The tiny home movement has seen travellers trade in luxurious and spacious hotel suites for compact dwellings that offer more for less.
But in recent years, the tiny travel trend has extended beyond eco-cabins and glamping tents to now come full circle and evolve right back into the hotel scene with the rise of micro-hotels. The dwellings offer all the amenities of an upscale hotel, only within tiny rooms slightly bigger than a standard parking space — 14 square metres.
Smaller rooms mean more guests can occupy in the building at any one time, while more effort is placed into common areas like shared lounges, rooftop bars and libraries that allow guests to live, work and breathe in spacious zones outside of their rooms.
Communal zones like these also allow for mingling, and thus micro-hotels are a popular choice for millennial travellers who may be keen to make friends while city-hopping.
Micro-hotels are common already in densely populated, urban cities like New York City and Tokyo, but the trend had not been picked up in Australia, until now.
The Little National Hotel opened on Clarence Street in the Sydney CBD on November 2 and is the first of its kind in Sydney. It is comprised of 230 rooms, each of which are designed compact with efficient spatial planning to make the most of the room.
To use the space to its full potential (and to make the most of the view) the bed is positioned on the far end of the room before a floor-to-ceiling window that takes in panoramic city views.
The rest of the space is comprised of a well-designed bathroom at the entrance to the room, plus a small dining or desk zone. Clever storage means the room is also able to house a bunch of lush extras while never appearing cluttered.
Draws, storage boxes and concealed shelves hideaway additions like a tea station and a Nespresso coffee machine, a minibar, a water carafe, slippers, and a fluffy robe. There’s also a smart Samsung TV with free movies, in-bed reading lights, an iron and ironing board, and a hairdryer.
“Little National Hotel is conceived for the business, conference and leisure guest who demands smart luxury and high amenity in a super-prime location but at a rate that allows for greater enjoyment of the other facilities offered by the thriving heart of Sydney city,” the hotel says on its site.
What the room lacks space for, the shared amenities make up for in spades. The library offers a quiet zone for working or internet browsing with huge desks, unlimited WIFI, USB and power ports, and a wireless colour printer.
Up on the roof, guests can make use of the indoor rooftop lounge with cosy lounges and an indoor fireplace, or head onto the rooftop balcony to enjoy a sunset drink. Bar service is available, while food and snacks can be delivered from Sydney’s surrounding cafes and restaurants. There’s even an on-site gym is ready and waiting to help you squeeze in a workout should you wish to.
For all of this, one would expect to fork out an arm and a leg to stay there but the hotel strives to make its accommodation offering affordable for both work and leisure travellers.
Right now, as a celebration of its opening, the hotel is offering a number of special packages, including the opening special which from $189 a night, which includes overnight accommodation, a welcome glass of Moët Champagne in the rooftop lounge, and late checkout until noon.
The Little National Hotel is open now. Head over to the official site to make your booking.