Taking up residence on Campbell Parade just metres back from one of the world’s most famous beaches, QT Bondi feels more like a hip apartment complex than a stock-standard hotel.
Arriving at the small, creatively-designed lobby, you’ll be greeted by neon signs, photography-plastered walls and a single, helpful receptionist. The entrance isn’t grand, but the buzz of the neighbourhood does the welcoming in a different way – it’s understated and quietly cool, the way we’d all like to imagine we’d be if we lived in a beachside Bondi abode.
Upstairs there are colourful interiors, with boldly patterned carpets and bright yellow, blue-and-green doors. Behind these you’ll find a long, rectangular room, kitted out with a gloriously spacious bathroom, decent-sized kitchenette and an airy balcony. It feels very much like a private apartment, but it also means the layout feels a little off-brand from what you might be craving from your beachside hotel; the ceilings are low and you’re facing west (only residents get the million dollar ocean views here).
You won’t find a pool downstairs or one the roof (imagine!), but if you’re keen for a workout or a wellness session, guests can purchase a special-priced pass to Beachouse Bondi which is right next door (it’s home to a light-flooded ocean-facing gym, and there’s a huge bathhouse opening soon).
The lack of amenities may appear to be a shortfall, but this is in fact what sets QT Bondi apart – it serves as a base for your Bondi adventures, encouraging you to get out there and enjoy what the sun-soaked suburb has to offer. Why swim at a hotel pool when you have the ocean and Icebergs (officially one of the world’s most Instagrammed swimming spots) on your doorstep? Our advice: check out the in-room area guide, then hop on a Lekker cruiser bike (they’ve got bikes and surfboards available to borrow from reception) and live like a local. The hotel’s in an ultra-central location smack bang between North and South Bondi, too, so you can explore each end with ease.
The lack of in-house food and drink offerings means you’re encouraged to explore the area’s foodie highlights, which is no bad thing. But if you’re keen to stay put cosplaying life as a resident of a Bondi apartment, you can call for room service from some of the nearby eateries, with breakfast from Parida and dinner from Easy Tiger delivered right to your door.
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