The Sunseeker Byron Bay
Inviting 80’s nostalgia to Byron Bay, The Sunseeker reimagines a classic Australian motel for a contemporary jet setting crowd.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson | Photography: James Tolic
After a quick six months of renovations, Jess and Dave Frid have transformed a 40-year-old motel on Bundjalung Country in Byron Bay into a stylish retreat. Inspired by family holidays from “simple local campgrounds to beachside huts in north Ibiza”, The Sunseeker is also stirred by its community, heritage, and ethos of sustainability.
Another driver of the interiors is the ever-popular mid-century Californian design—timeless aesthetics from the 1950s to 2020. With a classic pinks and oranges plus lush greens colour palette, dark timbers, and ‘crazy pave’ entryway —created from the original ‘80s slate tiles salvaged from the old hotel rooms— The Sunseeker embodies vintage LA vibes.
Overlooking the lush tropical gardens and sun-soaked pool, The Sunseeker offers 12 rooms, each with a private patio or balcony. Alongside the rooms, the motel also presents six bungalows on the property, complete with private decks and garden and outdoor tubs.
All are welcome around the tropical original kidney-shaped pool, perfectly designed for sipping signature cocktails under the palm trees. Pastries and coffee are available at the coffee cart on-site, and don’t worry if you forgot your book; The Sunseeker offers over 100 titles curated by Good Publishings.
Pops of colour add a contemporary touch to the space. Photo: James Tolic
The incredible crazy-paved floors. Photo: James Tolic
“The Sunseeker is a true coming together of what makes Byron so great—a relaxed beachside town
that’s full of vibrant, inspiring and imaginative creatives, artists, makers and connectors.”
A light-grey Spanish render gives the walls a cool Californian feel. Photo: James Tolic
The library is filled with pieces from local designers including Soft Edge Ceramics and Heath Wae. Photo: James Tolic
Sustainability is at the heart of The Sunseeker, alongside saving materials from the reno —like the library’s working fireplace, made from rescued bricks— the motel has 82 solar panels, three x 15,000-litre water tanks to service the pool and garden, plus a 3,000-litre water tank for each bungalow. The Sunseeker also employed Five Mile Radius's design skills to use over 2,420kgs of concrete, saved from landfill, repurposed into custom terrazzo benchtops embedded with crystals.
The motel brings together some of Byron’s best creatives, from Julia Ashwood of The Vista sourcing and curation support; architect-builder Balanced Earth; landscape architects Land Company; Lila Theodoros at Studio Muse Muse on branding, graphic design and artwork; and the creative consulting magic by Tory Bauer from Dance Card.
“The Sunseeker is a place of itself. We imagined it, and then it was reimagined over and over by many (many) musings with many (many) incredible and talented creatives in the Byron Shire - artists, craftspeople, makers, designers and fantasists,” Jess and Dave share. “The process was slow, unconventional and collaborative. It was considered and layered. But above all, it was always fun.”
A little slice of The Sunseeker is now available from their store, take-home mugs, candles, and retro-pop posters evocative of the motel’s cruisy vibe to remind you to ‘holiday often’.
The library is filled with pieces from designers including Soft Edge Ceramics and Sarah Ellison. Photo: James Tolic
The perfect little reminder. Photo: James Tolic
The poolside bar has a tropical island-inspired palette, including a brass countertop and seagrass bar detail. Photo: James Tolic
The exterior of one of the six freestanding private bungalows. Photo: James Tolic
“As we witness the growth of towns like Byron Bay, it was important for us to keep in touch with the things that we love about them — creativity, community and nature.”
The tropical original kidney-shaped pool, perfectly designed for sipping signature cocktails under the palm trees. Photo: James Tolic