Australia's most beautiful hotel of 2025 just opened - here's our verdict

On the crossroads of inner-city chic and urban grit - where Surry Hills ends and Redfern begins - the new-built Eve occupies a site replete with history. It started its journey as a pleasure garden dating back to 1829. By late 1800s, though, the site had evolved into a factory called Wunderlich, producing architectural products.

All of this history could have been forgotten had the current owner, the TOGA Group, not transformed the site into what's fast-becoming one of Sydney's hottest new precincts, Wunderlich Lane, with The Eve as its centrepiece, and the site's past informing its present.

A 15-minute Uber from the domestic terminal and about the same to the CBD, the hotel is perched on the corner of Baptist and Cleveland streets, with the latter's roll-call of eclectic dining options right at your doorstep. But you may not even have to walk that far; Wunderlich Lane is already bursting with locals keen to try its brand-new restaurants, cafes and bars.

There's a bit of everything at The Eve - glossy burgundy tiles on one wall, sandy render on the other; a striking-blue couch in one corner of the lobby, faux fur chairs with a hint of blush in another. In theory, it's not meant to work together, but somehow - marvellously - it does, with the hotel's elegant curves and colours taking my breath away from the moment I set foot inside.

There are 102 rooms at The Eve - from 27-square-metre Courtyard Rooms to 35-square-metre Sunset Suites - in visually seductive eucalypt green or red clay tones. I'm staying in a Courtyard Room with motorised blinds that slide open as I enter, a sitting area and a private balcony overlooking the neighbourhood. Everything is thoughtfully curated - from the exquisite Saarde glassware to the irresistible treats in the minibar (salted caramels with Pepe Saya butter, anyone?). But once again it's the design that truly steals the show. On my way to the rooftop pool, I can't help but notice how wonderfully my eucalypt-green robe matches the carpet in the hallways.

Located off the lobby, Bar Julius boldly calls its Crystal Mymosa - made with clarified orange juice - the best in the world. It definitely wins my vote. Enjoy it under the bar's sweeping ceiling mural by Dinosaur Designs' Louise Olsen, then make your way to the rooftop restaurant Lottie, where affable, well-informed service meets downright delicious Mexican fare. Both venues are managed by the well-known Liquid & Larder restaurant group, with Sydneysiders and visitors already lining up to get in, so book ahead. The piece de resistance, however, is Olympus Dining - a 200-seat Greek eatery set around a 50-year-old bougainvillea. While not technically part of the hotel, it's located just off the lobby and is a must-visit for its lemony taramasalata and cheesy prosopita (like spanakopita but oozier).

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Some liken it to Palm Springs, others say it's a bit like Tuscany. But I think the heated 20-metre rooftop pool - with soaring palms and rust-red lounges - is a slice of Beverly Hills in Sydney. The sanctuary is on the same floor as the boisterous Lottie, but it's separated by a humongous sliding door that only opens for hotel guests, giving it an air of exclusivity. Between the buzz of Wunderlich Lane and the serenity of the pool, you'll ask for nothing.

That serene and sexy pool, of course.

The writer was a guest of The Eve