Hotel review: Amaroo Bangalow

Tucked away in the Byron Bay hinterland, Amaroo Bangalow is a luxury eco retreat where rustic meets refined.

Named after an Indigenous word meaning “beautiful place,” this thoughtfully designed sanctuary offers a tranquil country escape just minutes from the convenience of village life.

The lowdown

Effortless rustic elegance at Amaroo. Picture: Timoty Birch.

Then Brisbane-based builder Mike Tomkins and his wife Cath bought what was an overgrown former dairy farm in 2016 and began slowly regenerating the 86-hectare property with native trees and plants. At the urging of friends the couple decided to build a set of ecotourism cabins during the Covid-19 pandemic. What emerged was a boutique retreat comprising four architecturally designed studios and a central guest pavilion, which acts as a homely yet sleek communal hub with a state-of-the-art kitchen, a slow-combustion fireplace and a 10-seat timber dining table that cries out for a dinner party. The dining room flows out to the deck and pool area at Amaroo, where coloured timber deck chairs and an inviting L-shaped lounge frame a heated, green-tiled plunge pool designed to blend in with the surrounding environment. 

The vibe

Elegant pendant lighting at Amaroo. Picture: Timothy Birch.

Built from natural materials like copper and blackbutt, with polished concrete floors and COLORBOND cladding, the look is both modern and organic. Industrial touches, such as exposed vintage-style lightbulbs hang from a timber beam above the dining table add character, while the eco-conscious infrastructure – including 120 solar panels and rainwater tanks – adds substance. The Tomkins have also partnered with local non-profit Bangalow Koalas to plant gum trees to create a wildlife corridor, as well as rainforest trees. Birdbaths and bee hives also help boost biodiversity. And it’s still a working farm, home to 80 head of Black Angus cattle.

Location

Amaroo is just 20 minutes from Byron Bay.

Amaroo sits just 20 minutes from Byron Bay and breezy five-minute drive from the heritage village of Bangalow, where the main street is lined with boutiques, art galleries and cafes. Follow the signs to  Possum Creek — the locale best known for being home to Paul Hogan’s former mansion — and turn down a country lane before entering a code to open the large electronic gates. Nearby villages like Federal, Newrybar and Eltham make for pleasant day trips, with plenty of opportunity to browse artisan goods or linger over a long lunch.

The room

The bowerbird cabin at Amaroo. Picture: Timothy Birch.

Amaroo has three cabins named after native birds – Kingfisher, Blue Wren and Bowerbird, while the Loft neighbours the pavilion. We stayed in Bowerbird, which as the furthest from the hub is the most private. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the rainforest on one side and countryside on the other, with louvre windows letting in the breeze and birdsong. A slow-combustion fireplace adds a feeling of cosiness, while log bedside tables, pendant lights and tumble stone floors deliver natural textures. A skylight above the bed opens up the starry night sky, while a bold painting of a Nuthatch bird (no, not a Bowerbird) adds a splash of colour above the bed. The bathroom features copper pipes and heated towel, with Mukti Organics products from nearby Mullumbimby, including lemon myrtle hand wash and cucumber and desert lime shampoo. Each studio is equipped with a kettle, toaster, microwave, dishwasher, mini fridge and Nespresso machine. Starlink-powered WiFi – accessible via QR code – kept guests online even when Cyclone Alfred swept through in early 2025.

The extras

Amaroo is the kind of place where you want to slow down and read a book, or sip wine and nibble a cheese platter while soaking in the views. Guests are welcome to join Cath and Mike in collecting fresh eggs from what might be the most scenic chook coop in the country. Wander past manicured hedges and mossy bush rocks to take photos on one of the retreat’s custom swings – perfect for that envy-inducing Insta shot. Inside the pavilion, board games hide under a bench seat, while at night you can toast marshmallows by the Stonehenge-like firepit, ringed by spongy grass that evokes the troll scene in the Disney film Frozen. 

Even the games are stylish at Amaroo.

Food and drink

Whip yourself up a gourmet meal. Picture: Timothy Birch.

The communal kitchen is ideal for self-catering, with an outdoor pizza oven and built-in barbecue offering to the variety. Private chefs or picnic hampers by the creek can also be arranged. You can also head in town to grab a brew at Sparrow Coffee or enjoy brunch in the courtyard at WOODS café, tucked in a former hardware store behind the main street. Enjoy sushi and delicious salads on the deck at Japanese eatery Mangosteen, or take a drive to Frida’s Field at Nashua or The Hut, which is located in a former schoolhouse in Possum Creek, for paddock-to-plate dining. In the evening, book a table at Ciao, Mate! pizzeria or its acclaimed sister restaurant You Beauty, which is helmed by sustainable chef Matt Stone.

What's hot

Every booking at Amaroo gives you exclusive use of the entire retreat – whether it’s just the two of you or a special celebration or family get together for up to eight adults and six children.

What's not

While it feels secluded, traffic noise from a nearby main road can remind you that civilisation isn’t too far away.

The verdict: 8.5/10

Whether you're reconnecting with nature, celebrating something special or just escaping the everyday, this “beautiful place” lives up to its name.

Book here

The writer was a guest of Amaroo Bangalow.

Originally published as Hotel review: Amaroo Bangalow