The Sunseeker, Byron Bay review: beachy motel nails the retro vibe
Hidden behind the magnificent beaches of Byron Bay, everything about this surfside-motel resort is a dash of 1990s fun and nostalgia.
AAs a vocational necessity, I’ve seen plenty of hotel rooms. No matter if it’s business, leisure, or that blurry in-between that marketing people love to call “bleisure”, there’s always an elevation of anticipation as you push open the door to reveal temporary lodgings.
I enjoy this moment so much that I’ve developed a ritual for savouring it. Step one is to permit first impressions to wash over me, without making direct eye contact so as not to ruin the slow reveal. Because initial imprints count for a lot, but not all, I systematically go through each room, starting with the bathroom, to carefully unwrap the details of the styling, amenities and nickable toiletries (you’re allowed to take them, but it’s fun to pretend you’re not).
I perform this ritual as I check into The Sunseeker, a refitted, ’80s-era Byron Bay motel that opened in January 2021. The upfront wash here unveils an ultra-cool, laidback resort styled with of-the-moment, sun-hazed vibes. It references decades past, while being firmly present in this one. It’s palm-fringed and sleek but, unlike many Byron venues, genuinely unpretentious.
Currently, and to good end, coastal Australia is jammed with hip surfside motels that have had their ’70s and ’80s roots re-potted with contemporary updates. They’re a cool and sustainable way to reuse dated buildings and provide popular, usually mid-priced accommodation. But they don’t always live up to the gloss of their Instagram images. My ritual at some of these places has returned deflating results, as I prod Kmart cushions and snort at plastic-wrapped soaps.
This does not happen at The Sunseeker. Everything in the double-storey, 12-room, nine-bungalow resort motel is deeply considered and crafted to near-precision. Local design studio Muse Muse has created the sun-loving brand and extended this through artworks that jazz up the walls and merchandise that cheerily encourages guests to “holiday often” (thanks, I intend to). As a design dweeb, I nerd-out to heavy wooden doors and cabinetry, run an appreciative hand along the mustard-coloured, corduroy-upholstered couch, upturn mugs to discover their maker, and am yet to stop thinking about the only toilet brush that has ever made sense to me (both aesthetically and practically). My husband spends longer than would be considered normal admiring the artistry of the wall render that sympathetically conceals the heavy ’80s brickwork.
When I tell owner Jess Frid this, she’s delighted. The bricks were the subject of much deliberation during the remodelling of The Sunseeker. Their merits were debated until a couple of weeks before opening, when the decision to render won the show of hands. It was the right one. As were most other design elements here, from the tiki-inspired pool bar and the crazy paving at the reception entrance to the front desk the pair found at a garage sale the day they bought the hotel.
Moving here from Melbourne seven years ago, Jess and her husband Dave didn’t expressly set out to run and own a motel. With backgrounds in marketing and property, respectively, the pair were on the hunt for a creative project they could share. They heard about the ailing property and dived in.
A talented team of locals was assembled, including the architect and builder, Balanced Earth, creative consultant Tory Bauer, and styling support from influencer and local publican Julia Ashwood (The Eltham Hotel).
“We had a great team. It was the most joyous project I’ve ever worked on,” says Jess Frid. “We were doing this during Covid and were all just grateful to be working at all.” Knowing they were creating something that would bring joy to pandemic-weary visitors once life returned to a semblance of normality added a happy momentum.
Indeed, The Sunseeker feels like a weight off. It’s fun and inherently nostalgic despite its obvious cool-kid edge. Its whiff of ’80s resort hasn’t been scrubbed away, but celebrated. The curly, kidney-shape pool is fringed by grown-in palms and there’s a barely perceptible The Goonies vibe that is endearing. The self-contained bungalows are impeccably designed with fun breakfast windows and barbecues that bring a village atmosphere.
And while The Sunseeker isn’t kid-friendly in the usual sense, it is “kid-welcoming”, with a rustic fort, in-ground trampoline and bikes for circuiting the motel. Coming soon is an equally swoon-worthy, self-contained three-bedroom residence that will suit longer forays into relaxation.
Ritual completed and sun-sought, I flop on the couch and stare at the (very nice) fan. Because, after all, that is what a resort room is designed for.
The Sunseeker, Byron Bay
Perfect for: Anyone looking for a relaxed Byron Bay escape that eschews the typical wall-to-wall linen and white-washed boho vibe.
Must do: Lounge by the pool, or by the fireplace in the library, or by the pool bar.
Dining: There’s no in-house food available, but Byron’s Jonson Lane is a 10-minute walk, where you’ll find Pixie Food & Wine, Light Years and Bar Heather.
Getting there: The Sunseeker os at 100 Bangalow Road, Byron Bay’ Byron Bay is a 30-minute drive from Ballina Byron Gateway Airport.
Bottom line: Rates start from $270.