New adults-only Byron stay attracts the beautiful people (and the rest of us)

The hotel

Hide, Byron Bay

Check-in

When I first visited Byron Bay in 1990, the idea of wellness involved cold showers at the caravan park and a diet of mushrooms obtained from fire-twirling hippies who had hitchhiked from nearby Nimbin.

Back then this part of Jonson Street – blocks away from the beach at the entry to the town, where new wellness-themed retreat Hide is located – was free of tourists. Now it’s bordered by a slew of fashionable restaurants and stores that bring a sprinkling of Gold Coast glamour to the area. Arriving at the front desk of Hide is like wandering into someone’s luxury home, with its 12-metre mineral pool, intimate UV sauna and ice bath in the backyard. The super-zen staff (even for Byron Bay) greet us and run through the facilities, pointing out a hot shower in our suite to my relief.

The look

This is an intimate, and adults-only, property that opened in March last year. Architect John Burgess from nearby Bangalow, responsible for the swanky Raes at Wategos Beach, has created a modern compound of twin, two-storey properties nestled side by side and stripped of visual clutter, allowing lush landscaping to shine. It looks like the holiday escape of someone who understands how crypto works. I find myself constantly missing the driveway (there’s scramble parking) and modest signage when returning from my adventures.

The room

There are three first-floor and three ground-floor rooms in each building. We pass on the options of a bathtub or kitchen to catch a breeze on the balcony of the Canopy Suite. All of the rooms share a minimalist aesthetic, with king-sized beds draped in Cultiver linen in earthy tones enlivened with the occasional artwork by local painter Caitlin Reilly. This is stripped-back comfort, with spacious bathrooms focused on functionality rather than glamour.

A desk space and speedy Wi-Fi are handy for last-minute work emails, while the balcony is reserved for reading and checking when it’s safe to secure a lounge by the pool.

Each time I walk into our room I feel like I’m entering a display home or a tasteful winning project from The Block rather than a hotel. Fortunately, it’s a home I would happily move into.

Food + drink

Dining options are limited to poolside snacks, such as fruit plates, popsicles and cheese and crackers, along with cocktails, wine and iced tea. The minibar is packed with locally sourced treats, including Byron Baynanas and Byron Beef Jerky.

Man cannot live on beef jerky alone. Fortunately, there are plenty of options for light dining nearby, including Bar Heather, Pixie Italian and the Asian-fusion dining experience Light Years.

There are coffee machines in the hotel room but a morning pilgrimage to the Blue Arrow coffee cart with its Peruvian beans is a more enticing ritual than the ice baths.

Out + about

There’s no need to exert yourself and walk into central Byron Bay, with nearby Nagnata, Saturdays NYC and Venroy boutiques offering retail therapy. The cinema complex is also a short walk for when you get bored of watching sunsets.

The verdict

A polished health oasis that will convert you to the wellness lifestyle, even if the most exercise you do is raiding the minibar.

Essentials

Suites from $699 a night. Hyde, 17 Ruskin Street, Byron Bay, NSW. See thehidebyronbay.com

Our score out of five

★★★★

Highlight

The mineral pool with lush landscaping is tempting enough to postpone a trip to the beach until late in the afternoon.

Lowlight

The wellness focus of the hotel attracts an intimidatingly beautiful crowd. Just remember it’s what’s on the inside that counts when you walk by the pool.

The writer stayed as a guest of Hide, Byron Bay.