Hotel review: QT Newcastle
QT Newcastle is a modern, upmarket yet affordable 5-star hotel right in the centre of town.
Officially opened on 9 June, the QT Newcastle is one of Newcastle's newest 5-star hotels.
It's built into the heritage building that used to be an old David Jones store and is located very conveniently at the end of Hunter Street mall, opposite the harbour and within Newcastle's new East End precinct.
The hotel features high-end art and décor throughout as well as designer finishings and premium extras in the bathroom and mini bar.
There's a rooftop bar with stunning views over Newcastle harbour and a fine-dining restaurant on the hotel's ground floor.
Is it all that? We stayed the night and here's what we thought.
QT Newcastle Hotel details
Where: 185 Hunter Street, Newcastle
When: 30–31 August 2022
Room type: Deluxe King
Guest: 1 room, 2 adults
Cost: Around $350 per night for the Deluxe King
Alison's review, in short ★★★★½
Cost: Rooms start at $260 per night, which is great for a 5-star hotel.
Location: Right in the centre of town by Newcastle harbour and only a 15-minute walk to Nobbys Beach.
Décor: Modern, stylish and quirky with high-class designer finishes.
Check-in process: Quick and easy with friendly service.
The room: Spacious with a large bathroom and deep bathtub.
Facilities: Rooftop bar and fine-dining restaurant and cafe on the ground floor. No gym or pool, which is why I deducted half a star.
The cost
Rooms at QT Newcastle start at around $260–$300 for Queen, $300–$360 for a King and around $650 for a Suite.
The price of the Queen and King rooms is affordable for a 5-star hotel that's full of luxury finishes and located right in the centre of town.
For example, if you were looking for a hotel in Sydney instead, that $300 wouldn't get you very far.
The location
The QT Newcastle is located at 185 Hunter Street, Newcastle. This is at the end of the Hunter mall in Newcastle's new East End village precinct, which is dotted with cafes, restaurants and shopping boutiques.
It's a 1-minute walk across to the edge of Newcastle harbour, where you can follow the path along the water up to Newcastle's famous Nobbys Beach and lighthouse or keep going around to Newcastle beach and ocean baths.
Or, follow the path the other way and walk through Honeysuckle's many popular bars and restaurants on the water.
The décor
I loved the décor in this hotel. It was quirky and interesting while still having a luxurious, designer feel to it. The hotel is full of modern art pieces, design installations and dim lighting coming from statement lamps and light fittings.
The restaurant, Jana, uses earthy-toned linen, ceramic plates and saucers that look like individual handmade pieces and premium Italian cutlery that added to the luxury feel of the place.
The room
I stayed in the Deluxe King room. The room was spacious, with a large king bed, big open-plan bathroom, a large wardrobe that looked like an industrial locker and a mini bar with a range of cocktail mixers, spirits and liquors.
The window looked out to the harbour and you can watch the boats go by. It was lovely in the morning and lets in the morning sun.
The bathroom in my room was beautiful, with modern tiles in an earthy green colour, brushed copper tapware and luxury sliding doors creating an open-plan space if desired. The bathroom was complete with designer toiletries including Kevin Murphy shampoo and conditioner and a Dyson hairdryer.
My favourite part was the deep bathtub – such a luxury!
The room was really quiet and I couldn't hear any noise from the hallway or adjoining rooms at all.
The only thing I did hear was the odd horn from the ships overnight, which is such an iconic Newcastle sound that I didn't even mind.
The food
We enjoyed some cocktails and light eats on the rooftop bar in the early evening, with the balcony overlooking the harbour. The bar has beautiful décor with a ceiling full of hanging lights, brushed gold finishings and olive trees in large cement pots. There's a large wine and spirits menu to choose from, as well as a range of cocktails based on classics with a more premium twist.
There's a range of fancy bar snacks to choose from including oysters, caviar and sashimi. More casual options include gyozas, fish tacos and fries. The prawn gyozas were absolutely delicious.
Jana is a fine-dining restaurant located on the ground floor of the hotel, which is where we had dinner.
There's a range of premium steak cuts to choose from, as well as seafood and truffle pasta options. The wine menu was extensive, with hundreds of wines to choose from (we were happy to take our waiter's suggestion here).
The check-in/check-out process
Checking in was a quick, smooth process and the staff were very friendly.
The check-in desk is right inside the main hotel entrance, so you're not left looking for where to go. You can check in 24/7 too, which is great if you're arriving overnight.
The facilities
The main facilities of the hotel are the rooftop bar and fine-dining restaurant. There's no gym or pool at the hotel.
There is free Wi-Fi, valet parking, a 24/7 reception desk and room service.
The verdict
I really enjoyed my stay at the QT Newcastle and would stay here again and recommend it to friends and family visiting Newcastle. Even though I live in Newcastle already, staying here for the night felt like a luxury getaway in another town.
I loved the modern, designer finishes throughout the hotel. Having a sunset drink at the rooftop bar was a definite highlight of our stay. I think for the quality of the rooms and the premium little extras it's very well priced.
Book your stay at the QT Newcastle now through Booking.com
Alison Banney stayed at the QT Newcastle as a guest of the hotel.