design destination / Halcyon house

Over summer the family and I visited Australia’s Gold Coast for two blissful weeks. I’d long wanted to visit Halcyon House - a luxurious boutique hotel located in the heart of the Tweed Coast in Australia - and finally this was my opportunity! While I’d love to stay there at some point we decided on a day trip this time around as Halcyon House was just a cruisey road trip away - a 15-minute drive from Gold Coast Airport and a 30-minute drive from Byron Bay. Remember the one hour time zone change when travelling from the Gold Coast as you’re crossing the border from Queensland to New South Wales - we set out to get a park early when driving to Byron Bay one day and arrived an hour later than planned! There’s plenty to check out along the Tweed and Cabarita Coast including nature walks, galleries, distillery tours and epic surf spots and beaches - no matter what your itinerary be sure to make time for this design-lovers destination.

Beachfront in Cabarita Beach

Cabarita Town is tiny and reminded me of a mini old school Whangamata with a scattering of surf shops, takeaway joints, icecream stores and a good old surf club. While the town isn’t nearly as picturesque as Byron Bay it also lacked the crazy crowds, with much more of a laidback vibe. The main attraction is the pristine, unspoiled coastline including Norries Cove for a calm swimming spot or Maggie’s Beach to catch some waves. There’s also a short scenic walking trail to Lion’s Park or the headland - take a picnic and keep an eye out for travelling whales and dolphins. Halcyon Hotel itself sits beachfront on Cabarita Beach, and from the first floor you get stunning views of the turquoise waters and white sand beaches that surround it. It’s the perfect daytrip or getaway if you want nothing to do but appreciate the hotel and wander the beach.

The Exterior

The hotel is owned by sisters Elisha and Siobhan Bickle and their husbands - the family initially purchased the place as a holiday home then decided to transform it into the modernist motel-style destination it is today. Sydney architect Virginia Kerridge transformed the rundown 1960s structure into Halcyon House, an elegantly modernist seaside hang. Kerridge is recognised for her artistic approach to material, texture, colour and light. Her take on Halycon House is no different, with the design paying homage to the original building as she reinvented the structure with signature elements of the era, including a white facade and greenery that extends from a large courtyard to the pool. The spirit of Cabarita is captured in the materials and space chosen by Kerridge, enjoyed by ground floor rooms that access the lawn and beachside and the upper rooms with generous indoor and outdoor spaces with stunning coastal views. The exterior of the hotel features a beautifully crafted facade made of plastered walls, white breeze brick and graceful archways adorned with terracotta pots. The exterior is a perfect combination of refined European architecture, Palm Springs modernism and coastal style.

Tip

Don’t miss out on taking a turn at one of the many bikes offered at Halycon House. This complimentary service is a perfect way to experience the coastline and township of Cabarita Beach.

The Rooms

The interior of Halcyon House is designed by Anna Spiro, known for her talent combining patterns, textures, and vintage furniture pieces. She’s created a truly unique, charming and welcoming interior that encourages a sense of discovery as you take in the layered details. Each of the 21 guest rooms features a Victorian cluster wall, made up of artworks personally selected by the team. The walls and headboards in every room are upholstered in luxurious fabrics that evoke a sense of vacation. The textiles used in the hotel are sourced from England, and the upholsterers are a team of specialists imported by Spiro. The vintage pieces, such as John Derian sofas, Madeline Weinrib rugs, and Wayne Pate drawings were personally sourced by Anna, Siobhan, and Elisha. The unique guest rooms are styled beautifully, featuring large upholstered bedheads in a eye-catching patterned fabric. Each bathroom is fitted with English tapware, marble vanities, and handmade tiles. The hotel has a slightly different theme in each room, yet you can tell each look is still a sibling of the same family.

Each guest room in Halcyon Hotel features a colour palette that includes navy blues, pinks, and greens. Traditional wallpapers are teamed with an array of textures, fabrics, and materials to create a completely unique personality in each room. It’s so refreshing to see such a maximalist mash-up of texture and colour on display - a welcome contrast to the very pared back-coastal style of many other hotels along the coast.

“I incorporate pattern, colour, antiques and art into the rooms I create. The end result is a curation of disparate objects brought together to create an interesting, layered and inspiring space that defies the boundaries of dull yet respects the basic principles of classicism.”

Anna Spiro

The Spa

The design of the day spa on site is incredible, and while it’s part of the hotel design narrative it has a unique look and feel of its own. You’d think the eclectic mix of rich colour, Hawaiian floral print curtains, pineapple lamp bases, cane furniture and exotic Moroccan mosaics would be far from relaxing, but somehow the welcoming, homely feel you sense on arrival puts you immediately at ease.

"I based the colour palette on the beach and the ocean – from sandy beige to pale shell pink, right through to seafoam, turquoise and deep blue. I wanted guests to feel at ease and rested, yet inspired by the prints and patterns I used."

Anna Spiro

Paper Daisy

We booked a spot at Paper Daisy for 5pm to enjoy a few drinks out on the patio before dinner - reserve well in advance as the restaurant is often booked out. While it’s not the type of establishment you can leave your kids bombing in the pool, there’s a gate leading out to a wide grass verge with the beach beyond. Our boys headed out exploring and kicking a ball around while Steve and I sat and enjoyed delicious cocktails and gins overlooking the pool - the Halcyon House Bar is home to the largest selection of Australian-made gins in the country. Dinner was unique and delicious. The menu is deliberately small with just a few options for each course - each one featuring seasonal dishes dreamt up by head chef Jason Barratt who honed his skills at esteemed establishments like Stokehouse in Melbourne, Circa The Prince, and the renowned three-hatted Attica. There is also a kids menu to keep the little ones happy.

The Pool

The restaurant and guest rooms fold around a central pool designed in a 1960s style featuring navy striped sunbeds, crisp white umbrellas, statement palm trees and sea breeze. I could spend days curled up reading, napping, enjoying the fresh air and sampling all manner of snacks and beverages from the bar.

Halcyon House is a dream spot for a design-lovers getaway. It has a special mix of present day perks mashed up with a nostalgic heyday feel, making it a unique and refreshing destination in a breathtaking coastal location.