Maloney Hotel Group’s hidden gem, the tri-level St James Hotel, is celebrating a makeover and its 15th year of extended trading with an extended party.
Industry stalwart Kim Maloney bought the building at 114 Castlereagh Street in the early noughties, with basement bar Castles on Castlereagh occupying the level below ground.
Maloney succeeded in extending the licensed area to the street and first level, creating three distinct spaces, each evoking a different atmosphere.
Downstairs was converted to be St James Hotel bistro, serving pub classics.
Come in off the street to a warm public bar, now boasting a new retro pool room.
And upstairs is the cheekily Parisian Mirabelle bar and event space, offering an oasis of opulence in the CBD, with its rich timberwork beside heavy velvet drapes, glowing chandeliers illuminating a palette of crimson and gold across burnished gilt mirrors and private nooks. Patrons repose on decadent Chesterfields, plush club chairs and antique armchairs amid wrought iron tables.
The building goes through to Elizabeth Street, granting the upper level sweeping views of Hyde Park.
Completion of recent works comes as the Hotel celebrates 15 years in its revised form, and last week began a six-week promotional party due to end 28 November.
Ground level will be offering early week happy hour drinks from 5-7pm Monday through Wednesday, toasting pints at schooner prices, and $10 espresso martinis, and pink gin and Aperol spritzes, plus $1 wings and ‘loaded’ fries with beverage purchases.
The back end of the working week sees Mirabelle rolling out celebratory 49 per cent discounts on all drinks, including glasses of Pipers Heidsieck Brut Champagne complementing the likes of $1 Sydney Rock Oysters, every Thursday and Friday from 6-8pm.
Birthday business in the bistro brings Carrara Wagyu Rump marble score 15+ for $15, cooked to perfection, Monday to Thursday.
The anniversary this month and relaunch follow recent closures of the nearby Windsor Castle and Martin Place Bar, making way for Sydney’s light rail infrastructure.
The additional levels have proven a boon for the business, going “gangbusters” in recent years, but Maloney says the timing was right for the pub’s next era.
“Mid-town’s really booming at the moment, and it just needed a bit of a facelift for the public areas. You’ve got to do these, to let people know you’re still around.
“We’ve done that over the last three months and it looks sensational. It coincided with our 15th birthday, so we’re celebrating.”
