This was published 17 years ago
Above the masses
Paul Kalina luxuriates at a Byron Bay boutique retreat.
The Summerhouse, Byron Bay
The basics
The word guesthouse usually suggests rambling Tudor-style manors filled with creaky floorboards and dusty antiques.
It's probably for this reason that the word does not appear in blurbs for this sleek, modern villa, which would not be out of place on the pages of a glossy interiors magazine.
It's unashamedly pitched at luxury-seeking yuppies and is at the opposite end of Byron Bay's burgeoning backpacker and ageing hippy market but with a price tag to match.
Within minutes of arriving, the conspicuous consumer with an unerring eye for detail had mentally made an inventory: toiletries from Husk, bedroom cushions from Vixen, stylish Dedon outdoor furniture.
A stay here is a chance to indulge in things you probably can't afford - and indulge you can.
A boutique guesthouse with four guestrooms - each with en suite and secluded balcony - and a self-contained apartment, The Summerhouse is an architect-designed, Spanish-style villa and is as spectacular and luxurious as it is welcoming and hospitable.
Location
The Summerhouse is on a ridge that offers sweeping views of Brunswick Heads to the north and Broken Head to the south. Ahead is Byron - the strobe of the lighthouse fills the room at night if you don't draw the shades - and lush, green paddocks (drought, what drought?) filled with dairy cattle. It's just off Coopers Shoot Road (which leads into some of the most beautiful parts of the famous Byron hinterland) and several minutes' drive from Byron's shops, restaurants and beaches. The road to the pretty town of Bangalow sits just beneath the house. It's a surprisingly busy road, the roar of trucks occasionally piercing the calm and solitude.
The rooms
Life at The Summerhouse evolves around the capacious living room, outdoor deck and pool. Should your definition of outdoor activity involve books and dozing in the sun (there's a good supply of coffee-table books and glossy food and style magazines), the biggest decision you will need to make is which of the many lounges to colonise as the sun moves its way from one end of the pool to the other. The pool is saltwater and protrudes straight over the steep hill.
Breakfast is served by the pool and there is a professional-grade communal kitchen where guests are free to cook their own meals and make use of the espresso machine.
The guestrooms are off a corridor that starts at the kitchen. The bedrooms are simple yet luxurious. Ours had a low, king-size bed with quality linens and plenty of cushions, a large television, CD and DVD players, table, chairs and ample cupboards. All rooms have air-conditioning and fans.
The bathroom
Glass tiles separate the bathroom, although there's a retractable shutter should modesty require.
Our bathroom had a toilet, basin and open shower that is well enough designed that the bathroom isn't a flood zone after showering. Some rooms have spas.
The crowd
Toddlers and young children are not encouraged, mainly because of the pool and garden. Breakfast is served at separate tables, so forced mingling with guests isn't an issue.
Although Byron Bay is filled with restaurants, chances are you will be disinclined to leave The Summerhouse and will opt to whip up something in the kitchen. It's roomy enough that fights shouldn't break out if all the guests have the same idea at the some moment. We saw one other couple during our stay. Judging from the guest-book, it attracts a mix of Australian and overseas travellers.
Breakfast
Breakfast was included in our tariff. A generous affair of fresh fruit, cereals, muesli and yoghurt, followed by eggs cooked any way with a selection of extras (bacon, tomato, avocado, feta, toast).
Prices
The luxury room is $270 a night in low season, $480 in peak. Superior and premium rooms are slightly more. Specials are sometimes offered on wotif.com. thesummerhouse.com.au. Email: stay@thesummerhouse.com.au; phone, (02) 6685 3090.
The verdict
A luxurious, boutique retreat pitched at couples happy to pay for comfort, style and indulgence in a setting that's hard to beat.
All Short Breaks and City Breaks are conducted anonymously and paid for.
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