Now Open: The Bonobo by Raes Is Byron Bay’s Newest Destination Stay

For the past three decades, Raes on Wategos has been synonymous with Byron Bay, charming guests with its effortless coastal aesthetic and unbeatable access to Wategos Beach. Such is its popularity that the Raes team expanded to a second site in 2024, adding 10 extra rooms and suites, and cornering the broader Byron Bay lifestyle space with Raes Spa and Raes Dining Room and Cellar Bar.

Today, the team launches an entirely new accommodation concept with The Bonobo – a design-forward hotel located in the heart of Byron Bay. Unlike Raes’s emphasis on seclusion, The Bonobo is a decidedly urban affair. This is not to say nature is missing: from an oasis-like open courtyard to a rooftop pool framed by tropical greenery, the space is deeply attuned to Byron Bay’s natural surrounds.

Inside, you’ll find one-, two- and three-bedroom residences, kitted out with fully functional kitchens, in-room laundry facilities and an appealing mix of vintage decor and custom furniture, brought to life by Studio Manifold in collaboration with Birdy Catalano. The rooms are warm, grounded and big on character – a key point of difference to the more classically coastal, white-on-white aesthetic of Raes on Wategos.

“There’s no shortage of accom in Byron, but our strength is that we’re actually in town.” says Marty McCaig, Raes group general manager. “We want to be accessible to larger groups and families – the offering we have with different sized apartments captures that Airbnb market, while providing hotel-style service.”

About that service: if you don’t feel like cooking, the Lobby Lounge, on the building’s ground floor, provides a breezy space for a morning coffee, long lunch or late-night meal. Envisioned as the social heart of the hotel and a neighbourhood gathering place, the Lobby Lounge is all layered lighting and punchy, eclectic art, evoking classic New York hotel bars. Food and beverage come courtesy of Jason Saxby, executive chef of two-hatted Raes Dining Room, alongside The Bonobo head chef Callum Gray.

Elsewhere on the ground floor, a comprehensive wellness space by Reset will open in July. Providing a cocoon-like environment of natural timbers and controlled acoustics, Reset will offer visitors access to traditional cedar saunas, ice baths, a eucalyptus steam room, magnesium baths and vitamin C-infused showers, as well as a private treatment room dedicated to LED light therapy, facials and restorative body treatments.

While the rooftop is reserved for hotel guests, The Bonobo has been envisioned as a place where everyone is welcome: “The entire ground floor of the property is accessible by the public and guests alike,” notes McCaig. “Having that access for the community is really important to us.”

Hotel rooms at The Bonobo start from $355 per night, with introductory rates available for all stays from June to July 31.