Hotel Altamont, Darlinghurst review: Inner-city style on a budget

Charles Purcell finds a boutique bolthole in the heart of Darlinghurst's nightlife.

You wouldn't think by looking at it, but one of Sydney's most infamous nightclubs once operated beneath the Altamont Hotel. The Cauldron was one of Sydney's hottest clubs in the late 1970s and early '80s; people lined up around the block to get in. Apparently Madonna and the Rolling Stones once used the hotel's Loft Room as a changing room, before using its secret staircase to visit the Cauldron below.

Today the club is closed - all that remains is a big empty space - but the hotel survives as part of the 8Hotels boutique collection.

From the Altamont's Darlinghurst location it is just a hop, skip and a jump to several of Sydney's bustling entertainment areas. The Coke sign of Kings Cross is only a few hundred metres away. A short walk in the other direction are the best of Darlinghurst's pubs, clubs and restaurants. Take a longer walk towards the city and you'll end up on George Street.

The hotel pitches itself as "budget boutique", aiming at the cash-conscious consumer who wants a touch of class. Step through the hotel's front doors - former cell doors from Melbourne's Pentridge prison - and you enter the stylish front section of the hotel, with a pool table, a lounge, tables where patrons have breakfast and the reception desk. The front of the hotel used to be an upmarket restaurant more than a decade ago and hints of grandeur remain. Upstairs is a "Tuscan"-style courtyard. (Later inspection proves the Tuscan element is exaggerated but it is a nice spot for taking in fresh air and city views.)

We park in one of the Altamont's off-street parking spots and take our bags to our room. My wife and I had tried to secure a courtyard room but have to settle for a standard room with a king-size bed. Unfortunately it seems to be the one nearest to the alley outside.

Inside, the room has a simple yet stylish fit-out, with chic furniture, shuttered windows, appealing art on the walls and a minimalist vibe. There is cable TV, coffee and tea-making facilities and a small bar fridge (BYO). The bathroom also has a funky look. Overall it's stylish, comfortable and clean, a fine HQ for a sojourn in Darlinghurst's entertainment quarter.

There are two sociable dogs wagging their tails in the lobby (the hotel is pet-friendly), when we ask the hotel owner at the front desk for dining recommendations. He's polite and knowledgeable, and recommends a few venues, including the highly regarded Onde restaurant. Are we well-dressed enough to get in? "In Sydney, all you need is money," the owner laughs. Too true.

We follow his directions and take a shortcut through a church courtyard to the Victoria Room. We order cocktails and calamari and lounge in the room's British-Raj opulence, then pop in to the Green Point Pub for a drink or two before braving Onde. Unfortunately it's packed and there's a 45-minute wait for a table. It's tempting but instead we stroll back up Victoria Street and settle in at the one-hatted A Tavola. The squid-ink pasta and salmon pasta are superb.