There are some hotels that have a certain je ne sais quoi so memorable that just a certain smell, texture or shade of light will immediately bring them back to the forefront of your mind. The Urban Newtown is one of these places.
Having been run off my (incredibly blistered) feet with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia shows, The Urban Newtown offered a hipster haven to kick off my heels, relax and unwind.
If the dictionary had pictures, The Urban Newtown would be smack bang next to the phrase 'industrial chic'. Exposed concrete roofs, retro road signs, cork board panels and industrial lighting gave this Sydney hotel a cool and undeniably fashionable edge.
With a vibe more hipster than a soy-latte loving Barista, wearing vintage chinos and listening to Arcade Fire, The Urban Newtown is the perfect laid back to contrast to the uptight 'fashion' vibes of MBFWA.
Best, of all, it is located just 1.5km from Carriagworks, the hub of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia. This meant that cheeky Uber rides were cheaper than a Subway Footlong.
When I was feeling super stingey, I toddled down to Newtown Station (just a 3 min walk) and let my poor tootsies metaphorically scream for just a little bit longer.
On my balcony. Romeo, Romeo, where art thou in Newtown?
I was lucky enough to be given a King Superior suite, which came equipped with a lush king size bed, an ensuite (with swanky toiletries), a full kitchen, a flat screen TV and a balcony.
What made the Urban Newtown the perfect choice for fashion week was the roomy desk area and the free wifi. This made staying up until midnight editing photos far more enjoyable.
But my highlight of the room was the espresso machine! Early mornings and endless fashion shows call for caffeine hits and this made is super easy.
Shout out to the reception team who totally didn't care that I came down every morning in my sweaty Sesame Street PJs for espresso machine pods and pastries!
Amazing side note: free pastries for breakfast, free yummy vegetarian lunch options & sushi snacks at reception. **Insert pig emoji**
The hotel's courtyard was a little bubble of outdoor greenery surrounded by rustic walls and exposed beams.
The poor cleaners probably got tired of seeing me with my tripod taking outfit photos here. Just doing it for the 'gram...
The Urban Newtown: Newtown's most instagrammable hotel? Yes-siree!
What did I do after a long day of MBFWA shows? I chilled out with a glass of wine from The Urban Newtown's free minibar!
Gone are the days of that $5 bag of chips or that $20 bottle of wine. As a matter of fact, if you book directly through The Urban Newtown Website, you get a whole mini fridge full of goodies for free! Woo-hoo!
Just call me Amy Wine-hands!
