I felt a sudden urge to redecorate my whole house in shades of white and blue after returning from my holiday at Halycon House.  This hotel has to be one of the most picture perfect in Australia.  Owners Siobhan and Elisha Bickle took a classic 1970’s Aussie beach motel and transformed it into what is now a very hip hideaway.

The detail is amazing from the fabric upholstered walls in every room to the oh-so-perfect antique furniture and flea market finds that interior designer Anna Spiro hunted down around the world.  We booked a superior room which was on the second level with views out over the swimming pool. 

The room was spacious with a lot of additional luxuries like the pillow menu for the bed, Apple TV and a complementary mini bar which was restocked each day.   We loved sitting out on the balcony having drinks and watching the sun go down in the evenings. 

Halcyon House’s restaurant, Paper Daisy, is top notch (more on our dinner there in a later post) and breakfast there every morning is included.  Rather than a standard hotel buffet you order dishes from the menu like hot smoked fish with soft folds of scrambled eggs and kefir pancakes with macadamia nuts and berries.

The pool continues the blue and white theme with its striped lounge area and again the little touches really deliver like the complementary magazines and newspapers along with the complementary ice-cream cart each afternoon.

Service doesn’t always feel five star particularly in terms of the reception and bar area and Halcyon House’s spa has yet to be built so if you book a treatment or massage you’ll get taken around the corner to a nearby spa. 

These glitches aside, Halycon House is a fabulous getaway for couples or groups of friends. There was one family with kids there during our stay but I think the serenity (and expense) of the hotel means it’s best enjoyed as a kid free destination.  It’s a case of serious hotel obsession for me.  Take me back! 

Gourmet Travel Tips

• Halcyon House is 20 minutes in a cab from Gold Coast airport.  If you want to explore the area it’s best to hire a car but if you’re happy to hang out at the hotel then there’s no need  (we didn’t bother).
• There’s a beautiful walk from Halcyon House along the beach and to the heads. Or you can hop on one of Halcyon House’s fleet of bikes and head along the bike track that runs parallel to the beach. 
• Nearby eating options are limited.  There’s the surf club for a parma or about 20 minutes walk down the beach there’s a lovely Italian restaurant Osteria Casuarina.  We strolled there for a pizza and pasta dinner one night and then cabbed it back to the hotel. 

Essentials
Details: Halcyon House, 21 Cypress Cres, Cabarita Beach, NSW (Ph 02 6676 1444) 
Damage: Budget breaking. Our room cost $450 a night. 
9/10