Adina Sydney Darling Harbour opened ahead of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 and is a prized waterfront property in one of the city’s most thriving hotspots.
The 114-room hotel will undergo a top-to-tail refurbishment, led by Brenton Smith from Bates Smart, and is set to reopen in mid-2026.
“Darling Harbour has transformed into one of Sydney’s most vibrant lifestyle precincts, offering guests proximity to Barangaroo, Town Hall, ICC Sydney, iconic Sydney attractions and events,” says Chris Sedgwick, group chief operating officer, TFE Hotels.
“This large-scale refurbishment marks a significant repositioning of the hotel and reflects our forward-thinking vision for the Adina brand and the wider precinct.”
Adina is evolving into a “design-led, experience-rich brand, where comfort, style and connection to place come together”.
Sedgwick says the announcement comes on the back of the recent refurbishment and repositioning of the nearby Adina Town Hall, with plans underway to refurbish other first-generation Adina properties in Melbourne, Darwin, Adelaide and Frankfurt, Germany.
“The kitchen is the heart of the home, and our interior architects have designed spaces where our Adina guests can entertain, relax and feel at ease, whether in their apartment or in the hotel’s lobby lounge.
“It’s an approach that is resonating with our guests at our newly opened Adina Town Hall in Sydney.”
Bates Smart’s interior design director, Brenton Smith, says inspiration for the refurbishment has been driven by the hotel’s Darling Harbour location.
“While Adina Town Hall had a very residential overlay, which was more akin to a city apartment, the narrative for Adina Darling Harbour is about soft tranquil harbour colours, organic forms and a harbourside connection that can be seen in fabrics, artworks and paint colours,” he says.
“This casual relaxed approach has been extended into the reception, pool area, meeting rooms and onsite restaurant and bar.”
Adina’s restaurant and bar will have a “relaxed neighbourhood vibe” that features a terrazzo bar, sea foam greens, chartreuse lacquered lamps and harbourside stripes.
“It very much references a day out on a boat and a relaxed Sydney harbourside vacation,” says Smith.
The hotel’s outgoing furniture and fixtures will be donated to Sydney-based charity ReLove.
“We are deeply grateful to TFE Hotels and TOGA Group for their generous donation of furniture, which will help us create safe and welcoming homes for people in crisis,” says Ben Stammer, co-founder, ReLove.
“Through our ongoing partnership with the group, we can continue to provide dignity, comfort and stability to families as they rebuild their lives, while also ensuring pre-loved hotel furniture is given a meaningful second life.”
