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The Surf, Yamba’s new hotel with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and its crashing waves, is a sophisticated landmark on the NSW far-north coast.
Framed by Norfolk pines, the hotel – designed by Design King Company – replaces the original eight-room Surf Hotel built in the 1930s, with several additions made from the 1980s.
Yamba’s The Surf features sweeping ocean views.
“The former hotel didn’t take full advantage of the views, and it was an appropriate time to create a new building,” says architect Jon King, whose clients, with strong connections to farming, have been coming to Yamba to holiday for many years.
“[Yamba] is a lot smaller and quieter than Byron Bay – a one-and-a half-hour drive to the north – but it is becoming more popular, with greater access via an improved road,” King says.
Constructed in concrete and masonry, with generous glazing including curved glass windows and deep eaves, there is a strong modernist 1930s aesthetic at The Surf.
King and his team were not only inspired by the original building but by a number of modernist 1930s buildings in the town, including the Pacific Hotel.
Unlike many new hotels that offer a large porte cochère, those arriving at The Surf approach a single door simply framed by a breeze block wall. “The idea is more akin to arriving at someone’s home, more aligned to the style of accommodation found in Europe,” King says.
Behind the simple entry is an equally understated reception area for guests staying at one of only 12 rooms – all with terraces.
The clients who commissioned the Design King Company for The Surf initially saw a beach house similar to one it had designed in Palm Beach.
“They were seeking something that was relaxed and informal, but would also appeal to a sophisticated audience,” says King, pointing out the terrazzo floors that appear in the lobby, the staircase and in the guest suites.
“There’s something quite lovely about returning from the beach and walking to your room with bare feet, even with a little sand,” he adds.
The changing light through the brickwork on the stairwell walls also makes the return more memorable.
The architects created a relaxed atmosphere in each of the guest suites, which are located on the first and second levels.
Terrazzo floors, curved walls, blackbutt built-in joinery as well as loose furniture, create a beach feel, as do the exterior timber shutters than diffuse harsher light.
“At night, you can keep the doors open and allow the sea breeze to filter through,” says King.
Retractable, striped external awnings ensure rooms remain cool throughout the day.
Unlike the former hotel, The Surf has a large communal rooftop, with a swimming pool and garden, with the clear balustrades framing the pool ensuring unimpeded ocean views. Featuring chaise lounges, it is a perfect place to end the day.
On the rooftop’s south-east terrace there is generous lounge and seating areas that provide views over the heads and towards Pippi Beach.
Although larger towns such as Byron Bay have bespoke hotels, this is the first boutique-style lodging for Yamba, appealing to those looking for a point of difference, something intimate and one that feels as though you are coming home.
“Our clients have spent years coming to Yamba, meeting as a family over holiday periods. It just felt right when they decided to open a hotel here,” King says.
Stephen Crafti is a specialist in contemporary design, including architecture, furniture, fashion and decorative arts.
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