A staycation is a night or two spent in your home city, splurging on somewhere nice to stay, a dip in a pool, with maybe a few drinks thrown in. They’re all the rage right now, travel editor Winsor Dobbin reports.
No hassles at busy airports; no fighting with taxi drivers, no need to cut short on cocktails for fear of missing the last light rail service.
And if you think staying in a tiny hotel room is not your style, how about your own urban pad in an apartment hotel like A by Adina in the heart of the CBD?
A by Adina in Sydney is ideally located for about all the city’s main business and tourism destinations.
It is directly opposite Wynyard station and within a short stroll of the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay, and The Rocks.
You’ll enter via a walkway – with reception located on level 21 of the building.
The accommodation is apartment style with our cosy, high-tech bedroom adjoining a living area with plenty of space to stretch out and enjoy a movie or a cocktail. We did both.
The A by Adina brand was launched by TFE Hotels in 2021 aimed at both corporate and lifestyle travellers. It’s like having your own city crash pad.
Team members are known as curators, with each adopting a concierge approach.
Exceptionally good most of them are, too.
Rooms – ours was a one-bedroom king apartment – are well thought-out with designer amenities, and clever interior design: you’ve got to love electric blinds and curtains.
There’s unlimited free wifi, a well-stocked mini bar, coffee machines & pods, a tea selection, Smart TV with Chromecast and plenty of power points and USB sockets.
There is 24-hour reception, so someone is always on hand, in this case right downstairs from the excellent Dean & Nancy on 22 cocktail bar.
There is also a swimming pool and fully equipped gym.
A by Adina is using an integrated control system that seamlessly readies any one of its 194 apartments (82 studio, 104 one-bedroom, eight two-bedroom apartments) with air con and automatic blinds the moment guests commence check in. Nice.
Take the lift to level 22 and the world looks a whole lot better.
High above the hustle and bustle and construction noise of the day, Sydney sparkles from up in the sky.
Mixology is a serious business but the cocktails at stylish sky-high bar Dean & Nancy on 22 are full of fun.
This is a cocktail bar worth seeking out; a nice vibe; great views. And some nifty snacks, as well.
The signature cocktail menu, Time Machine, is billed as “a spirited journey through the cultural icons, inventions and milestones that defined the 1950s and 1960s”.
Innovative, with the interactive menu that invites guests to unlock each cocktail by rotating a spinning time selector, revealing the stories and flavours of 14 signature creations.
And that’s in addition to some long-time favourites and some ‘High Roller’ drinks made tableside.
You can choose to sit at the bar, or at a private booth (ideal for small groups).
Among the menu of craft cocktails is Road Runner ‘Beep Beep’: A playful tribute to the beloved Warner Brothers’ cartoon, this tequila-based cocktail arrives in a custom 3D printed dynamite bar vessel.
There is also the Instant Camera: blending nostalgia with innovation, this vodka highball channels the childlike curiosity that sparked Edwin Land’s invention of the Polaroid. Guests receive a freshly snapped instant photo as their garnish – and as a keepsake.
I very much liked the great-looking Black Box, a citrus‐driven whisky cocktail honouring Australian inventor Dr David Warren and his invention in 1954 of the flight recorder. Think macadamia‐infused The Dalmore 12, mandarin, blackberry, black chinotto and an orange dust garnish to echo the real device’s colour.
We also tried the fun M&Ms (Michters Rye Whiskey, Oats, Licor 43, vanilla, peanut butter, cacao and cream), which comes with a side serve of M&Ms, and a Kid Ory, a blend of Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum, salted calamansi and pineapple, Tia Maria, Agricole Rhum and Cacao bitters.
Great if you don’t have to drive.
There is an enticing selection of snacks: we sampled the impressively French-accented saucisson sec with cornichons, caramelised onion dip with pickles and parmesan crackers, and Manchego croquettes with Iberico and verde mayo.
All were tasty and well presented. You can also choose from share plates; some oysters, or buttermilk kingfish, or opt for a pork and beef lasagna, or a Wagyu ribeye with chimichurri sauce.
The Time Machine menu was developed in collaboration with the world-renowned team at drinks innovators Maybe Sammy.
There is an aperitivo hour between 5-6pm with discounted drinks, including cocktails and wines by the glass. Ideal for watching the sun set.
Dean & Nancy on 22, Level 22, 2 Hunter St, Sydney. Open 4.30pm until late.
See www.deanandnancyon22.com.au
A by Adina Sydney, 2 Hunter St, Sydney 2000. See https://abyadina.com/en/luxury-hotels/sydney
* The writer was a guest of TFE Hotels
See more of Winsor’s travel news and reviews at www.gourmetontheroad.com