Song Hotel is Sydney’s best budget hotel and a force for good

Elizabeth WhiteheadBy Elizabeth Whitehead
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The Song, Australia’s first profit-for-purpose hotel, has reopened after a $10.5 million nip-and-tuck. Guests who bed down here help support thousands of women experiencing homelessness in Australia.

Song Hotel has reopened after an extensive head-to-toe makeover, taking Sydney’s favourite budget hotel from a comfy three-star lodging to an elegant, four-star haven in the centre of the CBD. The Song has garnered a reputation as a go-to among budget-conscious travellers, with rooms starting at just $200 per night. But best of all, 25 cents of every dollar goes towards helping women experiencing homelessness through women’s charity, YWCA Australia .

So far, guests who have bedded down at The Song have helped YWCA to provide 130,000 nights of safe accommodation to women, homes for 529 people and support for thousands more through its vital programs (in tandem with other sources of income). Leaving a positive impact is becoming an increasingly important factor for travellers. And staying at a profit-for-purpose hotel such as Song is a surefire way to do that. Here’s what to know before you book.

Song hotel renovated rooms
The Song Hotel has been renovated with an elegant, earthy palette.

Location

The Song Hotel is located in the heart of Sydney’s Central Business District, making it an ideal base for both business and leisure travellers. It’s located just a stone’s throw from Hyde Park and within walking distance of many of Sydney’s main attractions such as museums, the Botanic Gardens and the Opera House. The Song is also close to buzzy Oxford Street, perfect for travellers looking for something that’s centrally located and still incorporates a bit of local colour.

Public transport is easily accessible, with several bus stops just around the corner. Museum Station is just a four-minute walk away, too. Essentially, the location of the hotel offers the best of Sydney right at your fingertips.

Style and Character

The overall style of the hotel is relatively minimal yet refined. However, the Song brings unique and whimsical flair with nine themed rooms, each centred around a different trailblazing Australian Woman. For instance, the Bindi Irwin Room is a resplendent mini-jungle of indoor plants, decorated with paintings of wildlife, an echidna stool and an Australia Zoo uniform hanging in the wardrobe. Another highlight is the Lee Lin Chin room, which pays homage to the Indonesian-Australian broadcaster, journalist and fashionista with a dress on display donated by Chin herself, as well as a copy of her book, Iced Beer and Other Tantalising Tips for Life. Fans of Aussie songstress Sia can stay in the room dedicated to the Grammy-nominated musician, and rest up beneath a ceiling fitted out with a giant chandelier.

Song Hotel Bindi Irwin Room
The Song Hotel has themed rooms centred around trailblazing Aussie women, such as Bindi Irwin.

Rooms

For a budget hotel, the rooms at Song certainly punch above their weight. Thanks to the recent refresh, the 156-room hotel now boasts a modern, earthy colour palette, and crisp white linen with soothing olive accents. The rooms are relatively small yet comfortable, beautiful yet practically furnished with desks and ironing boards even in the most affordable room categories. Balcony rooms offer vistas of the city and Oxford Street, where you can soak up the buzz of one of the city’s most vibrant precincts (don’t worry, the soundproofing completely blocks out noise when the door is shut!). Some rooms even encompass views of Hyde Park, while others look out into the hotel’s luscious courtyard, a quiet oasis that makes you feel miles away from the CBD. The best part of bedding down at the Song is that by sleeping there, you can rest easy knowing your dollar is helping provide a bed for someone else, too.

The Song Hotel Room
Bedding down at The Song helps someone in need find a bed, with all profits going to women’s charity, YWCA.

Facilities

Being a budget hotel, facilities are relatively minimal. But all the basics are definitely covered, with complimentary Wi-Fi in all the rooms, as well as smart TVs for entertainment. The front desk is open 24 hours and housekeeping is daily.

Food and Drink

The hotel’s bar and dining concept, Song Kitchen, has also reopened as a sleek, ambient hang-out spot, perfect for hotel guests, travellers and Sydney locals alike. The menu boasts international cuisine and native Australian ingredients, such as watteseed brule and lamb roasted with saltbush. The wine list also champions women in winemaking, with items thoughtfully denoted where the winemaker/estate owner is female. Just like the hotel, all profits from Song restaurant go towards helping women experiencing homelessness. It’s the perfect spot to grab a drink or enjoy Aussie flavours, all while knowing your dollar is making a difference.

Song Kitchen
Song Kitchen has undergone a sleek renovation, and all profits from this restaurant/bar go towards helping to alleviate homelessness.

Go for

A convenient, comfortable stay full of personality and flair, that will also help provide a bed for someone else in need.

Accessibility?

Song Hotel has wheelchair accessibility throughout its grounds.

Family-friendly?

Most rooms have a max capacity of two, but there are family rooms that sleep up to four.

Details

Address: 5/11 Wentworth Ave, Sydney NSW 2000

Best for: Tourists, couples and families

Price: From $200

Check out Sydney’s other accommodation offerings.

Elizabeth Whitehead
Elizabeth Whitehead is a writer obsessed with all things culture; doesn't matter if it's pop culture or cultures of the world. She graduated with a degree in History from the University of Sydney (after dropping out from Maths). Her bylines span AFAR, Lonely Planet, ELLE, Harper's BAZAAR and Refinery 29. Her work for Australian Traveller was shortlisted for single article of the year at the Mumbrella Publishing Awards 2024. She is very lucky in thrifting, very unlucky in UNO.
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No time to hibernate: experience the best of winter in NSW

    Kate BettesBy Kate Bettes
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    Whales breaching, fires crackling and slow-cooked feasts that make the cold so cosy, one might wish it lasted longer. Winter is no time to stay at home in NSW.

    When the mercury drops, winter in NSW comes into its own. Beaches are quieter, the air is crisper and hearty food tastes even better when there’s ice on the windows.

    Winter here isn’t for hiding away. It’s for long walks, deep baths, deeper reds and the kind of fireside lounging that feels simultaneously indulgent and entirely deserved after a day of exploring. From whale-watching up north to moodily lit bushwalks and pastry pilgrimages, we’ve mapped out your new favourite season.

    a beach winter in nsw
    From coastal walks to tasty delights, winter in NSW is a time to get out and about.

    The Tweed

    In winter, the NSW north coast has a front-row seat to one of nature’s greatest migrations. From May to November, humpbacks cruise past the Tweed coast between Antarctica and the Great Barrier Reef. Spot them from the Cabarita Beach headland or get up closer with a boat cruise.

    Inland, find the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre , which is home to a rotating cast of big-name exhibitions (including Monet).

    Later, grab a table at Bistro Livi , where the modern Spanish menu features whipped salt cod on toast and spanner crab with curry butter and spelt flatbread. Stick around to poke through the artist studios and indie boutiques of M|Arts Precinct .

    visitors at Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre
    Browse the art. (Image: Destination NSW)

    The next day, jump aboard the Indigenous Lunch Cruise with Tweed Escapes. You’ll cruise upriver listening to yarns from local Indigenous guides, stop at the Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Museum and tuck into lemon myrtle-crusted snapper.

    Next, drive out to Farm & Co to pull apart some juicy smoked lamb shoulder with green olive tapenade while gazing out over the macadamia fields and avocado groves of this working farm.

    End the day at Mantra on Salt Beach where you’ll enjoy beach access, a heated rock spa and a lagoon pool.

    dining room at Bistro Livi
    Taste modern Spanish at Bistro Livi.

    Blue Mountains

    The cold season is hands down the best time to visit the Blue Mountains. Temperatures are perfect – sunny enough for hikes, and crisp enough at night for snuggling up.

    For a trip that equally soothes and stirs, start with a meditative meander through the national park’s eucalypts and Australian wildflowers. Brave the steepest passenger railway in the world, Scenic Railway , then hop the Skyway aerial cable car for unrivalled Three Sisters views.

    Thaw out at the Japanese Bath House in South Bowenfels. Soak in steamy outdoor onsens filled with natural mineral water and mountain views, wander the rose and zen gardens, or sip hot drinks in the tea house.

    group leader at Blue Mountains Stargazing
    Rug up for Blue Mountains Stargazing. (Image: Destination NSW)

    Afterwards, head to Ates in Blackheath, where everything revolves around a 150-year-old ironbark-fuelled oven – like the wood-roasted duck with nectarines and Szechuan spice. Or visit Tempus Katoomba , which leans experimental and sustainable, serving up dishes like braised fennel with cumin, spiced yogurt and Aleppo pepper.

    Rug up and head into the night with Blue Mountains Stargazing . Sessions are guided by astrophysicists, helping you understand what you’re looking at as you look into deep space.

    Wrap it all up at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains – MGallery Collection . There’s a whiskey bar in the basement (and crackling fires that make a dram taste even better), indoor and outdoor pools and a day spa. Kids will love the mirror maze and ice rink, too.

    dishes laid out on table at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains
    End the day with delicious meals at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains. (Image: Destination NSW)

    Southern Highlands

    Good food and wine by the fire, experienced between sifting through second-hand treasures, is a winter vibe in Bowral.

    Start with a lap around Dirty Janes , an antique and vintage market. Recover from your shopping frenzy at Bendooley Book Barn , where floor-to-ceiling shelves and a roaring fire set the tone for an afternoon of red wine or hot coffee.

    When it’s time to eat, head to Hickory’s Restaurant & Bar , Peppers Craigieburn Bowral’s onsite restaurant. Try the crispy pork belly with Granny Smith crisps and apple gel, or ocean trout with wakame, lemon gel and pickled radish.

    couple looking through Dirty Janes in bowral
    Wander the antiques at Dirty Janes. (Image: Destination NSW)

    Another option, Onesta Cucina , does Italian with flair. For something more casual (with cocktails), Flour Bar swings between brunch and dinner, with an onsite bakery, over 400 wines and a hidden deli in the old bank vault.

    Later, clamber Mt Gibraltar , where trails wind through eucalypt forest to views over Bowral and Mittagong.

    Stay at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral , a century-old estate with open fires, elegant lounges and a nine-hole golf course.

    woman and her dog winter in nsw at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral
    Stay cosy at Peppers Craigieburn Bowral.

    Penrith

    Shake off winter inertia with an adrenaline boost out in Penrith. Kick things off with a kayak paddle on the Nepean River with Horizon Line, or head to Cables Wake Park , where cold-weather wetsuits take the edge off a wipeout.

    For something a bit more cruisy, opt for the Nepean Belle Paddlewheeler for slow-floating views and a hot cuppa.

    kayakers on the nepean river in penrith
    Head out on the Nepean River. (Image: Destination NSW)

    Refuel at Marcel Bar & Bistro , where reimagined European comfort food – like seafood risotto in bisque with little neck clams and Moreton Bay bugs – is king. Then check in at the Pullman Sydney Penrith , the area’s first international five-star hotel, to enjoy your well-earned rest.

    Pullman Penrith
    Set yourself up at Pullman Penrith.

    Start planning your NSW winter getaway at all.com.