The Grand Dame of Balmain for Sale by HTL Property

Following the successful sale of all four former Public Hospitality assets, including South Bondi Hotel (Noah’s), The Diplomat Hotel (Potts Point), The Empire Hotel (Annandale) and Claridge House (Surry Hills) recently marketed for sale; leading national brokerage agency HTL Property proudly brings to market Balmain’s stately Exchange Hotel.

“Balmain is synonymous with traditional pub culture, and to a degree is perhaps unmatched by any other Sydney suburb. However, Balmain undoubtedly lacks upscale accommodation inventory, and in our considered view, The Exchange Hotel product is the perfect tonic to this clear gap in the market,” advised HTL Property Managing Director, Andrew Jolliffe.

Favoured by instructions from Receivers and Managers, McGrathNicol (who oversaw the successful sale processes of the four aforementioned Public Hospitality assets), HTL Property will facilitate a national Expression of Interest sale process for this well-known Sydney hospitality property.

“The level of enquiry we enjoyed regarding the recent sales of the former Public Hospitality assets was material, and on a consolidated basis numbered in excess of 780 unique enquiries,” advised HTL Property Director, Sam Handy.

“What this level of market activity suggests to us is that the continued depth of interest in high quality, built form hospitality assets in irreplaceable locations in Sydney remains largely unsatisfied in terms of the ready capital seeking deployment,” added Handy.

Built over three grand levels, and possessing valuable balcony space, the prominent Balmain institution has recently been the recipient of a significant (~$5m*) capital works program. This follows receipt of DA approval to reconfigure the offering to promote thirty-one (31) upmarket accommodation rooms – with a modern food and beverage operation maintained on the ground floor.

“Balmain is a historic, and densely populated harbourside suburb, containing some of the city’s best known hospitality offerings,” commented Jolliffe.

“However, upmarket accommodation and traditional hotel offerings with the (645sqm) scale of The Exchange Hotel are particularly rare – leading us to the considered view that astute investors within the asset class nationally will find this acquisition opportunity magnetic,” Jolliffe concluded.

HTL Property, as exclusive agency, offer for sale The Exchange Hotel in Balmain via a national EOI sale process concluding Wednesday 18 March 2026 at 4pm.

End.