Paradise found at beachfront idyll Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach
Once upon a time, Halcyon House was an unassuming motel in a quiet town. But after a massive renovation and relaunch, it became coveted a luxury beachside inn.
Blame it on the highway. It might be one of the busiest thoroughfares in Australia, linking freight and folk from Sydney to Brisbane, but after countless drives along the Pacific Motorway we had, until now, somehow managed to miss one of its most spectacular stretches.
The Tweed Coast sits at the top of NSW. Bookended by Byron Bay to the south and the Gold Coast to the north, it’s long been dwarfed by its louder, bawdier neighbours, a situation that looked set to change in late 2019 when Tourism Australia named stunning Cabarita, in the heart of this laidback region, the nation’s best beach. National lockdowns soon after preserved the peace of this white sandy stretch of Australia, with its azure sea. But judging by the number of contented guests lazing at one of the area’s most coveted properties in early spring, word has spread.
Once upon a time, Halcyon House was an unassuming motel in a quiet town. But after a massive renovation and relaunch in 2015, it became a luxury beachside inn at an increasingly coveted location.
A mix between a guest house and a beach club, its 22 rooms are eclectically and lavishly furnished with antiques and fabric-upholstered walls. All face seaward, with a courtyard or balcony, and are choc-full of thoughtful touches: a complimentary stocked mini bar, hummus and olives in the fridge, plenty of snacks, and umbrellas, robes and slippers in the generous cupboards.
There’s a smallish swimming pool, although its size doesn’t deter the many guests who prop themselves on the navy and white striped sun lounges soon after the included (delicious) breakfast. They keep the friendly and professional staff busy all day ferrying cocktails from the adjoining bar.
Behind the bar a thick stretch of pandanus trees separates the property from the sea. Most rooms have views, but even from the ground floor, where the outlook, still serene, is a mix of greenery and patches of water, you can hear the ocean. There’s an expansive spa on site with a steam room open to all guests, and plenty of bikes and surfboards available for exploring the area.
To the backdrop of the hotel’s carefully curated music list, it can be easy to lose a good part of the day lazing on site. Just don’t miss the backyard. Cabarita beach is deep and pristine, and part of a long stretch of enticing sand. As most of the grand homes that face it are obscured from the shore by bushland, walking here can induce a wonderful sense of isolation.
So the toughest decision of your stay may be which direction to take. To the right, a 15-minute walk through small patches of coastal rainforest leads you to the top of Norries Head, its 270-degree views perfect for whale and dolphin watching. Turn left from the hotel at the beach and head towards Casuarina, where a sheltered path on the return journey takes you past a bewildering array of stunning properties. Some are holiday homes but increasingly, say locals, they are becoming permanent residences. Given the location, that’s not really a surprise.
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Halcyon House Cabarita, NSW
Perfect for: A luxury weekend or an upmarket beach holiday.
Must do: Fifteen minutes inland, via quiet back roads that skirt gentle stretches of the Tweed River, Husk Distillers has become one of the area’s most popular destinations. On 60ha in picturesque North Tumbulgum past contented cows lie sugarcane fields from which the distillery makes its cultivated rum. Regular tours blend information with imbibing, so you can learn about the process of making the distillery’s famed Ink Gin as you sip and walk. Late afternoon cocktails on the lawns overlooking the farm are a good way to end another beautiful day.
Dining: The acclaimed restaurant Paper Daisy is the focal point of Halcyon House. With strategically placed tables inside and out, comfortable couches in the middle and a cosy fire inside, it’s a space for all seasons. With access to outsiders limited during the day, guests largely have the place to themselves as they breakfast on buckwheat pancakes with passionfruit, lemon myrtle and whipped ricotta. At night, the changing dinner menu of chef Jason Barrett features local produce and countless native touches, from the salt bush atop crumbed shiitake mushrooms with cashew cream to a surprisingly meaty coal-roasted red cabbage wedge with beetroot, Davidson’s plum and lentils.
Getting there: Cabarita is on the NSW Tweed Coast, a 20-minute drive south of Gold Coast airport, or 35 minutes north of Byron Bay.
Bottom line: Rates from $1090 per night include breakfast, mini bar, pre-dinner aperitifs and a four-course dinner.