Five star stay: The 19th century hotel in Potts Point for sale as a private residence

Freestanding homes account for just 0.5 per cent of dwellings, or around 17 properties, in leafy Potts Point. So, it’s no idle claim to say the sale of this arts and crafts manor on Challis Street presents a rare opportunity.

Spanning four levels on a 650-square metre block, this freestanding property is in one of Potts Point’s best streets, and while now operating as a boutique hotel, it could be reimagined as a grand home.

Fielding interest from expats, Chinese buyers, wealthy local families, business leaders and architecture buffs, McGrath Edgecliff agent William Manning reports that there is a palpable excitement over the sale of the house, which last changed hands in 2002.

“There’s been a lot of interest in the property,” he says. “It’s such a unique offering and it’s so rare to find a grand, freestanding home so close to the city.”

Designed in 1892 by John Bede Barlow, a leading light in turn-of-the-century Australian architecture, Simpsons (originally called Killoutan) was built for Barlow’s cousin John Lane Mullins, a treasurer of the Catholic Church, solicitor and patron of the emerging arts and crafts movement.

A statement against the “vulgarity” of Victorian architecture of the day, Simpsons boasts a handsome facade of red brick, with its decorative elements reserved for inside.

Standing in the elegant foyer with its soaring ceilings, grand moulded arches and beautifully preserved leadlight windows, it’s easy to be transported back to the 19th century.

The formal sitting and dining rooms are to the right of the foyer, facing the street with views through large, segmented arched windows.

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There are picture and dado rails above wide skirting boards and ornate fireplaces. On a cool spring morning with both fires blazing, it’s a warm and inviting space lined with books and art.

To the left of the foyer, a hall leads through to the conservatory, which functions as a light-filled breakfast room. There are four en suite bedrooms on the ground floor, six on the first floor and three at attic level, all connected via a solid timber staircase rebuilt in a heritage style.

There’s also a three-car garage at basement level accessed via the rear lane, and a circular driveway providing off-street parking for a further four cars.

Listed by the National Trust of Australia, Simpsons appeared in both the Annual Architectural Review and Beautiful Homes of Australia in the Edwardian Age in 1893.

Owner Keith Wherry says he has enjoyed seeing the faces of his guests when they first survey the restored property.

“I have really enjoyed the house and the comfort it exudes,” he says. “But I’m excited to see the next chapter and I’m hoping to hand the keys over to someone who will appreciate its history and charm.”

William Manning, who shares the listing with co-agent Ken Jacobs, of Christie’s International Real Estate, advises on a price guide of $15 million to $16 million.

Prize position

An enduring favourite with the rich and famous, Potts Point has evolved and gentrified over the years, with property prices rising to match.

Over the past 24 months there have been two notable terrace sales in Challis Avenue, one for $13 million in 2016 and one for $12.5 million last year.

The $13 million sale of 29 Challis Avenue smashed the record for an Australian terrace, almost doubling the $7.3 million Sydney record for designer Collette Dinnigan’s Paddington terrace, set in 2011.

Manning says the suburb’s Parisian vibe and city-fringe location are key to its popularity, and many locals claim it has become an even better place to live since the introduction of they city’s lockout laws in 2014.

Brimming with handsome old buildings transformed into stylish apartments, many with sparkling harbour views, Potts Point’s leafy streets are bound by Elizabeth Bay to the east, Woolloomooloo to the west and Darlinghurst to the south.

While there is plenty of parking, the central location is a boon for walkers. With six hatted restaurants on MacLeay Street alone, it’s a foodie paradise.

There are boutiques, a bookshop, and a choice of wine bars close by, and it’s 10 minutes by foot to Kings Cross station.