Byron Bay Luxury
Want to feel like a billionaire or a rock star? Byron Bay on the North Coast of NSW offers some of the most glamorous accommodation, fine dining and exclusive experiences of any destination in Australia. Sleep in elegant hotels and beachfront villas, soar above the coastline at sunrise and get away from it all at a wellness retreat.
Luxury hotels
Rae's on Wategos is a boutique beachfront hotel that’s favoured by everyone from the Rolling Stones to Elle Macpherson. The seven suites offer a mix of modern luxury and bohemian grandeur, and you can watch dolphins riding the waves at Wategos Beach from your room. Unwind in the day spa and dine at the excellent Rae's Restaurant.
Treat yourself at the Elements of Byron Resort & Spa. Almost 200 one- and two-bedroom villas sit 22 hectares of absolute beachfront to the north of town, looking back towards Byron and the lighthouse. Book a spa treatment in a room opening onto a rainforest courtyard or escape to the adults’ only pool complete with swim-up bar.
The Byron at Byron, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort is one of NSW’s most famous seaside retreats, set within a tranquil rainforest metres from Tallow Beach. Indulge with spa treatments and daily complimentary yoga classes. The stylish restaurant serves modern Australian with a Vietnamese twist.
Villas of Byron’s five Balinese-style villas are each set within a private oasis with heated pools, spas and outdoor rain showers. A classic 1970s motel has been reborn as The Bower, a chic urban luxe retreat. The Atlantic is a complex of four original Byron Bay cottages turned into stylish accommodation in tropical gardens.
Fine dining
Beach Byron Bay is perched on the dunes overlooking Clarkes Beach and serves up a modern Italian-style menu bursting with fresh seafood. Find an outpost of Sydney favourite Three Blue Ducks at The Farm. In Bangalow, 20min inland, Town Restaurant serves a sophisticated seven-course degustation menu from Thursday to Saturday.
Around 15min north of Byron Bay is Brunswick Heads, home to the two-hatted Fleet restaurant. Chef Josh Lewis and host Astrid McCormack create an ever-changing menu focusing on a few key ingredients, matched with a killer sustainable wine list. It seats just 14 diners at a time, so be sure to make a booking well in advance.
Luxury experiences and spas
Byron Bay sits at the most easterly point of Australia and you can be the first to welcome the sunrise in style. Join Toast the Sun for an exclusive breakfast experience at the Cape Byron Lighthouse. Or see it all from above with a dawn flight over the coast with Byron Bay Ballooning.
Byron Bay’s top luxury resorts all have world-class spas on site. For an indulgent retreat, head into the hinterland to Gaia Retreat and Spa. Packages range from two to seven nights and include gourmet meals, treatments, yoga and activities. Other great day spas in Byron include Comma, Buddha Gardens and The Kiva Spa.