Visiting a huge, bustling city like Sydney can leave any traveller a little puzzled about where to start exploring. What you need is a base, a little slice of the city to call home during your visit. On a recent trip to the big city down under, a stay in stylish Paddington was enough to convince me that I’d found the perfect place!
So what does Paddington have to offer the worldly-wise traveller? Well, an irresistible taste of real Australian life and culture, and endless entertainment from the array of bars, cafes, restaurants, shops and markets, all found just outside of the city centre! All this was awaiting us on our arrival into one of Australia’s most beautiful cities.
Weary from a seemingly never-ending flight, we arrived at Sydney airport and jumped straight in a taxi, desperate to reach our hotel. After listening to our enthusiastic taxi driver waxing lyrical about the wonderful restaurants and bars of Paddington, I already felt like I’d been living there for twenty years!
Intrigued as we arrived at the hotel, Sullivan’s in central Paddington, the first thing that struck me was the buzzing atmosphere coming from a lively mix of locals and young travellers out for the evening. I managed to drag my gaze away from the busy bars spilling people out onto the pavement to notice the beautifully ornate houses that line the suburban streets. The houses undoubtedly cost a small fortune, but managed to make Paddington more picturesque than other city suburbs.
While Paddington seems to be bursting with boutique hotels, there are a good range of options for those travelling on a shoestring. We chose Sullivan’s Hotel on Oxford Street, the main street which runs through the area. Our room was large and comfy, the hotel had an outdoor pool and sunloungers (although we weren’t braving the August weather!) and the young staff knew all the best places to go in the area; we had definitely found the perfect place to lay our heads during our visit!
Having been practically pushed out of the door in the direction of a few highly-recommended bars by an animated receptionist, we discovered that Paddington’s nightlife is varied enough to tempt any taste: from travellers hungry for cheap drinks to Sydney’s gay crowd, trendy students and young professionals wanting to unwind; everyone seemed to be out taking advantage of the warm evening. While Sydney’s centre is undoubtedly brilliant for a night out, Paddington managed to entertain us for the best part of a week with its dazzling assortment of pubs and bars. On our first evening wander down hectic Oxford Street we headed for The Gaff. As we approached it was impossible to ignore the pumping music coming from inside. Free drinks vouchers were thrust into our hands as we entered; we didn’t need any more encouragement! The bar was packed with backpackers meeting fellow travellers from around the world; even the staff were travellers; no Australian accents to be heard in here!
So where are all the real Aussies? There is no shortage of stylish bars and pubs along Oxford Street and we sauntered into a few for a drink. First on the list is The Colombian Hotel, a stylish bar perfect for people watching. Like a lot of bars in Paddington, The Colombian attracts a primarily gay crowd but welcomes anyone fancying a tipple! Another Paddington institution is the Paddington Inn Hotel, a swanky bar with enough space to ensure that you don’t have to get too intimate with fellow drinkers even on the busiest of nights!
Getting up before noon can be a bit of an effort after taking advantage of Paddington’s nocturnal hot spots, but we soon discovered that it is definitely worth facing the headache to scoff down a delicious breakfast in one of Oxford Street’s continental cafes. One of the sweetest spot, The Grumpy Bakers, serves delicious thick cut raisin toast, creamy cakes and steaming coffee to satisfy rumbling stomachs.
Following the enthusiastic advice of our taxi driver earlier on, we made sure we sampled the grub at some of Paddington’s diverse restaurants. With its large Japanese population, Sydney has no shortage of Japanese restaurants and Paddington is no exception. We chose Wok on Inn, initially because of its fantastic name, but soon discovered the delicious noodle soups that clearly attracted the locals; the restaurant was packed!
Despite our experience of the suburb up to that point, Paddington isn’t just a hub of eateries and drinking holes! People come from all over the city to shop in this Mecca of eclectic shops; we soon discovered that Oxford Street is the perfect place to by gorgeous clothes, interesting books and even the occasional present, in case you are feeling generous! Some of the best discoveries were The Quick Brown Fox - a great place for hunting out clothes that no one will have at home, and Berkelouw books - one of those cosy book shops and cafés that make you want to stay for hours.
If you are in Paddington on a Saturday you are in for a treat: This is the day that the area really comes alive, the bustle attracting street performers and musicians who entertain the crowds. The main destination for these visitors is Paddington’s Saturday Market, set in the grounds of Paddington Uniting Church just off Oxford Street. The area is jam-packed with fascinating stalls selling the work of local fashion designers, jewellers, artists and chefs. Never to be ones to tire of eating, we took a break in the leafy café area of the market where local chefs serve up steaming portions of everything from Belgian waffles to Thai curry. We came away with some unique jewellery and beautiful photographic prints of Sydney to remind us of the trip. This market is perfect for finding those wonderful little things you just can’t find in shops!
For a short visit to Sydney, Paddington provided us with the perfect location. As well as having an abundance of shops and bars on our doorstep, we were in easy reach of the rest of the city when we wanted to explore the sights. Hop on a bus to Bondi Junction where yet more shops and cafes await you! Stay on the bus and you’ll reach the gorgeous Bondi Beach. In the other direction, the city centre and all its delights are just a fifteen minute walk from central Paddington, if you ever want to leave that is…
