By Laura Rancie.
What’s better than a wonderful family holiday to bustling, cultural Melbourne for 10 days? A couples-only weekend to Sydney, sans-kids.
It was my great pleasure to spend a dreamy 24 hours in the beautiful historic suburb of Paddington with my hubby and no children. 'Paddo' as locals affectionately call it, was our suburb of choice to meander boutiques, enjoy the established food scene and admire the gorgeous sandstone facades of historic homes. With streets brimming with stories from long ago when Paddington was not the affluent, upscale suburb it is today, our weekend did not disappoint.
Located only 3 km east of Sydney’s CBD, come with me as we explore the history of the area and find rest at a gorgeous little boutique hotel, newly just opened, Oxford House.
The suburb’s name came about when in October 1839, a fellow named James Underwood subdivided 50 of his 97 acres - he called the division he kept the Paddington estate, after the London borough of that name. The Paddington estate covered Oxford Street down to Paddington Street.
Following the inauguration of Victoria Barracks in 1841, the village of Paddington swiftly developed, with many of its structures clustered around the cottages of skilled artisans like stonemasons, quarrymen, carpenters, and labourers, who were engaged in the construction of the Barracks.
As a result, a noticeable class divide emerged, with the working class predominantly residing near South Head Road, while the aspiring upper-class occupied villas that overlooked the harbour in the area known as 'Rushcutters Valley'.
Today we are thankful for those skilled artisans whose talents can still be seen as you wander down any residential street with timelessly elegant sandstone cottages, brick chimneys and terrace homes framed in lacework and character.
Take Oxford House for example, a chic boutique corner hotel completely modernised with an outdoor pool constantly maintained at 25 C, a terrace bar and a selection of two neighbouring restaurants. The 55 cosy rooms come in three categories: the Arts Suite, Oxford Deluxe and the Junior Suite and our suite’s floor-to-ceiling sliding glass windows overlooked scenic Rushcutters Bay with its bobbing yachts.
Warm tones, mood lighting and cutesy artwork adorn this little urban sanctuary (think: you’ve just come out of the lift and a mural-sized photograph of an astronaut walking out of the ocean, post-earth landing, greets you!). It's the type of place you stay at once, and then want to return again and again because it feels intimately like...home.
We could check in early, which was a huge bonus when you are only in town for a bit but have packed way too much and don’t want to carry your bags around town all day. Our front-of-house manager/concierge was the highlight of our stay, helping us at every step, including what bus to catch for our morning Bondi to Bronte walk.
In terms of recommendations for food, we were spoiled for choice with good breakfast, lunch and dinner at the in-house restaurant called O.H. RESTAURANT, where I had a fabulous oat and chia bircher muesli topped with COYO, poached rhubarb and pistachio crumbs.
Our front-of-house manager also recommended Café Lautrec nearby on Oxford Street, which did not disappoint - think charming café-brasserie, gallery and auction house all rolled into one. Inspired by the work of Toulouse Lautrec and serving French fare and pastries for breakfast and lunch, it was a welcomed addition to our easy, child-free weekend where everything was within walking distance and drama-free.
Would I have done anything different? Yes, had I enough time I would have loved to pop into Omeio Artisanal Deli (a personal favourite from previous times) to stock up my basket with a brillat savarin affine and a classic baguette a l’ancienne or a pre-made small mezze-style picnic box to take to Centennial Park for a slow feast in the grass.
