Within the 25hours Hotel The Olympia, London-based hospitality group Studio Paskin, known for reshaping a city’s dining scene, is set to make its Australian debut in Sydney.
The hotel will be home to four acclaimed venues; a restaurant (The Palomar), wine and cocktail bar (The Mulwray), coffee house and bakery (Jacob The Angel) and rooftop bar (Monica) - each with a distinct identity and purpose.
Founded by siblings Zoë and Layo Paskin, Studio Paskin creates hospitality venues that blend immersive storytelling with culinary and cultural richness. Grounded in principles that reflect their shared passions, cultural backgrounds and life experiences, the siblings have built award-winning brands that exemplify distinctive, experience-led hospitality. Their partnership with 25hours stemmed from Studio Paskin’s first hotel project in 2022, the acclaimed Gleneagles Townhouse in Edinburgh.
Their first international venture sees them land in Sydney, a city with deep personal significance. Layo Paskin’s connection to Sydney stems from his DJ career as Layo & Bushwacka! performing at some of the city’s most iconic nightlife venues in the early 2000s.
Fittingly, the former Grand Pacific Blue Room, now the site of 25hours Hotel The Olympia, was once a hub for nightlife in Paddington and is a legacy that still resonates today.
"From my very first visit to Sydney as a DJ and subsequently personally, the city has always had an amazing energy to me. My partner was born and raised here, so our kids are half-Australian and her cousins are behind the amazing Baker Bleu. It really feels like a home away from home.
"Sydney has so many brilliant bars, restaurants and coffee shops - we’re excited to now be a part of that. We feel incredibly lucky to bring our brands into such an iconic building and to be working with such a great team of people,” Layo says.
Renowned local Chef, Mitch Orr has been appointed Culinary Director of 25hours Hotel The Olympia - marking his biggest project to date. A respected name among Sydney diners and producers, Mitch is the vital link between Studio Paskin’s international experience and Sydney’s culinary landscape.
A proud Sydneysider with deep roots in the city’s dining community, Mitch brings local insight, authenticity and trusted relationships to the project. His innovative approach has set a new benchmark for what hotel dining in Australia can be - creative, connected and unapologetically local. He will deliver this ethos at The Palomar, The Mulwray, Jacob the Angel and Monica, as well as the hotel’s in-room dining and events.
"This is without a doubt the most ambitious project I’ve taken on and I’m incredibly excited by the opportunity to help shape a new chapter in Sydney’s dining scene. Studio Paskin’s vision is bold and full of energy and I’m focused on assembling a team of emerging Chefs who can bring that to life. These venues will be vibrant, creative spaces and that same energy will carry through to the culture we’re building in the kitchen. My goal is to nurture and guide the team so they can eventually take the reins and keep that momentum going,” he explains.
Sydney’s newest cultural playground is positioned at the intersection of five creative Sydney neighbourhoods - Paddington, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Kings Cross and Moore Park. More than just venues, the spaces are designed as gathering points for locals, fostering creativity and inclusions and authentic community connection.
At the heart of this richly layered cultural precinct lies The Palomar – a melting pot of influences, fostering collaboration and connection at every bite. Drawing on influences from Southern Europe, North Africa and the Levant, The Palomar is a lively and intimate restaurant, anchored by cooking by fire with the best-in-class ingredients, in an open kitchen.
Mitch’s distinctive cooking style defies categorisation, but at its core is a passion for live fire cooking - a method that resonates with his and The Palomar’s signature approach. Centred around the wood-fire grill, this elemental technique reflects Studio Paskin’s philosophy: working with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients from small artisans and growers.
Intimate wine and cocktail bar, The Mulwray, named after Evelyn Mulwray, is inspired by classic film noir glamour - perfectly fitting the location as a former theatre. The Mulwray offers classic cocktails and the wine list ranges from firm favourites to the path less trodden.
Jacob The Angel, an all-day coffee house and bakery, is inspired by ever-evolving craft of independent coffee shops around the world, with Baker Bleu bread on the shelves. Rooftop bar Monica, by Ennismore’s F&B studio Carte Blanched, is inspired by Santa Monica and will bring a laid-back, nostalgic West Hollywood vibe, set against panoramic views of the city.
The dining precinct at 25hours Hotel The Olympia is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between one of Europe’s most progressive hospitality brands and one of London’s most respected culinary groups, brought to life by one of Sydney’s most influential Chefs.
Representing more than a hotel restaurant, the multi-layered, story-driven hospitality destination is designed to become an integral part of Sydney’s cultural and culinary fabric.
25hours Hotels is an Ennismore brand. It will be the 18th 25hours Hotel globally and marks the entry of the brand to Australia. 25hours Hotels as a brand is committed to bringing to life an experience that honours the heritage of place and the unique locale they’re centred within.
25hours Hotel The Olympia looks forward to establishing its presence as a community hub of intersecting suburbs and engaging with the unique local community around it.
