Byron Bay, AustraliaWategos
Raes on Wategos
Whitewashed beach house
Wategos Byron Bay, Australia
Renovated
2017
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe LocalOutside the door
The house
RaesWhitewashed beach house
The hotel operates like an intimate coastal villa, where morning surfers and long lunches share open-air verandahs over the bay.
“The beachfront hotel’s white-washed façade is tucked into lush manicured grounds, housing two penthouses, five suites and two lap pools.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Curved whitewashed arches and clam-shell sconces open toward the rolling waves below.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and The 50 Discovery.
With its seven supersized rooms, smooth curves, grand columns, acres of chunky marble, and spa… it could be mistaken for an opulent Italian palazzo.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Wategos Beach sits right out front, and the coastal track winds uphill through tropical bush toward Cape Byron Lighthouse.
1 of 6
The rooms
Suites open through timber shutters onto ocean-facing balconies, with chunky marble bathrooms and handwoven rattan inside.
The pools
Bring a swimsuit.
A freeform pool sits within tropical gardens, and a 16-metre heated lap pool stretches beneath palms.
The spa
Stone-walled treatment rooms deliver RATIONALE multivitamin infusions, and guests can warm up in a eucalyptus wood infrared sauna.
At the table
The Dining Room overlooks Wategos Beach with Mediterranean-inspired dishes, and the outdoor Cellar Bar pours cocktails under striped awnings.
How it began
The building began as an eccentric 1960s cantina, hosting Liberace at the piano long before opening as a hotel in 1994.
Byron Bay
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The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.