Why tourists are flocking to this Australian hotel room

Some Japanese tourists have even been flying over to Sydney to stay in the room just for the night.

Room 25, The Russell Hotel: The backdrop for 'Free! Eternal Summer' episode down under. SBS

Room 25, The Russell Hotel: The backdrop for 'Free! Eternal Summer' episode down under. SBS Source: SBS

The Russell Hotel in Sydney's historic district, The Rocks, has one room that is in high demand.

It's so popular that tourists are booking it up to a year in advance.

Charmion Lumsden, who works at hotel's front desk, said she received frequent requests from "all different booking agencies, always with notes, room 25, room 25".
Room 25 at the Russell Hotel
Room 25 at the Russell Hotel Source: SBS
The reason the room is popular, Japanese tourist Miyuki Kitayama told SBS, is because it featured in the Japanese anime series 'Free! Eternal Summer'. 

"They use this hotel in the animation and actually it's [the] same as this hotel," Ms Kitiyama said.

Producers of the hugely popular show came to Australia in 2014 and used the hotel as the backdrop for a major episode, the main character's first trip overseas.

He stayed in room 25.

The show inspired Miyuki to visit Australia who said she even knows people who had flown to the country for just one day for the opportunity to stay in the room.

"Some people trip to here, straight after the broadcast."
'Free! Eternal Summer' is a hugely popular anime series in Japan.
'Free! Eternal Summer' is a hugely popular anime series in Japan. The episode based in Australia has drawn many fans to room 25 at the Russell Hotel, Sydney. Source: SBS
Charmion Lunsden said she did not expect that the series would propel such an interest in the hotel.

"The amount of people that want to come and stay and see the hotel, we have Japanese tourists also just walking off the street to take photos of reception."

Ms Kitayama was not able to stay in room 25 this time, but staff allowed her a sneak peak of the room once it was vacated.

"For now, I can come in the room and take photos of this room," Ms Kitayama said. 

"Actually, I am really happy today."
The Russell Hotel, Sydney: Part of the set for 'Free! Eternal Summer' episode in Australia.
The Russell Hotel, Sydney: Part of the set for 'Free! Eternal Summer' episode in Australia. Source: SBS



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By Julia Calixto


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