This former ’70s motel has become a beacon of luxury in Byron Bay

The hotel

The Bower Byron Bay

Check-in

Not unlike the flux of defecting A-listers and preternaturally beautiful folk who’ve sent Byron’s average attractiveness levels into the stratosphere, The Bower Byron Bay continues to hold its own among the town’s newest crop of glamorous coastal stays. She’s had a fair whack of work over the decades. The former 1970s motel was first reimagined as a luxury hotel in 2017 – the original designer and co-owner, Taliah Lowry, laced Byron’s beachy essence with a touch of New York grit, inspired by the US city’s industrial-cool Bowery neighbourhood. A recent two-year upgrade has once again restored its sheen and grown its footprint, with new additions including a guest lounge, hotel bar, swish new reception space, an onsite spa treatment centre and four beautiful new suites.

The look

The Bower’s old-school roadside motel past is easy to spot, thanks to a concrete carpark that dissects the property, but creative firms Studio Plenty and Tanev Muir have added plenty of tropical greenery and flair to the mix. No two accommodations are the same, though they do share a penchant for organic textiles and tones, modern art, dark woods and custom furnishings by Byron artist Alexis Williams. The revamp has also seen all rooms upgraded with king beds, and a beautiful new lounge and bar area that’s currently reserved as a function space.

The one-bed Bower Barn and five-bedroom Bower Cottage at the back of the property are among the most striking and sought-after stays – think charming white weatherboard exteriors, picket gates, pitched ceilings, rustic wooden beams, and luxe touches like a glass-roofed bath (for bathing under the stars) and a private cedar mineral spa. Outside, a striking solar-panel-powered circular heated magnesium pool, hugged by palms and day beds with privacy curtains, is the pièce de résistance.

The room

We’re staying in one of two newly launched Bower Studios. The sultry combination of a giant four-poster bed, distressed mirrors, and sheer black curtains framing a freestanding stone bath feels both luxurious and, erm, 50 Shades? The cabin’s entrance is steps from the car spot, tucked behind a whitewashed wall for extra privacy; inside, a soaring pitched roof and spectrums of charcoal tap into that smouldering New York warehouse vibe. There’s a kitchenette, Nespresso machine, mini-bar stocked with snacks and local favourites, complimentary bath salts and decadent Hunter Amenities. It takes a second to master where to find the various light switches; tech is generally great, with fast Wi-Fi and a smart TV with casting capability. The beautiful rough-hewn wooden side tables and handmade ceramic lamps look neat, but don’t leave much room for a phone or book. The open-plan en-suite is all sorts of ravishing, between the egg-shaped bath overlooking a glass-walled garden and floating vanity.

Food + drink

There’s no onsite restaurant, though the spiffy pool area is serviced by a licensed pool bar offering a basic menu of Curatif canned cocktails, drinks and bar snacks – and you can BYO food from local eateries or pre-order a hamper (if you’re after something freshly shaken, you’ll have to venture into town). Next door, The General Store cafe mixes heritage appeal with a sun-kissed aesthetic, and the coffee and brunch dishes don’t miss (the smoked bacon is a revelation).

Out + about

It’s a 15-minute walk to town and 20 minutes to the beaches. Happily, the buzzy Jonson Lane area is only a block away and boasts some of the town’s best restaurants – tuck into aperitivo and chilli-laced tubes of mezze maniche pasta with pork sausage at Pixie Italian, or soak up the punchy Asian flavours and deep list of lo-fi drops at Bar Heather.

You can’t swing a yoga mat without hitting a day spa in these parts, but the Bower’s petite new guest-only spa is well worth securing a booking for, offering treatments with luxe Mukti Organics products; the 90-minute facial has me floating back to my room.

The verdict

The pool, the bath ... file it all under “ridiculously good-looking” and chalk it down to the Byron effect. A worthy base from which to hit the town’s boutiques, beaches, and bars, The Bower’s latest refresh cements it as one of the better luxury options in town.

Essentials

From $320 a night; $620 for a Bower Studio. No wheelchair access rooms. 28 Bangalow Rd, Byron Bay. Phone: (02) 6680 9577. See thebowerbyronbay.com.au

Our rating out of five

★★★★

Highlight

Complimentary Lekker bikes, yoga mats, hairstyling tools and beach umbrellas are a welcome bonus.

Lowlight

Fair warning, the toilet and shower aren’t exactly sealed off from the room (think a cubicle-style half-wall that lets in light – but leaves little to the imagination).

The writer stayed as a guest of The Bower Byron Bay.

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