What to expect at Sea Sea Hotel in NSW’s mid-north coast
There’s been a lot of excitement about this uber-cool property launched in a sleepy NSW surf spot. Does it live up to hype?
Upon opening last November, two years after it was announced, designer George Gorrow’s boutique hotel and “surf club” Sea Sea Hotel was booked to 100 per cent capacity, such was the anticipation. The hype continued, with staff only coming up for air in February, which is when I check in and feel an immense sense of arrival.
Location
30-34 Pacific Street, Crescent Head, NSW
Formerly Wombat Beach Resort in Crescent Head, the revitalised Sea Sea is a 10-minute walk from “Creso’s” famous right-hander point break. It’s a five-hour drive north of Sydney and just a touch longer from Brisbane, with Port Macquarie the closest airport. When Maria River Road is tarred, a project slated to start mid-year, the drive time to Port Macquarie Airport will be about 30 minutes.
First impressions
In a town best known for its sand-hugging campground, Sea Sea is redefining the scene with a design-centric “clubhouse” for locals and visitors drawn to Crescent’s salty, laidback vibes. Assistant manager Eka welcomes me into Sea Sea’s souvenir shop, which doubles as reception, where a rack of gleaming hand-shaped surfboards, available for hire, stands alongside an iconic photograph called Huamana and Shark (Greg Nagel, Tahiti, 2010). Past guests of The Slow, a Bali hotel co-owned by Gorrow and his wife, Cisco Tschurtschenthaler, will recognise it instantly.
Celebrating 70s surf culture in both look and mindset, the adjoining restaurant and bar beckons, with comfy chaise-longue seating, fireplace and a vintage arcade machine tucked into the corner of a gallery, pulled from Gorrow’s personal collection. Below a mirror ball, turntables and a wall of records invite listening sessions. Another co-owner walks past me with bare feet.
Design
Multi-layered design thinking and a roll call of creative collaborators are just two of the reasons the budget ran over in the creation of Sea Sea. Was it worth it? Oh yes. The existing brick bones were kept intact, with raked ceilings and skylights remaining as highlights of each room. Some villas and the old kidney-shaped pool were sacrificed to make way for a large heated magnesium pool, crowned by an outdoor fireplace and day beds.
A warm 70s vibe has been baked in through the use of internal timber panelling, framed art by late renowned surf photographer Peter Crawford, and custom-designed furniture built in Java. Lashings of plants and textured light fittings add to the mood, underpinned by a playlist designed by Gorrow’s music mates at Reverberation Radio.
Indeed, everything from the shampoo to wine and merchandise has been conjured from Gorrow’s artistic network. In the rooms, polygonal sconces by sculptor Aleph Geddis glow red so as to not disrupt circadian rhythms. At the bar, P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants co-founder Mike Bennie has developed a hotel-specific natural wine brand, while Sea Sea lager is brewed by Bucket in Kempsey. Daniel Medcalf (No. 35 Kitchen & Bar, Cabarita Beach) is behind the menu, while the hotel’s toiletries are formulated in Bali by Fields of Yarrow. I can still smell the frangipanis.
Accommodation
The 25 guestrooms are clustered in pairs, including a two-bedroom suite and private 88sq m villa with its own plunge pool and outdoor tub.
Laidback beats draw me into my suite, broadcast in sync with the clubhouse via a speaker-cum-sidetable and switched on or off with the touch of a dial. Handcrafted timber detailing is found in the rugged headboard and tree trunk-like foot of the bed. On the floor, an oversized cushion couch faces the Samsung Frame TV. I push back the stacking glass doors, hang my wet swimmers on handy hooks, and let the linen curtains dance in the breeze.
Minibars designed by ex-Icebergs mixologist Antonello Arzedi feature the likes of superfood-infused Loco Love chocolates, Sea Sea negroni pre-mixes, Standard Procedure SPF, and even a libido-spiking serum from Byron Bay’s Imbibe. Embroidered Sea Sea Surf Club linen robes hang in the green-tiled bathroom, while the block-print bedspread by Korean-born artist Romon Yang, aka Rostarr, is another item to covet and, yes, both are available to purchase. “My friend asked me to put one aside so she doesn’t miss out,” says Eka.
Dining
When the local Chinese restaurant has been the culinary headliner for decades, the food at Sea Sea is worth shouting about. No wonder diners are still showing up for a table at 8.45pm on a Tuesday. Drawing on the food bowl of the Macleay Valley, Medcalf and his team are spoilt for produce. Snacks such as yellowfin tuna tostadas and Korean-fried broccoli are ideal for sharing, while the Belmore River sirloin with green peppercorns is a highlight, especially teamed with a jalapeno-spiked scorched broccoli salad. All seafood comes from within a 30km radius. A kitchen takeover by Icebergs opened the restaurant with a bang, and upcoming collaborations with Arlo Communal (New York) and Mason (Bali), plus the arrival of Northern Rivers hospitality star Tristan Grier (Harvest Newrybar), promise to make this a magnet for foodies.
Wellness
I organise a surf lesson and manage to land myself at Kempsey’s Emergency Room (nothing broken but my ego, thankfully), so my plan to test the hotel’s sauna and ice bath is thwarted. For those less clumsy, a rotation through the pool, sauna and plunge is said to work wellness wonders. In-room massages can also be arranged, while poolside yoga and beach horse rides are in the pipeline.
Likes
From arrival to departure, Sea Sea feels like family, and the hands-on care is not just because I’m a solo traveller on crutches after my surfing accident. I see it in every interaction, from the banter over the bar to the way everyone joins in to sing Happy Birthday one evening. It adds a very human layer on top of its cool design. And with fat-wheeled e-bikes for hire, including one with a wooden buggy for grommets, there’s also little need to drive during a stay here.
Dislikes
Some guestrooms feel a little exposed but smart native garden design is growing up to create privacy.
Tariff
Studios from $460 a night, including breakfast.
Celeste Mitchell was a guest of Sea Sea.
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