Atlantic Byron Bay, accommodation review: Weekend away

The Location

No strangers to Byron, most of us, but finding an elegant, adaptable place to stay in the heart of town eludes many. With its white and bright coastal theming - that very Byron blend of louvres, whitewashed boards and ceiling fans - Atlantic lazes just a couple of blocks away from Byron's spectacular Main Beach.

The Place

Atlantic is a set of houses divided into a series of corridor rooms, each full of natural light and a king-size bed with a little verandah. There's an HD TV and DVD player, and nicest of all, a kind of upscale backpacker shared living and indoor-outdoor dining area for self-catering. Each room is assigned a deep pantry basket and fridge space in the large open kitchen, and there are plenty of spots to sit at a communal table or out in the tropical garden. Cooler still, if you are that way inclined, is the on-site Airstream trailer in the garden - a touch of aluminium retro fitted out with a double bed, bathroom, kitchenette and dinette.

The Experience

With Byron town literally on your doorstep, the full set of Byron activities is laid out before you: Main Beach and long walks to Tallow Beach further south, a trip to the lighthouse and around to Wategos. And, of course, some pretty stylish shopping. The best way to take advantage of that communal kitchen space, however, is to head to the fabulous weekly markets (Byron, Mullumbimby and Bangalow - Thursday, Friday and Saturday respectively) and shop for abundant regional produce including bananas, avocados, salad greens, tomatoes and blueberries by the bucketful in season.

Get locally caught seafood from the famous Freckle, a fishmonger at Bay Seafood (corner Fletcher and Lawson Streets). If you're not into DIY, great breakfasts, coffee and juices can be found at Bayleaf Cafe just a few metres away (2 Marvell Street). Also try weekend yum cha at the iconic Orient Express, heading beachwards at 2 Fletcher Street.

Don't Miss

Fun Italian at Cicchetti (cicchetti.com.au) and the wild whisky bar at Roadhouse (byronbaycafebar.com.au). A trip to Bangalow is mandatory for shopping, the farmers' market and fine-dining at Good Food Guide hatted restaurant Town (townbangalow.com.au) with its excellent downstairs cafe, Downtown. Another pilgrimage for the food-fetishists is Fins in Kingscliff, Steven and Morgan Snow's seafood-inspired fine-diner, also awarded one hat in the Guide. Check out Fins' pop-up bar menu, which can be themed anything from Japanese to Portuguese (fins.com.au) - and don't forget its awe-inspiring wine list.