The Sunseeker is Byron Bay's latest low-fuss holiday spot

Some couples cook dinner together, others walk the family dog around the neighbourhood, but Jess and Dave Frid took their domestic activities up a notch when they decided to renovate an outdated, 1980s motel in Byron Bay and make it their own.

The result is The Sunseeker, a boutique motel that fuses home comforts with modern design. The pair had worked together on smaller renovations and developments, but their dream was to move into accommodation.

“We spoke about it many, many times as a passion dream in the future,” says Jess.

“We had looked at previous sites, too but nothing seemed quite right, then this particular one fell into our lap and we were like, ‘This is the one, let’s do it.’ ”

The original red-brick property had remained untouched since it was built in the 1980s. However, the couple recognised its “magic and potential”. Taking the keys in April 2020, they inherited a property with good bones, 12 motel rooms and six bungalows, along with an established garden.

Jess says their vision for The Sunseeker was to “play on the nostalgia of an old motel and carry that through with a modernised offering in low-key and low-fanfare ways”.

The pair also drew on their love of travel and home entertainment while also being reflective of where they were in their own lives. Jess, Dave and their young children had already spent a few years living in Byron Bay and appreciated the value of taking the time to slow down in such a fast-paced world – and wanted to create a similar experience for their guests.

“We and our kids took a lot of value from this [lifestyle] and that sort of all merged together in this melting pot that would become The Sunseeker,” Jess says.

The couple’s creative design vision was brought to life with a team of design collaborators, builders and interior consultants, with Jess and Dave remaining at the helm of the decision-making process. The transformation of the site required no structural changes but the interiors and orientations of the rooms and bungalows were completely modified.

Furniture and homewares were carefully considered and sourced from local designers, second-hand stores and, in some instances, custom-made by a local upholsterer.

“It’s a real mixed bag of old and new, and every single piece of furniture or homeware has a story to tell,” Jess says. The library’s coffee table, for instance, is enjoying some newfound attention after spending 20 years in a friend’s garage.

The surroundings are just as good as the interiors, with a pool, a pool bar, a cabana area and a recently completed kids’ playground.

The Sunseeker unofficially opened in January this year after some friends of friends said they were coming to Byron and needed some last-minute accommodation.

“Once we did that, word just got out and then, I guess, we were open,” Jess laughs.

Ultimately Jess and Dave want visitors to feel like a stay at The Sunseeker is full of good-natured holiday value.

“Our fanfare is minimal but our quality offering is not, and we hope that people leave feeling relaxed and nostalgic [and that they had] a really valuable holiday.”

While in Byron Bay …

La Bottega Byron Bay 

Run by the same people behind Byron Bay’s popular Peppe Pizza, La Bottega is an Italian deli and serves pizza, pasta and antipasto dishes. Located in Byron Bay’s Industrial Estate, this the place to fuel up after a long day of sightseeing.

Cape Byron Lighthouse 

After you’ve taken a dip in the sea, take a guided tour at Cape Byron Lighthouse and learn stories about the sea at the Maritime Museum. Built in the late 1800s, the lighthouse was operated by resident keepers until 1989.

Yeah, Nice gallery

Explore the work of local artists across various formats from painting to sculpture at this contemporary gallery.

Toko Toko 

Founded by a collective of local Byron creatives spanning fashion, homewares, jewellery and independent publishing, Toko Toko is a retail experience where you’ll struggle to bring just one thing home.