serious food credentials.

What was once Redfern Mall is now The Eve Hotel Sydney: a design-forward boutique stay that anchors the new Wunderlich Lane precinct—a project nearly ten years in the making. Positioned on the seam between Redfern and Surry Hills, this ambitious redevelopment is more than just a hotel. It’s a destination in itself.

The Eve's design is the brainchild of developer TOGA Group, with architecture and interiors by SJB Architects' Adam Haddow, landscape design by Daniel Baffsky of 360 Degrees, and rooftop and hospitality interiors by interior architect George Livissianis. The group is renowned for its ability to craft spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.

“The hotel works collaboratively with all of the other buildings on site, to collect sun and rain to help with power generation, storm water retention and watering of the gardens.” Allan Vidor, TOGA Group Managing Director and Wunderlich Lane Developer.

Together, they’ve created something layered and local, full of character and intent. Interiors mix natural stone, travertine, and white glazed breezeblocks with accents of eucalyptus, deep ochre and red clay—an Australiana palette elevated into something stylish and utterly contemporary.

The 102 rooms are compact but cleverly luxurious, with Juliet balconies, rain showers, and bespoke amenities by Saardé—who also opened their flagship store on-site. Up top, a rooftop garden nods to the area’s 19th-century past as a pleasure garden, now reimagined as a pool-fringed oasis surrounded by native planting and exotic palms.

Hospitality comes courtesy of Liquid & Larder (the team behind Bistecca and The Gidley), who operate two of the hotel’s standout venues: Bar Julius, a European-inspired lobby bar with a dramatic ceiling mural by Louise Olsen, and Lottie, a rooftop mezcalería bringing a modern Mexican-Californian sensibility to Sydney. Both are designed to move seamlessly between day and night—easygoing, escapist, and cleverly curated.

Sydney artist and designer Louise Olsen worked closely with Adam Haddow and the SJB design team to create the striking Barrisol ceiling artwork in Bar Julius. The large-scale mural – with bright colours – can be seen from the hotel’s lobby, with guests feeling the energy of the bar and the warmth of the colour on arrival.

“Dad passed away April of 2023 and the ceiling – an adaption of one of my oil and acrylic paintings – is a nod to him.”

Louise’s father, the late John Olsen, was one of Australia’s most celebrated artists, with a career spanning more than seven decades. He was well known for painting ceilings across Sydney in the 1960s.

“I remember as a child watching him hand painting ceilings and being constantly up on ladders,” Louise recalls. “At the end of dinner parties, people would lie on the floor and just look at the ceilings.”

“I would’ve loved to tell him about Bar Julius. My Dad painted some incredible ceilings around Sydney, and, with this, the story has come full circle in the family.”

On the ground floor, Olympus Dining channels Greek village hospitality through a modern Athenian lens, helmed by Turkish-born head chef Ozge Kalvo and the team behind The Apollo. The dining room is anchored by a 50-year-old bougainvillea—rescued from a local nursery and now the visual heart of the space.