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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8 ways to discover a new side of Port Stephens

    Kate BettesBy Kate Bettes
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    Aussies might think they know what Port Stephens is all about – but it’s time to take another look.

    You might’ve driven through this NSW coast town. Maybe even stopped for fish and chips or a quick dip. But spend a long weekend in the new Port Stephens , and you’ll seriously regret not doing it sooner. We’re talking treks across beaches, reef dives and up-close time with rescued koalas.

    All in all? It only takes a day before you see Port Stephens in a whole new light, and not much longer until it’s locked in as your favourite family destination.

    1. Stockton Sand Dunes

    Port Stephens incredible Stockton Sand Dunes are the largest moving sand mass in the Southern Hemisphere. They shift like an endless magic trick across the Worimi Conservation Lands , a 4200-hectare coastal co-managed by the Traditional Owners.

    Tear over them in a 4WD. Rev through valleys soft as melting ice cream on a quad. Carve down 30-metre slopes on a sandboard. However you choose to cross them, you’re guaranteed a seriously wild ride.

    Four rugged 4WDs kick up trails of golden dust as they charge across the sweeping desert landscape.
    Chase thrills across shifting sands. (Image: Destination NSW)

    2. Scale Tomaree Head Summit Walk

    A short climb through bushland opens up to the coastal drama of Tomaree Head . Spot Zenith, Wreck and Box Beaches. See the Fingal Island lighthouse and offshore rookeries where Australia’s rarest seabird, the Gould’s petrel, nests.

    History buffs can’t miss the WWII gun emplacements. And if you’re hiking between May and November, bring binoculars. Travelling whales might just be breaching below.

    Friends enjoying a scenic walk along the Tomaree Head Summit Walk in Tomaree National Park, Port Stephens.
    Climb Tomaree Head for jaw-dropping coastal views. (Image: Destination NSW)

    3. Watch out for whales

    You’ve seen the spouts of migrating humpbacks and southern right whales from shore. Set sail from Nelson Bay to see them up close. Cruise straight into the action, with tail-slaps, barrel rolls and all.

    And they’ve got competition from the local show-offs. Port Stephens bottlenose dolphins leap and play. Some tours even spot pudgy fur seals, spending lazy days soaking up the sun on Cabbage Tree Island.

    A whale’s tail on the sea’s surface.
    Watch for ocean tails. (Image: Destination NSW)

    4. Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

    Pop into the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary  to learn about the rescued koalas who climb, nap, snack and heal in this natural patch of bushland. Wander the immersive Sanctuary Story Walk to discover more about their habits, then head to the SKYwalk – a treetop platform constructed for spotting these eucalyptus-loving locals. Peek into the hospital’s viewing window, where sick or injured koalas may be resting in their recovery enclosures.

    Not enough time around these adorable marsupials? Stay overnight in silk-lined glamping tents.

    Koala sleeping in a tree at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, One Mile
    See koalas in their natural habitat. (Image: Destination NSW)

    5. Diving Port Stephens

    Port Stephens has some of NSW’s best dive spots. At Fly Point, float through sponge gardens and coral castles thick with nudibranchs (AKA sea slugs). Halifax Park has blue gropers and crimson-banded wrasse, while Shoal Bay’s seagrass meadows hide pipefish, cuttlefish and octopus.

    Accessible only by boat, Broughton Island is home to a vast array of marine (and bird) life. Snorkel with blue devilfish and stingrays at sites like The Looking Glass and North Rock. More experienced divers can head out with one of the many PADI-certified operators.

    At nearby Cabbage Tree Island, expect to see shaggy-faced wobbegongs cruising along.

    A couple suited up and ready to dive into adventure.
    Suit up and dive into Port Stephens’ vibrant marine life. (Image: Destination NSW)

    6. Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters

    Not quite ready to dive in? Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters is the perfect way to spot local marine life without getting too deep. But there’s no obnoxious glass tank tapping here. Instead, this interactive aquarium allows guests to wade into natural-style lagoons that mimic the real thing.

    Gently pat Port Jackson and bamboo sharks, hand-feed rays, and feel their sandpapery skin with your fingertips. It is all under expert guidance. If you want to go deeper, pop on a wetsuit and swim alongside tawny nurse sharks, white-tipped reef sharks and zebra sharks in the lagoon.

    Family enjoying an animal feeding experience at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters, Anna Bay.
    Meet the ocean’s friendliest faces at Irukandji. (Image: Destination NSW)

    7. Fish the estuaries

    Fishing fanatics will fall for Port Stephens hook, line and sinker. Here, one of the largest estuary systems in the whole state sees tidal rivers and mangrove ecosystems. Waterfronts are thick with oysters, and residential fish that might include anything from bream, whiting and flathead, to blue swimmer crabs, kingfish and longtail tuna.

    If you prefer to choose your own adventure and fish offshore, you can hire a boat from one of the marinas and set your own course.

    three men fishing on a boat in port stephens
    Join a tour or chart your own fishing trip. (Image: Destination NSW)

    8. Taste new Port Stephens flavours

    With plenty of activity to fill your days, refuelling on delectable cuisine becomes equally important. And Port Stephens answers the call.

    Pop into Holbert’s Oyster Farm for fresh-farmed Port Stephens rock oysters and Pacific oysters, Australian king and tiger prawns, as well as a variety of tasty sauces to try them with.

    Take a group to Atmos for an authentic Greek experience over large shared dishes and Greek-inspired cocktails. Or feast on sea-to-plate, modern Australian dishes at the pet-friendly Restaurant 2317.

    A plate of fresh oysters.
    Slurp your way through the region’s best oysters. (Image: Destination NSW)

    Start planning your Port Stephens getaway at portstephens.org.au .