Summer at Sunnymead

THERE is a new boutique hotel in Aireys Inlet, and it’s fun, nostalgic, and full of colour.

Sunnymead Hotel is a warm and sunny retro renovation of the town’s Lightkeepers Inn Motel, giving the former motel a modern touch.

From pastel yellow colour pops to chequered tiles and custom ceramics, every detail of the property is carefully designed to evoke feelings of a vintage summer vacation.

Co-owners Damien Cerantonio and Graheme Harris, also run the hotels Great Ocean Road Resort and Anglesea Riverside Motel, but unlike their other hotels, Sunnymead has a distinctly nostalgic design.

“We wanted to bring the trend of retro motel renovations to the Great Ocean Road, but make it unique to our location in Aireys Inlet and with a local flair,” Mr Cerantonio said.

Sunnymead hotel Marketing Coordinator Lucy Cameron said the name is a nod to the locally loved beach of the same name.

“We’ve gone for something very, very different to that calming coastal vibe you get down a lot of down in this area.”

The team at Sunnymead worked with Anglesea couple Derek Weigall and Mellissa Weigall of Facet Design to kickstart the transformation of the rooms.

The hotel includes 20 guest suites.

Each room is styled with bursts of colour and playful features – chequered tiles on the exterior, amber glassware, and pastel yellow basins – alongside all the modern essentials needed including a smart TV and curated local mini-bar.

Anglesea ceramicist Melinda Solly designed the motel’s teacups and saucers.

Each room is stocked with beauty products made by Jan Juc local Kellie Blair, The Herbalist, including a custom Sunnymead soap and a custom soap dish made by Anglesea ceramicist Angela Nicholson.

The Day Spa includes three individual treatment rooms, a couple’s suite, an indoor-outdoor bathhouse and a Rasul steam room.

The pool bar, “Sunnies”, is complete with a sparkling outdoor pool and fire pit, and the property’s restaurant is called Santara; a Hindi word meaning orange.

Head Chef Evans Magati, also executive chef at The Coast Restaurant in Anglesea, and is branching out at Sunnymead, serving up an Asian and Indian inspired modern fusion menu, with local cocktails and sharing options.

“So, lots of colour and lots of spice and flavour, very modern.” Cameron said.

The Sunnymead Hotel is open now for booking, with the Day Spa to open Thursday, March 2, and the Restaurant to follow shortly after, opening on March 17.

To find out more, head to sunnymeadhotel.com.au