Inside Byron Bay’s luxury new hotel The Bonobo by Raes

AFTER months of construction delays caused by wet weather, The Bonobo by Raes has officially opened its doors on Jonson Street in Byron Bay.

The highly anticipated luxury hotel features 74 guest rooms and hotel residences, some with private plunge pools, with rates starting from $355 per night.

The property spans three levels and includes a central courtyard and rooftop pool with views over bushland and stretching towards the ocean.

A public Lobby Lounge on the ground floor is now open, while a curated menswear boutique by Byron-born label Atlas Homme is set to open in July. Additional retail spaces are expected to follow in spring.

A wellness studio operated by Double Bay-based Reset, offering traditional cedar saunas, ice baths, a eucalyptus steam room, magnesium bath and vitamin C-infused showers, will also open in July. It will feature a private treatment room providing LED light therapy, facials and restorative body treatments open to both hotel guests and the community.

The building was designed by architecture firm Richards & Spence, known for Brisbane’s The Calile Hotel, with interiors by Studio Manifold.

While the building’s modernist brick façade has attracted criticism from some locals on social media, with comparisons to a 1970s housing commission building and even a toilet block, Raes Group general manager Marty McCaig said the experience changes once visitors enter the property.

“We have added some landscaping and once it grows it will start to soften,” he said.

“From the outside it’s a bit deceiving but once people step inside into the courtyard in the middle it’s like an oasis. We want people to feel like they’re in Byron Bay but not on Jonson Street.”

McCaig said plans are also underway for a gelato bar aimed at families, where parents can stop in after school pick-up at nearby Byron Bay Public School while children play on the lawn. Vinyl DJs are also expected to perform on weekends during summer.

The Lobby Lounge seats up to 110 guests across its main lounge, terrace and courtyard, with large sliding windows connecting the indoor and outdoor spaces.

“It’s pretty similar to what we do in terms of the Cellar Bar at Raes on Wategos in terms of the style and format, but the menu will be slightly more elevated,” he said.

The hotel’s food and beverage offering has been curated by Raes Dining Room executive chef Jason Saxby alongside The Bonobo head chef Callum Gray.

Menu highlights include the Bonobo Club Sanga, featuring fried chicken presse, bacon jam and dijonnaise, alongside The Bonobo Lager, brewed exclusively for the property.

Guests can also choose from a collection of ready-to-pour cocktails created in collaboration with Brookie’s Gin, showcasing native Australian ingredients including saltbush, wattleseed and lemon aspen.

The property was originally scheduled to open at Easter but was delayed due to rain.

“Winter isn’t a great time to open but it gives us time to crease out any minor service issues,” he said. “We don’t often get a chance to do that so it’s a blessing in disguise.”