Hotel Challis Potts Point - Potts Point, New South Wales

Harrison Hylan

Lovely location and a beautiful Victorian Townhouse. The room was smaller, but very tidy and perfect if you are out touring all day. The bed was very comfortable, especially after lots of walking around Sydney. The service was excellent. A nice lady helped me when I asked to used the laundry facilities and when I accidentally locked my room. I would stay here again.

Debra Cain

Rooms were tidy. Fridge was tiny as was the bathroom but a fantastic hot shower. The bed unfortunately was near the door entrance where there was too much light coming from the hallway. I had to use rolled up towels to block out the light. However the location was great in a beautiful art deco street that is beautiful tree lined.

Ana Dottori

This review is from my dad (Daniel Dottori):

We had a very comfortable stay at the hotel. The facilities are excellent, and we felt truly well taken care of by all the staff. A special mention goes to Miss Victoria, who was incredibly kind and attentive. We were lucky she spoke Spanish, as she guided us, assisted us, and supported us throughout our stay. It was such a relief to have someone with her level of dedication at the hotel. Everything was exceptional, and we felt at ease and cared for. We look forward to returning in the future and sincerely thank the entire team for their outstanding hospitality.

Rebecca Norton

Delightful building, rooms comfy and all you need for a good nights sleep after being out exploring Sydney. My only feedback would be - the rooms are very bright and the sun comes up very early during summer so heavier curtains would be amazing. Would definitely stay again. Such a chill vibe and close to great cafes too

Elizabeth Alaka

The location is convenient for transport, shops and food. There's water and nuts at reception and the check in/out process is very smooth. They were kind enough to let me get a package delivered to the hotel which o appreciated.

The room (I got a double bed room) looks true to the pictures but it's very small and there's nowhere to put your suitcase (you can't unpack because there's no wardrobe and you can't leave it open because there's no space on the floor).

You can also tell that costs are kept as low as possible with cheap TV (always freezes), toilet paper that disintegrates as soon as you touch it -5 ply and the towels leave so much fluff all over you.

The housekeeping isn't up to standard and is inconsistent. Sometimes the floor will be vacuumed, other times not. Sometimes your bathroom floor will be swept and sink cleaned, sometimes not. The shower was never washed and the towels smell like damp, like they never fully dry and have a vomit smell. The linens are tidied and not changed and the used water glasses are not replaced.

Bring earplugs as it's next to a school and if you decide to sleep in one day you may be woken up by the kids screaming during their sports class. if your room faces the back of the property the dripping on Tim roof during the rain is super loud, of course this is unavoidable but just bring earplugs.

The bathroom door was HEAVY and it gets hot in there when you try to do your makeup, nothing can keep it open. Some kind of doorstop would be much appreciated.

Rebecca Wolfgang

We stayed one night in a Premium King room. The Premium King room is advertised as spacious and provides extra space. The room was not spacious and the bathroom was very small.
When I asked the staff if the room was actually a Premium King they said it was and there are different size Premium King rooms. They said I should have asked for a larger one when I booked. I recommend anyone staying at the hotel clarify the room size ensuring you get what is advertised.
I have attached a photo of the very small bathroom.

Ricky Walker

A total NIGHTMARE – Avoid this disastrous "Hotel" at all costs!

I rarely write reviews, but my experience at Hotel Challis was so awful that I feel compelled to warn others. We booked a standard room, and from the moment we entered, it was clear we had made a huge mistake. The room was shockingly small — I couldn’t even open my suitcase fully to unpack. There was barely any space to move, and what was supposed to be a "standard" room felt more like a cramped closet.

From the television not working to the fridge - this hotel was nothing short of horrible. The walls were so thin that we could hear every single sound from outside the room, and the floor felt like it was about to collapse with every step. I honestly thought we might fall through

I thought I was staying at a motel, not a hotel in one of Sydney’s supposedly better neighborhoods.
Naturally, we asked if we could be moved to another room, even offering to pay for an upgrade. The response from the staff? They flatly refused and told us, “Cancel your booking and leave if you don’t like it.” No apology. No attempt to make things right. Just an incredibly rude and dismissive attitude. They did not care about us or our comfort. It was as if they couldn’t be bothered to help, and honestly, I have never felt more disrespected as a guest.

But the real horror came when we left the room and returned later that evening to retrieve our things. Our key stopped working. We tried to use the backup key they gave us, but that did not work either. Now, keep in mind, there is no 24-hour reception at this "hotel," so we were completely stuck outside our room, in the dark, with all of our belongings inside. We had to wait from 9:30pm to around 11:00pm for someone to return and allow us access to the room. The excuse? "The receptionist must have not activated both cards." This is basic hotel management. Unbelievable.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the parking situation was a complete joke. We were told the hotel didn’t have on-site parking, so we had to park a 10-minute walk away. Not only was it inconvenience to have to haul our luggage back and forth twice, but we had to pay for parking on top of the already overpriced room.

I wouldn’t have stayed here for free if I had known what I was walking into. It’s beyond me how a place like this can even call itself a hotel, let alone charge guests anything for the privilege of staying there.
The level of incompetence and complete disregard for customer satisfaction was staggering. No empathy, no professionalism, just pure indifference from the staff. This place is a dump—nothing more than a money grab with zero consideration for its guests.

Do yourself a favour and avoid this place like the plague. There are plenty of other hotels in Potts Point that will treat you with respect and provide you with an experience that actually matches what’s advertised. Challis Hotel is a disgrace to the hospitality industry, and I wouldn’t stay here again if they paid me. Save your money, your time, and your sanity.

Heart Movements

Quaint area, comfy bed and lovely amenities. Staff very helpful. Chester White is around the corner, they are quirky, friendly and I had the best Spaghetti I have ever had.