Cuckoo is the latest reincarnation of the Marlborough Hotel’s sprawling upper level. Hike up the stairs and you will find a hyper-stylised retro chalet decked out by the interior wizards that are International Worldwide (the brains behind the George, the Duke of Enmore and the Old Fitz). We’re talking gingham tablecloths, namesake cuckoo clocks, schmaltzy murals of snowy mountains, rows of skis above the bar and even a rock-climbing wall.
Eats and drinks are every bit what you’d expect from a kooky year-round winter wonderland: schnitzels (complete with Jäger gravy), snags, spaetzle and eight flavours of housemade schnapps. Of course the beer taps are also flowing freely, with Germanic-inspired brews from local heroes like Wayward and Batch. Grab a frosty stein, a signature pretzel dunked in sauces and sauerkrauts from the kingdom of condiments, and yodel-ay-hee-hoo the night away.