Want to leave the world behind and just relax and unwind? Brett Willoughby, one of our fabulous hotel experts, did just that on a trip to The Byron at Byron Resort and Spa.
Situated on 45 acres of natural rainforest, and only a two minute drive to the holiday meccah that is Byron Bay, The Byron at Byron offers a great excuse for an unforgettable weekend away.
We know we are in for a perfect weekend from the moment we walk into the impressive open-plan foyer for check-in. The staff at the Byron at Byron are AMAZING! Anticipating every need, always smiling, and willing to ensure that every aspect of our stay is perfect – it’s clear to us the passionate team love where they work, and who can blame them!
Home for the weekend
Located along boardwalks that subtly snake their way through the lush rainforest, it is a sub-tropical adventure finding your room while the sound of birds and cicadas fill the air. The suites provide a feeling of isolation and privacy, and are impeccably clean.
While some people judge a room on the size of the LCD TV, the contents of the mini-bar or the number of TV channels available, I am straight to the bathroom to scope out the porcelain and WHAT A TUB!! There is no better feeling that battling your way through Brisbane traffic to arrive at your destination and soak away your stress in a bath like this.
| Hot tip: Grab some Bath Salts from the Lobby Shop on your way through to your room to really enhance your soaking experience. |
Good morning sunshine
After an awesome night’s sleep in our pillow top king bed, we are very much on struggle street as we attempt to wake up at 5am (4am QLD time) to go and see the sun come up… yes, we have all seen this in our backyards before (not that impressive) but when you are visiting the most eastern point of the Australian mainland, it’s well worth the early rise.
Watching the sky light up with a brilliant red as the sun creeps out of the ocean is definitely a Kodak moment you don’t want to miss!
| Hot tip: Make sure you wear sensible shoes as the walk to and from the lighthouse will help you tick morning cardio off the checklist. |
Yoga? Yes please
Still in an active mood, morning yoga calls our names. It’s the first foray into yoga for both my partner and I… but we LOVE it. I fall over twice while he is doing a ‘downward dog’, and we ‘half-moon’ our way through some ‘warrior II’ and ‘cow’ poses and at the end of the hour and a half session, we are exhausted! The Byron at Byron offers complimentary yoga each morning for in-house guests and for those that have not done it before, I can tell you first hand that it’s not as easy at it looks. For those Yoga regulars… you have my full respect!
Next stop – Breakfast This is my chance to escape the normal pre-work rush and not have to scoff down Just Right or Vegemite toast while rushing out the door. Following our early morning adventures, the full buffet breakfast is honestly one of the most generous servings I have ever seen! I was even fortunate enough to experience a brief celeb encounter over the fresh fruit and cereals… It wasn’t Elevator Love and there were no Battle Scars, but I Like it like that!
| Hot tip: When you are ready to burn off those breakfast carbs, see the guys at reception and book a game of tennis or stroll along the boardwalks through the rainforest to Tallow Beach at the rear of the resort. The locals use this amazing section of coastline to escape the tourists on the main beach. |
Pampering pick-me-up Now you can’t go to a Resort and Spa without booking a treatment at the spa. We book in for an hour long couples massage but by this point of our stay, I am sooo relaxed that I fall asleep 15 minutes into the treatment… so much for a romantic experience! Despite catching some zzz’s, I wake up feeling like I’m floating on a cloud and can quite confidently say that this was the best massage of my life so far.
Poolside dining
After hours of lounging by the heated pool with a pina colada… and a Midori splice… and a mojito… and several Corona’s, we come to the realisation that it’s 6:30pm, and we haven’t even been into Byron Bay! This is when the decision is made to just stay in the resort and dine poolside. All I can say is the food and service are attentive, professional and second to none. Self-confessed seafood lovers, the share plate catches our attention and our appetites immediately – and boy does it deliver!
Next up is dessert. Despite being full, we give into temptation and order the Bangalow Buttermilk Ice Cream, and we’re so glad we did. It is good enough to bring any frozen treat fanatic to their knees.
Following dinner and dessert, our day of pampering and relaxation comes to a peaceful end. We retire back to our suite for the evening and start winding things up for an early check-out the following morning.
The verdict
The Byron at Byron Resort and Spa has certainly set and maintained a benchmark for resort accommodation in Australia. Focussed more on romance and relaxation, I would recommend this resort without hesitation to couples looking for a cheeky getaway. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of life itself, book in now while the sun is still shining and treat yourself to some R&R!