Vibe Hotel Rushcutters Bay | Tom Mark Henry

Rushcutters Bay is one of Sydney’s great harbourside parks where visitors and locals meet, relax and socialise surrounded by Moreton Bay fig trees and yachts moored in the marina. Inspired by this location, Tom Mark Henry’s design of the newly refurbished Vibe Hotel Rushcutters Bay evokes the atmosphere, botanical backdrop and harbourside hues of the neighbouring park.

TFE Hotels engaged Tom Mark Henry to create a hotel where guests and Sydney locals felt welcome to share a meal on the terrace, enjoy a drink at the bar or pack a Mediterranean-style platter for a picnic in Rushcutters Bay. Seeking to create an environment that makes a positive contribution to its physical location and enlivens the senses of those who experience it, the Tom Mark Henry design team looked to the hotel’s surrounds for inspiration and used botanical elements and Sydney sailing life as the foundation of its design concept and approach throughout the hotel.

All areas of the hotel, including its grand entrance, 258 suites, outdoor terrace, rooftop pool and Storehouse on the Park restaurant evoke the textures, colours and foliage of Rushcutters Bay. An earthy and neutral palette of sandstone and timber is complemented with muted greens, deep blues, rich coloured accents and botanical prints. Lush green plants and trailing vines bring the vibrancy of the park indoors.

The custom bar, beyond the reception and lounge-like seating area, is the heart of the ground floor of the hotel. Surrounded by a variety of comfortable seating zones it has been designed to accommodate a single guest, a group of friends and large events. These spaces flow effortlessly around the bar and include a private dining room, art gallery with all-encompassing sofas, and custom bar seating with views of the park through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Light timber and glass doors open from the bar to Storehouse on the Park. Extending to a terrace and surrounded by trees, the restaurant has a spacious yet intimate terrace-like feel. A classic black and white chequered-tile floor is complemented with rattan dining and lounge chairs, weathered-cement benches and antique-brass floor lamps. Built-in nook seating, communal tables and mesh-framed sofas add a relaxed and casual air to the space. Tom Mark Henry designed the custom pendants, including a ceramic and metal lamp for plants with cascading vines.

A rooftop terrace with pool overlooks the park, and botanical-print area rugs, fabric and wallpaper enhance the design story throughout the hotel, forging its strong connection to its setting.
Tom Mark Henry thrives on the creative and collaborative development of unique and exceptional spaces, and its authentic and adaptable approach ensures the dynamic studio continues to push the boundaries of design and expectation.