We became work besties back in 2021, when we first worked together. Our time together at that business was short — just four months — but it was more than enough time to spark a friendship that stuck. Fast forward a few years and in 2024 the stars aligned: we landed another chance to work side by side… and the work besties were reunited. As much as working with a best friend is a serious life hack, it's a priority for us both to make sure we're carving out intentional bestie time, outside of office hours.
It's a tale as old as time, but life truly does get in the way of balancing this. That's what sparked our experiment: would a staycation give us the extra layer of quality time we'd been missing?
We checked into Sydney's Hotel Woolstore 1888 to put it to the test. Here's what we discovered.
1. A New Setting Carved Out New Space
Hotel Woolstore isn't just any boutique hotel. Housed in a restored 1888 heritage woolstore, it's a space with history woven into every beam and brick. When the manager, Cam, gave us a tour — pointing out how the original timber had been repurposed into furnishings, and how the atrium still carries its century-old bones — we felt like more than just guests. We were sharing a piece of Sydney's past, together.
Our High Country Suite became our little world: spacious, airy, with a private sun-drenched balcony that felt like it was waiting just for us. Being somewhere that wasn't our homes and wasn't the office gave us new ground to stand on as friends. Conversations flowed beyond "what went down at work this week" into bigger, funnier, more personal tangents (enter chat about Robert Irwin's Dancing With The Stars debut).
2. Small Decisions = Core Memories
Friday night we stayed in. We washed our hair, slipped into the fluffy hotel robes, did face masks, and curled up in bed with a rom-com on the sizely smart TV. The simplest decisions — ones that didn't involve any real planning or reservations — became moments of quality time we're already looking back fondly on.
3. Stress-Free = Energy for Each Other
Staycations strip out the usual stress. No traffic to battle, no parking dramas (shoutout to Hotel Woolstore 1888 for validating ours all weekend), no rushing to make a booking at a restaurant across town.
4. The Bubble Effect Is Real
By Sunday morning, the "bubble" had fully set in. Breakfast (this time chilli eggs, 10/10) was slow and easy. Checkout was seamless. And we found ourselves genuinely debating another night - because stepping back into real life after these rare moments of quality time together felt almost criminal.
5. It Proves Friendship Thrives on Intention
Our weekend at Hotel Woolstore didn't "fix" our friendship — it elevated it. It reminded us that even when a friendship is thriving, it deserves dedicated time, new settings, and shared experiences. A staycation isn't about reinventing the wheel; it's about creating intentional space for the people who matter most.
The Verdict
So, are staycations the secret to reconnecting with your busy bestie? Absolutely. They strip away the noise, turn small choices into lasting memories, and give you a fresh backdrop to deepen what's already strong.
If your calls keep dropping, your work days are too long for dedicated friendship time, or you just want to celebrate the friendship you already love - lock in a weekend. Find a boutique, heritage spot like Hotel Woolstore 1888. Let everything else fade for a while.