Colombian Hotel: Relaxed by day, wild by night
Cutting through the chic inner-city suburbs of Darlinghurst and Paddington, Oxford Street is fashion central and the heart of Sydney’s gay party scene. The Darlinghurst end is lined with wall-to-wall bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants, adult “bookstores” and late night takeaway joints. If you’re up for a rather large night out, Oxford Street, and one of its most famous bars, the Colombian Hotel, has a little sprinkle of something for everyone.
Popular with gays and straights alike, the Colombian is a large pub attracting a mixed age group. It’s set over two levels, each with its own DJs and music. The downstairs bar tends to fill up early, with the prime seats looking out on to the main road where you can watch the bold, the beautiful and the just plain bizarre take to Oxford Street like an open-air catwalk.
During the day and the early evening, the Colombian has a fabulous relaxed vibe, making it a great place to begin your night by meeting friends and mingling with the locals. Check out the funky jungle backdrop behind the main bar and be sure to try one of the superb cocktails on offer.
Downstairs is definitely dedicated to the more unabashed dancers in the crowd, playing throbbing party tunes that get progressively louder and trashier as the night goes on. The upstairs bar (home to a groovy giant Tiki head) caters to a somewhat more discerning crowd, with DJs spinning smooth funk, soul, lounge and tribal beats well into the evening.
Things can get a little loose in the Colombian as late night fever descends on the place, with little sign of things slowing down as the 6am closing time approaches. It’s a chill venue most of the time, but after midnight, the Colombian is not the place for the faint of heart!
Posted by Fiona Davies
