Shakespeare Hotel Surry Hills

10/10

Exceptional

11 Feb 2025

Samantha

Fabulous accommodation, so close to all the action. We chose this location because of its proximity (and easy public transport) to the Hordern Pavilion (for TISM in case you're wondering) and it is so close and convenient. We walked home from the venue, super quick and we walked into the city several times. The noise from the bar ends around midnight, although it never really bothered us. And although the rooms are dated, they are just stunning - lots of dark carpet and old furniture, but new mattress and aircon that works a treat. Shared bathrooms but there are two so there was never an issue with waiting for a shower or loo. And how convenient having a bar and bistro downstairs. Stoked we found this place and would definitely stay again.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

07 Jan 2025

DARSHAN

The folks managing this property are great people. But the property itself is very old. The shared bathroom aren't kept clean by other fellow residents. Not all things work in the room itself.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

29 Nov 2024

shelby

The Shakespeare hotel is an amazing place to stay, not just for the beautiful interior but for the friendly and accommodating staff, and the great food and music downstairs. My boyfriend and I had an amazing trip and have even re-booked for our next stay. Thank you again to the staff at Shakespeare you are all amazing

Partner

4/10

Poor

14 Sep 2024

Matthew

Great location and easy to find your way around Sydney CBD.
Noisy until 12pm (unbearably loud) and the room is musky, dated, and spartan.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

28 Aug 2024

Matt

‘Heritage’ means completely unrenovated and in dire need of redecoration and repair. Fortunately the bed was very comfortable, the room quiet and plenty of hot water in the shared bathroom. It’s a great pub by the way, including really good food.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

24 May 2024

Verified traveler

Must stay!

Simple comfort in a beautiful old building.

Self

8/10

Excellent

05 May 2024

Philip

Decent property as advertised for a very reasonable price. Nice to stay somewhere with a bit of life downstairs in the pub.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Mar 2024

Cathy

Affordable and friendly.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

09 Jan 2024

Adam

No TV, only a small computer monitor. No TV reception and the facilities (shower/toilets) were falling apart.

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

31 Dec 2023

TIMOTHY

Good value, comfy rooms

Cheap, old fashioned hotel rooms, but comfortable with good air conditioning and comfy beds.Good friendly bar downstairs. Very handy for trams and trains.

Self

8/10

Excellent

10 Dec 2023

Marie

Quirky and quaint, it had everything I needed. Room was dusty and carpet not hoovered in corners. It reminded me of share houses I’ve lived in. If you like the patina of peeling wallpaper and the spooky feeling that things might fall apart the Shakey lives up to its nickname. Creaky doors and floors and bad works of art complete the grunge setting.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

22 Oct 2023

Leon

You get what you pay for. We were more than happy with value for money.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

24 Apr 2023

Russell

Made a big mistake with the date I booked but when I arrived they luckily had a spare room & adjusted my stay at no extra cost for which I’m incredibly grateful. Classic old style pub & hotel & the bed was comfortable.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

09 Apr 2023

Megan

Close to city. Cosy. Warm. Uniquely historical. Funky. Friendly staff. Will stay there again.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

31 Mar 2023

Navid

Heavily stained mattress and very overpriced. Pretty good location.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

22 Feb 2023

Venetia

loved the old world charm. Loved the light rail proximity to the CBD. loved the general area.

Not happy not having a kettle or bar fridge in the room.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jan 2023

Liz

This is an old Sydney pub, you will be sharing a bathroom/toilets & climbing stairs etc.
We loved it!
The room was clean & comfortable. The toilets & bathroom was clean & well stocked with paper towels & soap. Meals were excellent & staff very friendly & accomodating. It's close to the City & walking distance to the SCG. We'll stay again 😊

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2022

Daniel

Clean, comforable, friendly staff amd reasonable pricing. Highly recommend.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

08 Dec 2022

Joshua

Staff and environment was really nice. The beds are shocking though.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Jun 2022

Dean

Loved the room, piping hot shower and friendly staff. Nice cafes close by.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

10 Mar 2020

Verified traveler

The Shakespeare

Another visit and happy to stay again in future. Comfortable bed, great location and the Saturday night noise wasn’t a bother at all.
Bathroom needs work, but it’s all about the hot water and it didn’t run out!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2020

JasonBaker

It is a fabulous piece of history. Charming, and a great experience with very professional and helpful staff. I will always stay here when in town.

Business_and_leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

04 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

Nice place, fine for the price.

Self

8/10

Excellent

25 Nov 2019

Jason

Old English \"room above a pub\"

I was solo traveling and thought this might be a fun 'guest room above the pub' experience - and it was. The hotel reflects the personality of the old English pub it rests above in decor and ambiance. The room was clean if 'ruffled' in decor, which is what one might expect from a pub. The bed was large, comfortable and very clean.
The shared bathrooms could use some refreshing in the paint/tile/polish department but were serviceable. The rooms are on the third floor, so there is no noise I noticed from the pub below.
The pub was fun and, again, what you might expect in a neighborhood English bar in vibe, food and drink. The staff were very friendly and helpful and made this a pleasant stay.

Self

8/10

Excellent

20 Nov 2019

Verified traveler

We enjoyed our stay in this old inner Sydney pub. Shared bathroom basic as you'd expect at a good price. Comfortable bed and aircondtioning great as very warm weather. Surry Hills neighbourhood fantastic with bars, restaurants and coffee shops.

Friends_and_family Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Nov 2019

Verified traveler

Very good location; would return, just would’ve preferred personal amenities.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Oct 2019

Matt

This place is great - the bar is everything I look for in a pub, good music, good beers, really nice staff and decent food. Plus a great mix of characters that frequent the bar. The room was as advertised, perfect for my needs. Thanks very much!

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

02 Sep 2019

JamesC.

Great location. Wonderful period structure not spoilt by any trendy reno. Maybe a dust & vacuum upstairs in common areas

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

26 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

Very unique vintage hotel , amazing food and service.

Business Friends

4/10

Poor

05 Apr 2019

Anu

overpriced for the quality

Hello - Am afraid, I did not enjoy this stay at all
- no wifi, in this day and age of connectivity
- did not have an extra blanket! I had fever and was shivering but was told they did not have any extra blankets, when the rest of the rooms were empty, Was given an additional sheet to use
- Vintage is ok, but a musty room is not ok
- vibe of the place made us feel like the rooms were put almost like an afterthought

Friends

8/10

Excellent

28 Mar 2019

Mick

Friendly staff. Friendly vibe. Look forward to staying again.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

09 Mar 2019

Christian

It was a cozy little spot.
Very rustic and a vintage building.
If you're looking for a pool, gym, sauna and brand new facilities this place isn't for you.
However if you're looking for an experience with a friendly staff and an old school feel, look no further.
Shared bathrooms and shower facilities but I greatly enjoyed my stay.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

27 Feb 2019

Thomas

Centrally located stay with an eclectic touch.

This classic hotel is just a short walk from central an the hub of Surry Hills. My room was clean and the bed very comfortable. The shared bathroom was fine and the communal tea/coffee making supplies were appreciated. Rooms were fitted out in an eclectic way making the stay memorable, looking forward to a return stay.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

24 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

Shared bathroom. Very noisy until 12. Grimy.............

Business Self

4/10

Poor

20 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

The Expedia listing had this place as a 4* establishment, but I’m not sure how. The room was basic, and not the cleanest. The bathroom was a very basic shower in a bath and was not in great condition. It was also shared for the whole floor!

I stayed two nights, and my room was not cleaned or tidied during my stay.

There was a very limited connection to a very slow internet throughout the building. Best reception was down the the eatery behind the bar. Not the most practical!

Although my stay was short, it turned out to be a big mistake as my passport was taken from my room! I only had one full day in Sydney, and I decided that I shouldn’t take my passport out with me while I traveled around the city. I hid the passport in the room in a not obvious place, as there was no safe. It was gone when I was packing to leave the next day.

The staff downstairs did offer me use of the phone, but no real urgency or other help after that.

Not sure i’d ever recommend staying here. I wouldn’t again.

Business_and_leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2019

Victor

Great area

Friendly staff and great area to visit

8/10

Excellent

12 Dec 2018

Verified traveler

Roadworks outside were a bit of a challenge for navigation but that’s only a temporary thing.

6/10

Pleasant

11 Dec 2018

Judy

Basic, but comfortable for one night stay

Rooms are clean, but basic. Shared bathrooms nearby. Quiet location, despite being above the pub. Handy to Central Station and Crown Street cafes are restaurants.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Nov 2018

Tracy

Only 1bathroom for 6 rooms, but no problem. Great for the price.

8/10

Excellent

27 Oct 2018

Beast

Nice quiet hotel to catch a good nights rest.
Staff were friendly and helpful.

2/10

Poor

14 Oct 2018

José

I'm not booking on Wed 10-Thu11 octave 2018 why they charge my bank account please let me know. Can i getting money me back

Friends

8/10

Excellent

10 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

It's charming and a breath of fresh air for it's decor and old world charm. A very quiet area. An obviouslyLoved hotel. It's not for those who want modern. Shared bathroom.

6/10

Pleasant

29 Jul 2018

Verified traveler

Very well located, near to city centre and public transport.

8/10

Excellent

30 Jun 2018

Richard

We love the location

We have stayed here at least four times, we love the location as its very handy to central station. The bathrooms are clean but could do with a refit

8/10

Excellent

16 Jun 2018

Ron

A nice comfortable stay, nothing flash, reasonable pub food available. Great Location for Central Station & SCG.

6/10

Pleasant

25 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

Basic old pub - good location - good value. Close to SCG.

6/10

Pleasant

18 Apr 2018

richard

Very handy to central station

I have stayed here a few times, we love the history of the place . last time I stayed I commented about how dusty the room was, that was not the case this time big improvement thanks

10/10

Exceptional

21 Mar 2018

shane

Basic,not quite elegant but welcoming comfortable

A different mind set. A short walk to Central Station, and a light rail line being installed at the front door.
So Sydney is readily accessed from a homely base.

6/10

Pleasant

17 Mar 2018

edward

No frills basic room. Friendly staff, good bar and restaurant. WiFi password did not work even after asking 3 staff members. Overall, I would stay there again.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Mar 2018

Kingsley

Nice but noisy.

Nice hotel, however there are major tram works happening out the front, with major construction noise industrial jack hammers - no chance of sleeping in during the week. Being on top of a pub you expect a bit of noise but the Quiz night microphone/speakers no doubt could be heard 3 blocks away, maybe not need to be this loud. Rooms aren’t serviced and I stayed 5 days and had to ask for clean towels, sheets not changed during that time.

8/10

Excellent

03 Mar 2018

J

Great pub and good vibe

Great location but with the light right construction it is a little difficult to access.
Bathrooms are a little shabby but clean.

8/10

Excellent

30 Jan 2018

tony

Authentic character hotel

Loved every minute of our stay. Old fashioned decor and super comfy bed. It’s location is within easy walking distance of central station and a public swimming pool.

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jan 2018

Verified traveler

Nice for a quick stay.

Liked the historical look of the hotel and rooms but assumed when we booked that shared bathroom meant, as it usually does, that the bathroom was adjacent to your room and shared with one additional room. Bathroom was down the hall, shared by all, so very inconvenient. Did enjoy dinner at the pub in the lobby and appreciate the luggage assistance to our room, as hotel does not have an elevator. Street renovation fronting the hotel also made it difficult for us, as there was no access for cabs to the hotel. Still glad we booked for the overnight stay.

8/10

Excellent

18 Jan 2018

Lui

A nice quirky hotel with vintage style rooms, very good value for money

8/10

Excellent

26 Nov 2017

Ross

Great room in Surry Hills

The room here was great
Ornate fit out that matched the hotel
All facilities were as described and the room was perfect of a Sydney business trip
Great location

6/10

Pleasant

21 Nov 2017

Richard

neat old historic hotel

has a lovely bed and linen ,room is very dusty on cabinets and needs a good vacum ,bathrooms were clean. very central and the meals are great.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Nov 2017

Christian

Great location. Comfortable and having a bar and restaurant on site was amazing!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 Oct 2017

Marjorie Rose

Beautiful Room

Beautiful room and the most comfortable bed and pillows ever slept on. Very close to Main Street and restaurants. Lovely staff and great atmosphere. Very relaxed and homely feelings which made us feel welcome and comfortable. We stayed on a Saturday on Grand Final night, so obviously as to be expected there was lots of celebratory and working noises but we were so tired we didn't hear anything after 10pm.

6/10

Pleasant

23 Aug 2017

Graham

Fair Price Fair Value

A fair price for a clean, secure and comfortable room in a convenient location.

8/10

Excellent

05 Aug 2017

simi

Nice hotel near Central station

I was at Central station on my way to airport only to find out that my fight was delayed for 8 hours. I looked up many nearby hotels but they were either booked out or too expensive. I was lucky to find Shakespeare hotel. It was within walking distance of central station. It was affordable and comfortable.

Only one downside for me was the entry door. It wasn't clear where the hotel entry was so I had to walk through the bar with my 15 yo brother.

Overall, a good stay.

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

Reasonably priced hotel in Surry Hills

The room was quite comfortable but cleaners obviously just do the bare minimum of cleaning - a couple of things were left on the floor from previous guests and the room was quite dusty. Shared bathroom was clean when I arrived, but other guests are not very considerate so if you stay there I recommend that you try and be first to the shower in the morning.
I returned to the hotel at around midnight and the pub downstairs was closed, so it was very quiet throughout the night, which was great.

6/10

Pleasant

02 May 2017

Peter

Well situated. Good food. Spacious rooms. Efficient staff.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Apr 2017

Verified traveler

Nice nice hotel grate staff

Extremely friendly staff made for a a very enjoyable stay. Definitely recommend staying here as I plan on staying here again

8/10

Excellent

28 Mar 2017

Verified traveler

V convenient and reasonable
A real experience - nowhere quite like it.

8/10

Excellent

14 Mar 2017

Mark

Good value

Nice enough, handy to city, semi-suburban locale. Handy to restaurants, transport.

10/10

Exceptional

14 Mar 2017

Verified traveler

Quant

Convenient to the city at a good price.
Close to central

8/10

Excellent

12 Mar 2017

Bert

Character, convenient.

Lots of character; simple but comfortable rooms. Bit of noise in the evening (as you'd expect being directly above a busy pub) but quiet when it comes to sleep time. Good food at the bar. Really conveniently located near Central station (5-10 min walk). If you're just in Sydney for a night and want a simple, easy place to sleep and shower, this place is perfect. Comfy bed. Clean room. Air-con. Friendly staff.

8/10

Excellent

06 Mar 2017

Paula

Short walk to Central

Quick check in & our room was ready when we arrived around 1.30pm. We were in room 4 which was comfortable and away from the street. We didn't hear any noise from the bar or traffic. The wifi didn't work in our room. The bathrooms/toilet down the hallway were clean and free nearly the entire time we were there.

If you suffer with allergies, I strongly recommend you stay elsewhere. The room was very dusty. Nothing that a damp cloth and a hoover can't fix, but unfortunately that really let the place down.

6/10

Pleasant

23 Feb 2017

Kay

Good location, friendly staff, but...

Location was excellent, lots of nice Cafes around and close to everywhere. Staff was friendly and kind. However, I have to admit that this place is way too worn-down. Antique furniture and numerous paintings on the wall could be presented better. It's a shame that they don't seem to know how to take advantage of the charm and potential of this place..
Bed linen was clean and comfortable, but the shared toilet and bathroom were not well maintained. Cleaning staff were chatting loudly all the time and it was quite disturbing.

8/10

Excellent

26 Jan 2017

David

\"Quirky\" was the word the barman used

And quirky it is. Loads of character -- peeling wallpaper, Victorian colour scheme. But excellent aircon, much quieter than we feared it would be. So handy to the theatre and to restaurants etc. Short walk from Central station. It might not work for the stuffier types.
The shared bath and toilets were no problem. We only saw one other guest there, though we were told all rooms were in use.

8/10

Excellent

17 Dec 2016

Verified traveler

Good historic pub/ hotel!

Great service, good reasonably priced food, happy hour, tea coffee provided outside room 1- shower no problem only 6 rooms.
Room 2 air con stoped working mid night- car alarms going off middle night- window wide open. Couch support collapsed?
Good bed room 2 -room cost more than room 1 but worth lot less?

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Dec 2016

oze

Good budget pub with character in popular area

Value for money pub accom with a bit of character. Its a classic older atyle pub. Rooms on 2nd floor with shared toilets and bathroom. Terrific display of an eclectic array of artworks gives the hotel more character. Yes the place is older so do not expect it to be all shiny and new. It was clean though and the room was very comfortable. Aircon was installed but i chose to leave the window open. I arrived back reasonable early in the evening and enjoyed listening to the city sounds. I was there on a busy Sat night with lots of revellers out celebrating. Did not hear hardly any noise from fhe oub but more from people in the streets and neighbouring residents. Enjoyed the sounds of city life.

I did have a shower that was cold on Sat afternoon when i arrived. But when i told the staff they knew they had to reset the hot water switch. So maybe check the water when you arrive and let them know if it needs resetting. When hot is was lovely pressure shower.

Recommended as good value pub accom. I didnt eat there but it looked very popular.

8/10

Excellent

08 Dec 2016

Verified traveler

Nice little pub.

Cant complain, room was comfortable and clean, air con worked, pub was closed when i got back so no noise.

8/10

Excellent

01 Dec 2016

Chris

Better than a back packers

Cozy quirky hotel bar with Elizabethan themed design, big rooms, big comfy beds and with Air Con. unfortunately have to share showers and bathrooms but there's only 4 rooms so you don't have to wait long if you need to. they serve typical pub food but it is GREAT, especially for the price, highly recommend the pie of the day. The location is the best thing about this hotel, Its tucked away in Surry Hills so you can walk to transport or even the city if your up for it, which i did :) its quieter than a back packers BUT due to the window in my room not closing properly I heard all the conversation of the patrons outside till about 1am, definitely bring ear plugs if you want to sleep. The bar seemed pretty busy the 2 weeknights I was there. I was on a small work trip so I didn't want to splurge on a hotel but also didn't want to stay at a back packers, this place is the perfect medium, and for the price I think it fits the bill, overall it was an enjoyable experience and if its in your budget this is the place for you.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

22 Nov 2016

Jack

Nice cosy room.

This hotel was booked last minute after arriving in Sydney with my partner from Far North Queensland. The hotel we originally booked prior to arriving in Sydney was a share room with 4 other people, which we didn't realise, and we did not feel comfortable at ALL with that! So we quickly searched Wotif and Shakespeare Hotel came up as the cheapest, AND we got our own room! Overall the room was nice, I loved all the mirrors throughout the hotel, The hotel was super close to Woolies, Subway etc and the train station which made it easier to get around! Would highly recommend staying at Shakespeare if you're on a budget!

8/10

Excellent

10 Nov 2016

Jem

A place with character

Homely and filled with character. Not pristine, but then I don't like pristine. The bed was the most comfortable hotel bed I have ever slept in and the aircon was so quiet. Very convenient location: just up from Central Railway, a minute's walk to the Belvoir Theatre and restaurants in every direction.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Nov 2016

Christopher

Surprisingly good rooms above a pub

'Shared bathroom' meant one shared shower room and two separate WCs for 6 bedrooms, no issues of queuing for me though. The room was very spacious with period details, with (for me) a very comfortable bed. There was a help-yourself tea/coffee point in the corridor. My concern was that it was above a pub, but this turned out not be a problem at all: the bedrooms are on the top level (2nd floor), the middle level (1st floor) was quieter pub rooms and closed at 10pm, and the ground floor was the main pub area but also closed at midnight; so from 10pm onwards you're isolated from the noise. The food is good too! The location is great - easy walk to Central Station, Crown Street shops and food, Belvoir St Theatre, and not far to walk north to the City. I'd stay again.

8/10

Excellent

30 Oct 2016

David

Room was value for money, staff were lovely ,bathrooms are basic

8/10

Excellent

17 Oct 2016

Verified traveler

An interesting place to stay. Great location, a little wear and tear but clean. Friendly staff.

8/10

Excellent

11 Sep 2016

PJ

Great spot

Great place to stay a day or two. Easy access to airport via Central station which is easy 5 minute walk away. Excellent menu and good quality (and quantity) pub grub, or fancier if you wish and have the budget. Good on the wallet for such a great location. Separate toilets and bathroom basic but accessible and clean.

6/10

Pleasant

29 Aug 2016

Courtney

Excellent location

The hotel was nice and close to Crown Street, with plenty of nice coffee shops and restaurants. Room cleanliness was a slight issue, with stained quilt covers. Also the bed we had was beyond squeaky (old old Spring mattress) with my partner eventually sleeping on the floor due to the noise everytime one of us moved. Staff were friendly. Towels were prodded which was helpful.

8/10

Excellent

22 Aug 2016

David

This is old fashioned pub accommodation. Nice clean room refurbished in a ye olde world style with a shared bathroom down the hall. Shared bathroom was clean, very good, shared toilets also very good. Room clean. Staff very good, reception is fine. It is a busy pub on a Friday night - it is in Surry Hills that is why you book in this area close to lots of eating, transport and night life options. But you can sleep and not be disturbed by noise. It all works rather well.
The bar downstairs had Rugby league, Rugby Union and AFL. The manager (owner?) likes AFL which is a blessing in Sydney. There is a gaming area like almost all Sydney pubs, but it is discrete here and you did not feel this was the major focus of the place.

8/10

Excellent

22 Jul 2016

Allison

Comfortable stay

Spent a comfortable 2 night stay here. Was pleased to see that room condition matched information supplied. Pub on ground and first floor is fairly popular and provides cheap bar food. I had no problems with noise disturbance as pub closed by midnight (and earlier weekdays). Hotel is a short walk from Central Train Station. Happy to see that tea and coffee making facilities were provided outside the room.

The room involved the use of a shared bathroom and toilets, which were kept in a clean and tidy condition. I only had to wait once to use shared facilities and then only for a short time. I would advise visitors to bring some soap for the shared facilities.

8/10

Excellent

17 Jul 2016

Verified traveler

Lovely old world charm

Great location. Beautiful old world decor. Good price. Plenty on street parking. Will definitely use again

6/10

Pleasant

30 Jun 2016

Stephanie

Heaps of character with a side of disappointment

I was really looking forward to staying at this hotel, the pictures look great and the reviews read well. I was pleased with my room, the bed was so comfy and it was plenty big enough for me. It served well as a place to stay. The carpet in my room was in need of hoovering, there was hair and pieces of cotton on the carpet when I got in the room. Where I felt it really let itself down was with the toilets and shared washroom. They are quite old and dated. It would have been nice to see the toilets and washroom in keeping with the rest of the character of the place. The washroom was pretty dirty too. It didn't look like they were cleaned on a daily basis. If the hotel staff don't want to clean it on a daily basis then it would be good if they left some cleaning products in there, I'd have been happy to give it a quick clean before stepping in for my shower. They also advertise tea/coffee facilities but these weren't refreshed during my 2 night stay. There was no milk available, not even the small individual milk cartons, no teabags or sugar. There was only 2 sachets of coffee, stirrers and cups available. The storage underneath the tea/coffee station didn't have any refills either. I'm sure if I'd have asked the staff they would have refilled it but the point is that they're not pro-actively checking it.

8/10

Excellent

04 Jun 2016

Verified traveler

Good Position

A convenient position and good valued pub.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Apr 2016

Verified traveler

Surrey Hills has a slightly grungy atmosphere which I love, with great streets, cafes and restaurants. The Shakespeare is a popular pub with huge, inexpensive and delicious pub meals, friendly efficient staff, and a good mix of age-groups. The bedrooms are big, slightly quirky, and mine (Room 2) had a comfortable bed and was surprisingly quiet (2 storeys above the pub area). Free WiFi and towels in the room were unexpected and appreciated extras (a previous review had mentioned bring-your-own towel but that wasn't the case for me; and a staff member had thought perhaps the Free WiFi was only in the bar, but it was totally fine in the room too). For those who don't mind sharing a bathroom (not state of the art, but clean and functional), and want to stay somewhere other than the soulless hotel chains (and for less than half the price), this pub experience is definitely worth considering.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Apr 2016

Verified traveler

Close to Crown Street and Organic Cafe

Welcoming staff. Very comfortable bed. Gorgeous old style decor. Great local pub atmosphere with good food.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2016

Rosie

Comfortable, friendly, welcoming, great location

VEry comfortable, lovely people. Great cheap bar at your disposal and delicious food. Central location, we could walk around all night finding new and amazing places to visit. Staff are very helpful. Perfect rural pub in a city. Very homely with quiet rooms. THankyou so much

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

27 Mar 2016

Mark

Intersting hotel, close to city and transport.

Interesting hotel, built 1879, close to city and transport, but just a bit cluttered and 'olde world', shared bathrooms and toilets but overall OK.

8/10

Excellent

21 Mar 2016

Kerry

Hotel is in an excellent position.

Round & bed very comfortable. Bathroom/toilet no problem to access but didn't receive soap on arrival? A little noisy each night but we were tired so didn't worry us. Amazing food also.

8/10

Excellent

15 Mar 2016

VICTOR

Good value

Good value Hotel in the heart of Surrey Hills, 5 min from Central station. 30 min door To door To airport . 1 Bathroom and 2 toilets shared (same floor). Décor is Victoria 19th century style ;)

8/10

Excellent

07 Mar 2016

Carmen

Great location, quirky surrounds

Great location, quirky decorations.

Stayed on a Saturday night, and although noisy until midnight, music turned off at 12. Couldn't hear any street noise.

Shower clean, and great big shower head. two toilets, so no need to worry about

Lots of street parking available in the surrounding streets.

Bed a bit soft, drooping in the middle, but surprisingly comfortable.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

28 Feb 2016

Verified traveler

convenient

basic

8/10

Excellent

20 Feb 2016

Jeff

Clean & Comfortable

I needed a place to stay for one night only that wasn't going to break the bank. I was going to check in late and check out early. I also wanted to be able to walk there with my airport luggage from a Railway Station in Sydney. I also wanted something that was not only cheap but cheap and clean and comfortable. After checking the reviews on Wotif and TripAdvisor this hotel seemed to tick all the boxes so i booked a single room. Finding the hotel from Central was very easy using the iPhone GPS. Only about a 10min walk. I checked in at about 11.45pm on a Wednesday night and it was very much deserted. The hotel does not actually close until midnight. I was met by a very lovely polite young lady who checked me in and showed me to my room - even assisting by carrying up one of my bags. The room unlocks with an old fashioned key (not electronic) and the door is very heavy (very secure). The room itself was quiet roomy and the air-conditioner worked a treat on this balmy evening. The bed was quite comfortable and there was absolutely no noise throughout the night (well none that woke me up). Given that it was a Wednesday evening that also probably helped. The toiltet/shower facilities are shared with the 5 rooms. I slept in the next morning and by the time i had my shower i did not notice any other occupants. Highly recommended for a cheap (by Sydney standards), comfortable, clean and convenient play to stay.

8/10

Excellent

19 Feb 2016

Verified traveler

It was fun!!!

Beautiful place with a rich taste of old times. Loved it like anything!

6/10

Pleasant

21 Dec 2015

Helen

Hotel with ambience close to Belvoir St Theatre

We stayed here because we were attending Belvoir Theatre's performing of Mortido. It was convenient and the manager, Andrew, was extremely helpful with information and carrying our luggage up the staircase. The room was Victorian, a little worn in keeping with the age of the hotel. The bathroom and toilets were clean. We thought that the noise from the downstairs bar would keep us awake, but it was quiet by the time we got to bed and we slept well.

4/10

Poor

19 Dec 2015

sue, 68 yrs

Close to train station

Expectations not met, room very musty and furnishings not in good condition at all. Tv not working at all, cable broken. Air con best thing in room and worked well. Bed reasonably comfortable but top covers seemed dirty and unwashed.

8/10

Excellent

08 Dec 2015

david

Nice basic hotel with an historic touch

I was looking for a simple inexpensive hotel near Central. The Shakespeare was a nice old fashioned Australian hotel above a pub with a sense of history and nice old paintings. The hotel did not supply a towel or toiletries for the bathroom down the hall. Pleasant stay overall.

4/10

Poor

04 Dec 2015

Verified traveler

Average, dark room. Shared bathroom which was unclean and no soap