Hotel review: Byng Street Boutique in Orange
A new breed of boutique digs is emerging in rural Australia, and here’s a prime example.
There was a time when pubs and motels were the standard accommodation choices in rural Australia, perhaps with a farm-stay in the mix or the occasional homestead-turned-guesthouse.
But I give you strong evidence, herewith, of a new breed of boutique digs with architectural flair and design smarts to match the best big city offerings. The straightforward name of The Byng Street Boutique Hotel clearly announces its address and proportions. And that’s Byng Street in the NSW central western town of Orange, where this unique property of 22 guestrooms and an array of facilities has earned a 4.5-star standard.
Three high-ceilinged chambers are in the main two-storey heritage former residence, and the balance, including suites, occupies a long, lean contemporary “modern wing” annex at the rear of the deep block.
It’s an inspired, cohesive concept of then and now. The original Yallungah residence, circa 1896, commands street presence with its warm brickwork, slate roof, timber joinery and leadlight windows. The additions crouch behind, barely visible from the street but awash with space and light.
Owner-operators Kristen and Thomas Nock are present and correct in the true hotelier sense. They’re hands-on at the reception desk or overseeing breakfast in the tall-ceilinged Yallungah Dining Room, where Natalie Miller’s hand-dyed woollen wall-hanging adds buoyant colour. Then they’re chatting to guests in the two fire-warmed lounges on the ground floor, abundant light filtered through floor-to-ceiling windows via perforated metal screens.
Typically, it’s a long day for the couple and a busy one as Orange’s strong reputation as a food and wine region has ensured a surge of local travellers in 2020.
The getting-there from Sydney is easy, too, on a drive of less than four hours via Lithgow and Bathurst. And there’s something instantly calming about leaving the Mitchell Highway and motoring down the wide streets of Orange’s heritage precinct, past Victorian villas and Federation beauties, alongside Cook Park with its bandstand and full-skirted cold-climate trees, circling oversized roundabouts, and noting preserved civic architecture bristling with columns and formal statues.
Over two nights at The Byng Street Boutique Hotel, my stay is split between No.15 on the higher floor of the new wing and No.5 in the heritage house. The latter, Beech Suite, appropriately overlooks a fine century-old National Trust-registered “significant tree” specimen, its winter-thin foliage etched against a cool blue sky. Each chamber has a sitting area, best-quality linens, squishy bathrobes and all the well-considered extras such as a big ensuite (including a tub under a skylight in No.15) equipped with Grown Alchemist toiletries, plus a pot with herbal bags ready to brew and a plate of fudge at housekeeping turndown. A small pantry area features tea and coffee amenities, a small fridge with complimentary bottled water and juices, wine list and snack menu of charcuterie plates, dips and toasted sandwiches.
Kristen admits to being a fan of Kit Kemp, co-founder and creative director of Firmdale Hotels, and in the suites there’s a definable homage to this London-based designer in oversized upholstered bedheads, layered mix-and-match patterns across textiles and wallpapers, and a bold use of deep blues, greens and rusty reds. Across the hotel, Louise Spicer from OneFour Interiors has devised a playful palette, showcasing Orange artists and arranging shelves with books, bowls, flowers and figurines to create a residential feel; brightly coloured furniture includes semicircular lounges, deep armchairs and contemporary riffs on Bentwood classics.
It feels like a place to call home, no matter how temporary, and very much in tune with the overall welcoming feel of Orange. I don’t feel even a tiny stab of nostalgia for a motel servery hatch or chenille bedspread.
Susan Kurosawa was a guest of Destination NSW.
CHECKLIST
The Byng Street Boutique Hotel
62 Byng Street, Orange, 2800. Phone (02) 5317 8200; byngstreethotel.com.au
Tariff:Forward bookings are strong through winter; look for two-night specials. Lowest rate from $276 in August.
Getting there: Less than four hours by road from Sydney; QantasLink has launched services from the NSW capital.
Bedtime reading: The Man from Snowy River by Orange-born Banjo Paterson.
Stepping out: Best nearby restaurants include Charred and Mr Lim; stroll around the Orange Regional Museum precinct at the far end of Byng Street and have lunch at the plant-filled Groundstone Cafe. In line with COVID-19 protocols, all meals must be advance booked within set time frames. The hotel website lists recommended parish wineries, gardens and orchards within a short drive. Browse beautiful homewares at The White Place; next Orange Farmers Markets are at the showground on August 8 and September 12.
Brickbats: The in-room and lounge snack menu could be a little more varied; wine only by the bottle, not glass, seems odd.
Bouquets:All rates include breakfast in Yallungah Dining Room; regional produce is featured, and suppliers listed on the menu. The morning meal typically starts with delicious house-made granola, vanilla bean yoghurt and stewed seasonal fruit.
Also try: Midnight Hotel: Autograph Collection, Canberra, ACT; Perry Street Hotel, Mudgee, NSW.