Sydney-Bound? Rest Easy at This (Affordable!) Profit-For-Purpose Hotel
Heading into the big smoke? Have we got news for you, dear friend, because we’ve found the perfect place to lay your head! Not only is this affordable Sydney stay set in the heart of the CBD, 25 cents from every dollar you spend during your stay will help Australians who are doing it tough. And if you happened to have some inside intel (ahem, read on), you might just find yourself in a Sia-themed room.
Here’s the deal: Song Hotel Sydney is a profit-for-purpose business owned by YWCA, a group that supports women and gender-diverse Australians. Funds from the hotel are channelled into housing services, mentoring programs and support for victims of domestic violence. YWCA is a huge organisation – it’s been around for 130 years and owns more than 400 homes, which are used for social and affordable housing.
Warm and fuzzy feels aside, the main draw is the hotel’s location: set on the edge of Hyde Park, it’s a half-hour stroll from the harbour and a stone’s throw from the buzzy restaurant- and bar-filled streets of Surry Hills. Plus, there are the themed rooms: nine of them, each celebrating the achievements of Australian women. To book one, you’ll need to give the hotel a call (02 9285 6200).
Here, we take a closer look at the women who’ve inspired the rooms (and why their suite is worthy of your sleepy head)…
photos KELLEY SHEENAN
SIA
Best known for her songs, Chandelier and Elastic Heart, the Adelaide-born singer-songwriter, director and producer needs no introduction (that said, did you know Sia wrote Beyoncé’s Pretty Hurts and Rihanna’s Diamonds? The woman is a powerhouse!). Her vision for the room was “music notes taking over”, which has been realised in a wall filled with Chandelier sheet music.
Pick this one because… Sia! Also, it has a chandelier, naturally.
LEE-LIN CHIN
If you happened to watch SBS at any point between 1988 and 2018, you’d know newsreader Lee-Lin Chin (and her enviable wardrobe). Not only is she a great Instagram follow (the quips! The fashion! @LeeLinChinOfficial), Lee-Lin is also a great supporter of Song Hotel (she donated a dress for display in the room and a copy of her book, Iced Beer and Other Tantalising Tips for Life). Beatles fans will love the bright and bold (and rather large) yellow submarine wall decor.
Pick this one because… you’ll be wiser (and better read) by the end of your stay.
NAKKIAH LUI
You might know Nakkiah Lui from her podcast, Pretty for an Aboriginal, or the sketch show Black Comedy. But did you know the Gamilaroi/Torres Strait Island woman is also a playwright and publisher? As the head of Allen & Unwin’s Joan imprint, she’s determined to add new voices to the publishing game.
Pick this one because… it has an artwork donated by Haus of Dizzy designer Kristy Dickinson.
MISSY HIGGINS
She’s been a fixture of the local music scene since the release of her 2004 album, The Sound of White. But how does one capture Missy Higgins’ sound in interior form? Song has tackled the challenge by creating “a cosy escape from the city”, featuring original music-inspired watercolours and lyrics from Warm Whispers.
Pick this one because… it has the sweetest bedside table lamp.
TINA ARENA
If you know your Tina Arena hits and you’re expecting chains, then you’re going to be disappointed. But if you like the sound of Karen Coull’s butterfly-inspired collages, then room 410 is the one for you. An Australian icon, Tina made a name for herself on Young Talent Time in the 1970s and has become one of the country’s best-selling female artists.
Pick this one because… of the dreamy floor-to-ceiling wall art.
BINDI IRWIN
The wildlife warrior has continued the legacy of her father, Steve, at Australia Zoo. Like her dad, she’s a natural on camera, starring in Crikey! It’s the Irwins (fun fact: she also won America’s Dancing with the Stars in 2015). The boldest of the themed suites, Bindi Irwin’s room includes a giant koala image and a large black cockatoo painting by Emma Wreyford.
Pick this one because… there’s fun gear to dress up in, donated by Australia Zoo (perfect for The Crocodile Hunter re-enactments).
SALLY RUGG
Can we just say how lovely it is to see this unsung Aussie hero recognised for her role in the marriage equality campaign? A tireless advocate for the LGBTIQ community, Sally Rugg has been key to the rollout of the Safe Schools program, which helps to foster a supportive environment for all students. She shares her campaigning wisdom in her book, How Powerful We Are. This room celebrates love of all kinds, featuring feminist art by Kim Leutwyler, Nikita Majajas and Two Brides Presents.
Pick this one because… it’s filled with love and rainbows. Need we say more?
DEBORAH MAILMAN
Spot her name in the credits and you know you’re in for a treat. Case in point: The Secret Life of Us, Offspring, The Sapphires, Total Control, Play School. Native plants and a sapphire-blue colour scheme add sunshine to this room (just like Deborah Mailman does on the small screen).
Pick this one because… the artwork, by Sydney artist Sally Browne, celebrates pockets of nature found in the city – just the thing for a weary traveller.
WE PAVED THE WAY
For a stay that will recharge your inner changemaker, select this special room that celebrates not one but 500 female-identifying and non-binary Australians who’ve made the world a better place. Each is named on the sweeping wall art, which appears alongside a timeline of feminist achievements.
Pick this one because… it’s good for the soul to see how far we’ve come (and you get 500 luminaries for the price of one!).
