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Byron Bay is forever evolving. Once a sleepy beach town known only to surfers, for the past decade the seaside location has been one of Australia’s hottest holiday destinations for locals and tourists. Whether you’re chasing waves, wanting to dine at some of the trendiest restaurants in the state or simply soak in the abundance of sunshine, Byron is for you. And it’s about to get even more enticing, with one of its most anticipated new hotels now open.
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The Bonobo by Raes has opened on the beach town’s main drag, Jonson Street. The luxury hotel-apartment concept is the first of its kind in Byron, brought to you by one of the most synonymous Byron brands, Raes. Guests can relish in the privacy of a luxurious apartment space, with the convenience, service and atmosphere of a 5-star hotel.
Jason Saxby, executive chef of acclaimed Byron destination restaurant Raes Dining Room and The Bonobo head chef Callum Gray have shaped the menu at The Lobby Bar, channelling the great hotel bars around the world with a Byron accent. Highlights include the Bonobo Club Sanga, with fried chicken presse, and snacks off the hibachi grill, chased by the in-house The Bonobo Lager or cocktails featuring endemic Byron Bay native flavours by local distiller Brookies. Guests and locals can array themselves across the lobby, terrace and bar, from 7am through to late.
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The Bonobo will also shortly reveal its in-house wellness centre, a collaboration with luxury holistic Sydney spa Reset. At Reset at The Bonobo, bathers can circle between traditional cedar saunas, ice baths, a eucalyptus steam room, a magnesium bath and vitamin C-infused showers, as well as book into a private treatment room offering LED light therapy, facials and body treatments.
The ground floor will be home to the restaurants, bars, wellness centre and fashion stores, while the upper two floors are where 41 two-, three- and four-bedroom hotel-apartments sit. The lobby bar and rooftop pool are the icing on top for guests wanting to live a full hotel experience with the advantage of having a spacious, fully-equipped apartment to return to post swim.
The new interiors were designed by Studio Manifold in collaboration with Birdy Catalano, and the mix of brutalist/coastal design is the brainchild of Richards & Spence, who are renowned for their work on The Calile Hotel in Brisbane. Similarly to how The Calile redefined James Street, it’s anticipated that The Bonobo by Raes will do the same for Jonson Street, bringing a new sculptural landmark to the town.
For more information, visit thebonobo.com.au
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