Taking its cues from the understated and stylish aesthetic of Palm Springs, Oxford House - Paddington’s first lifestyle hotel - recently opened its doors on the iconic inner-city strip of Oxford Street. Featuring all day street level dining, a first level poolside bar, OH! as the hotel is affectionately known, provides an urban oasis just a short stroll from the bustling street and nightlife.

Home to 56 rooms and suites, the hotel features warm hues, rich textures, and an abundance of natural light, and is filled with considered essentials including local Double Rainbouu custom-made bathrobes, Marc Newson crockery, Grown Alchemist hair care and retro Marshall speakers. The three suites - Junior, Arts and Oxford Terrace - also feature a separate living area, with the latter boasting an expansive balcony overlooking the city. Oxford House, the latest reimagined venue by lifestyle group Public Hospitality, is an inspired transformation of a historic property and an exciting new addition to Sydney hospitality.

“This was a unique opportunity to create an accommodation first for Paddington, provide a new hospitality experience for locals, and help energise an important part of town”, says Tom de Plater, Principal Designer at Public Hospitality. “Given the hotel’s enviable location - famed shopping, nightlife and Allianz stadium, all within walking distance and the beach and city, a short drive away - we wanted to create a space that really felt like an unexpected escape; a hotel that was as relaxed as Oxford Street is lively”.

He continues, “Whilst we took design notes from the sleek lines and muted colors of Palm Springs, it was important that Oxford House effortlessly threaded into the cultural fabric of Paddington, so art and design was key.

We collaborated with culture king, George Gorrow to showcase an incredible collection of art, paintings, photography, collage, printmaking and sculpture from artists including Lena Gustafson, Adam Turnbull and Niah McLeod throughout the property”.

Oxford House features two dining experiences, designed for hotel guests and locals alike. On street level, Oxford House all day dining is a relaxed and welcoming space serving up modern Australian cuisine by executive chef Tyler Preston. An edgy upcomer in hospitality circles with tenures at Chin Chin and Bang Bang, Preston delivers a refined yet unpretentious food that echoes the Oxford House aesthetic.

The restaurant will have an evolving menu throughout the day including five grain hand rolled bircher muesli with toasted seeds and seasonal fruit compote and berries, the OH-melette with woodside goats curd, chives and seasonal herbs salad and the mixed sauteed mushrooms, crispy kale, truffle oil, pecorino, poached egg and sourdough - alongside a selection of tea by La Maison Du Thé and cold pressed juice by Simon Says, made fresh daily and delivered by bicycle to the hotel from its Oxford Street locale.

Later in the day, freshly shucked oysters, Hiramasa Kingfish sashimi, and flat bread with organic house made dips and for the more substantial there is grilled market fish with hazelnut puree, burnt butter and leek oil and roasted cauliflower with miso glaze and crispy kale.

In the light-drenched courtyard by the pool, the Oxford House Pool Bar serves grilled king prawns in sauce vierge, a range of classic burgers and fish straight from the Sydney Fish Markets, as well as poolside favourite, poke bowl with chicken or salmon.

Exclusively to hotel guests, the Oxford House pool, lined with greenery and relaxed lounge seating, is a truly unique space amid the pulse of Paddington offering guests an urban sanctuary, a place to relax and unwind. And for those who want to take it up a notch, hotel guests and visitors alike can enjoy poolside DJ sets and a curated digital art show from Friday’s to Sunday’s.

Oxford House is the latest in an impressive line-up of new venues to open for Public Hospitality, a lifestyle group guided by a vision of Jon Adgemis and Peter Crinis to uncover the potential of heritage buildings and restore them to their former glory. It closely follows their multi-level transformation of The Strand Hotel, featuring a 17 bedroom hotel, ground floor bistro and newly launched Rooftop bar. Restorations of Alexandria’s Camelia Grove, Erskinville’s The Kurrajong and Balmain’s’ The Town Hall will follow in the coming months.