The Sunseeker
The Verdict
If there’s one thing that should be on your travel bucket list this year, it’s gotta be taking the rite-of-passage road trip from Sydney to Byron Bay to stay at The Sunseeker, a brand new 80s-style brick motel mixed with a whole lot of beach flair.
Having just opened in December 2020, this boutique, low-rise motel has a lot of things going for it. The entire building has been consciously constructed, from its 82 solar panels and recycled timbers to its hemp insulation and repurposed slate tiles, which date back 30 years ago. Along with this, the motel sports four sprawling gardening beds, each containing a Subpod so the motel is able to transform its green waste into compost to feed the garden.
The Sunseeker is also a single-use free zone, and pretty much all the products you’ll find here have been sealed with recycled paper, stickers, and use biodegradable compost bags. If all that wasn’t enough, a portion of your stay will actually go towards 1% For The Planet, a collective that aims to fund a number of environmental organisations.
As for where you’ll find The Sunseeker, it sits on Bangalow Road, just a short walk from the beach, Arakwal National Park, and Cape Byron Lighthouse. The motel is made up of 12 traditional-style hotel rooms (all of which boast their own private patio or balcony) and a handful of next level California-inspired bungalows as well. The timber panelling on the bungalows has been sanded by hand and every room will give you your own deck, BBQ, private garden, bathroom with a walk-in shower and recycled Italian terracotta tiles, bamboo bedding, and a dreamy outdoor bath.
You can also amp up your stay with a selection of custom grocery packages prepared by the legends at Bay Grocer. Order the crumpet breakfast, fresh charcuterie board, or an entire dinner banquet, featuring pork sausages, Dutch cream potatoes, and Yalla chocolate mousse.
And while The Sunseeker's prime location means you’ll have a range of beachside adventures at your doorstep, you’d just as easily be able to keep to yourself endlessly amused inside at this little tropical haven. There’s a library filled with over 100 books, a number of retro deckchairs for lounging beside the mineral pool, a constant line of cocktails being churned out at the motel’s resident tiki bar (as well as biodynamic wine, craft beer, and some bar snacks), a bike and board rental and a takeaway coffee cart permanently sitting outside the front of reception to fuel your caffeinated antics.
Image credit: The Sunseeker
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