Bannisters by the Sea, Mollymook, review: Special retreat

Bannister's Lodge, Mollymook. Credit: Tim Mooney

THE LOCATION

The South Coast of NSW is dotted with many a lighthouse but, in terms of quality accommodation beyond the standard motels and bed and breakfasts, Bannisters is near enough a lone beacon of luxury in this shimmery part of the world. Despite its enormous appeal as a scenic playground, especially in summer, the South Coast is bereft of quality places to stay. Thank goodness, then, for this famed establishment located near the beach at Mollymook just a porpoise's spit from Ulladulla, two and a half hours drive from Sydney.

THE SPACE

Bannisters Penthouse bedroom. Credit: Tim Mooney

To its credit, the owners of the 32-room Bannisters, who are building a second, even flashier, property up the road in Mollymook's main shopping street, do fess up on their website about the origins of the building. It's an erstwhile motel – with prices these days not to match – complete with parking right up to the door of the room though, sadly perhaps, no breakfast hatches. The property notably includes the popular Rick Steins at Bannisters restaurant, opposite reception and a short stroll (or, perhaps, stagger) back to your room.

THE ROOM

Our second floor, tastefully-decorated spa retreat room with, as the name suggests, a sizeable spa bath, happily feels more like a hotel room than a motel one. It comes with a small balcony and sublime views of the ocean and Bannisters' attractive swimming pool. There's nothing worse than a difficult to operate TV set and, yes, our room is home to one, which we eventually manage to get working without having to call reception.

Rick Stein's scallops in hazelnut butter.Credit: Tim Mooney

COMFORT FACTOR

The bathroom and sleeping area in our not overly large, sun-filled suite are divided by bi-fold shutters, meaning that you can soak while soaking up the ocean vistas (and even the telly, once you manage to get it working).

FOOD

It wouldn't seem right to stay at Bannisters and not combine your visit with lunch or dinner at Stein's agreeable seafood-dominated restaurant, preferably during daylight hours so you can savour the view as well as the tucker. Don't expect to spot the much-loved eponymous celebrity chef, though, since he's famously conspicuous by his absence. But the good food here on the South Coast doesn't stop at Bannisters. Just up the road are two other Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide-listed restaurants. There's the designer beach-shack-like Tallwood, while at nearby at Milton is St Isidore, with its own sprawling kitchen garden. Back at Bannisters, another, more casual option, is the in-house Pool Bar, which during our Sunday night stay, also doubles as a low-key live-music venue popular with locals.

STEPPING OUT

If you're visiting in the warmer months, the activities in this coveted coastal location are obvious and numerous. Skip unremarkable Ulladulla in favour of the adjoining heritage village of Milton. A well-preserved charmer, it's host to a surprisingly large number of smart, top-notch cafes, including Flour Salt Water, which is really a fine bakery with some good take-out food lines such as sandwiches and salads.

THE VERDICT

It'd be easy to dismiss Bannisters as a glorified motel in a place dominated by them. But you have to salute the owners for having created something special from nothing in a part of the state where few, if any others, have had the wit or imagination to do so. Room rates can be steep during the high season – and so too the prices at the Rick Steins eatery – but a night or two here makes for an enjoyable, appetising and salubrious weekend.

HIGHLIGHT

Spotting a pod of frolicking dolphins from the balcony of our ocean-view "spa retreat" room.

LOWLIGHT

The giddy prices for treatments on the spa menu.

ESSENTIALS

Our spa retreat room last month cost $370 a night but there are a low-season May and June "early birds special" tariffs starting a low of $225 (for May) and $213 (for June) for ocean deluxe rooms. Bannisters, 191 Mitchell Parade, Mollymook, NSW. Phone [phone]. See bannisters.com.au

The writer paid for both his accommodation and restaurant meals.