A soft modernist build and fine art-saturated styling create pure tranquillity in the heart of NSW’s busiest beach town.
A whip-crack siren call of the Eastern Whipbird. More birdsong, weaving in and out of rolling mountains. Glorious, uncluttered walking space. Have I time-machined back to pre-Hemsworth Byron? It feels like another world inside The Bonobo by Raes, Byron Bay’s newest hotel from the team behind Raes at Wategos, a local hospitality stalwart. Checking in among the hotel’s very first guests, I slide into a sophisticated overnight sanctuary unlike any other in the neighbourhood.
The sparkling rooftop pool will also feature a bar come spring 2026.
Where is The Bonobo by Raes?
It’s extremely central, right on Johnson Street, so you can wander (barefoot, to mirror Thor himself) up to Main Beach, one of the best beaches in Byron Bay, as well as some of the best local restaurants. It’s about 35 kilometres from Ballina Airport and 100 kilometres from the Gold Coast.
Design and style
The exterior of Bonobo by Raes.
The brutalist building has been designed by Queensland design firm Richards and Spence.
The open-air multi-tiered courtyard at Bonobo by Raes.
Utterly chic across all three levels of contemporary blonde brick-brutalism. Another masterstroke by Queensland design firm Richards and Spence, best known for Brisbane’s James Street precinct and delivering The Calile, The Bonobo by Raes cultivates a rich subtropical rainforest just a couple of doors down from Woolworths. An open-air, tiered courtyard, dotted with fresh grass, palms, ferns and a sunken spread of about 20 outdoor tables, sends verdant natural life skywards, ever-so-cleverly thawing the blocky, bare materiality of upper levels and the wider build.
The lobby features Bauhaus-inspired interiors.
Sydney and Melbourne interiors company Studio Manifold designed the lush interiors.
The lobby stocks pre-mixed Brookie’s cocktails in exclusive collaboration with Cape Byron Distillery.
Then, there’s my favourite puzzle piece — the outstanding foyer, resplendent with pop colour Bauhaus-inspired interiors spanning geometric rugs, striped drapery, block-coloured coffee table books and a bespoke collection of pre-mixed Brookie’s cocktails in exclusive collaboration with Cape Byron Distillery. It is such a brilliantly excessive mishmash of eye candy, balanced with precise restraint by Sydney and Melbourne interiors company Studio Manifold, that it looks like a film set. I immediately want to gut my own living room and snap-lock the shagadelic fit-out into its place because it screams good times.
The room
The kitchen and living room open onto a spacious terrace.
I stay in room 211, a Two Bedroom Residence with hinterland views and, again, more dreamy interiors and furniture. Blonde-butterscotch cabinetry with ultra-chunky handles, custom Jardan lounge and dining pieces in walnut timber and soft pastels, stone benchtops illuminated with appliances from Breville’s ‘An Aboriginal Culinary Journey’ collection, and original artworks by Sulman prize-winning artist Doris Bush create photo-worthy vignettes at most corners. Additionally, the open-plan living and dining rolls through sliding glass doors to a balcony with a custom MCM House six-person outdoor dining table. Tucked away in the corner is a spiral staircase that leads to a private terrace with sunlounges, another plush dining table, and easy access to the rooftop pool (more on that below).
Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.
AI Prompt
The bathroom features a freestanding bathtub.
Bathrooms also feature a rainshower.
The living space of the Hotel Residence opens onto a spacious balcony.
The sundrenched terrace features a custom MCM House six-person outdoor dining table.
The Hotel Residence kitchens are stocked with thoughtful details such as a bamboo matcha whisk and bowl.
A spiral staircase leads to a private terrace for lounging in the sun.
Inside the Hotel Room.
Like most, I’m a sucker for the little in-room details. I love the Raes Dining Room’s Sparkling Water and the restaurant’s signature Perrier-Jouët bubbles in the fridge, the Bonobo by Raes-branded tea bag canister in the cupboard, and the branded dishwashing liquid in the drawer. A bamboo matcha whisk and bowl, POTTR by Sam Gordon coffee and espresso mugs, Le Labo bathroom amenities (plus the Le Labo Santal 33 scent throughout the hotel), and Villeroy & Boch bathroom tapware (including perfect-pressure rain shower heads) make me smile, too.
The facilities
A rooftop pool
The perfect spot for a sundowner.
I’ve mentally locked in another visit to The Bonobo by Raes in spring 2026 when its rooftop bar will swing into action, but the rooftop pool that currently dazzles atop level three fills my cup in the meantime. While the water itself is conveniently heated during my winter visit, mint-green market umbrellas and spacious soft-cushion day beds offer views out to those spectacular surrounding mountains. At one end of the space, there’s also a gorgeous red and brown striped lounge and low-slung checkerboard-inspired mosaic table if you can peel yourself away from horizontal lazing to mingle.
Watch the sunset from the rooftop.
The heated pool is bordered by a selection of spacious soft-cushion day beds.
Take in the surrounding mountain views.
A restaurant and bar
The Lobby Bar is the hotel’s all-day dining venue.
Lobby Bar is a super relaxed, all-day dining space just a few steps away from the check-in counter. Led by head chef Callum Gray, in cahoots with Raes Dining Room’s executive chef Jason Saxby, the restaurant serves a la carte breakfast (not included in a stay) and creamy coffee care of St. Ali beans. I take advantage of the bar at dinner, slurping down a signature banana negroni far too quickly before a pork cotoletta, beautifully dusted with excessive ricotta, melts in my mouth. I also smear far too much of a burnt cauliflower butter over my fluffy sourdough side dish, but such is life.
It’s worth noting that all meals throughout the property, including the in-room dining menu that runs from 12pm to 9pm, come out of this kitchen so you can expect quality feeds wherever you’re relaxing.
A wellness centre
Another facility at The Bonobo by Raes I sadly missed out on, RESET is scheduled to open in early September 2026 — a bathhouse that will also offer contrast therapy, a steam room, spa treatments, vitamin C-infused showers and more. A beach break without day spa decadence just isn’t a beach break in my book, so I kept things in the family during my visit with a 90-minute ‘Cocoon’ body treatment over at Raes on Wategos. Let me tell you, if that’s where these guys set their wellness bar, expect muscle-melting excellence on-site soon.
Weekly travel news, experiences insider tips, offers, and more.
Does The Bonobo by Raes cater to guests with access needs?
Guests with access needs are welcomed at The Bonobo by Raes, with a lift dedicated to transferring wheelchairs and prams up to above-ground levels including the rooftop pool. Once you’re up there, a pool hoist can also be arranged.
As for accessible rooms, some residences do offer formally recognised access-friendly fit-outs, so guests with queries should speak directly to the team when booking.
Is The Bonobo by Raes family-friendly?
A fully-equipped kitchen makes The Bonobo by Raes a family-friendly stay.
It sure is, and I especially love the ‘Little Foodies’ in-room dining menu, which includes Gelato Messina ice-cream, for complete family-friendly ease. The Bonobo by Raes’ multi-bedroom Residences are the ultimate pick when it comes to room selection (hello, full kitchens and huge fridges), while interconnecting configurations make life even easier if your clan needs all the space.
Who is The Bonobo for?
Design-obsessed couples and families looking for serenity in the heart of Byron Bay.
How much does a room at The Bonobo cost?
Hotel rooms start at $355 per night, which includes off-street parking. There’s a secure undercover car park, complimentary wi-fi and breakfast for a fee inside Lobby Bar.
Tick the box next to "Australian Traveller". That's it.
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
With more than 60 nationalities calling it home and a century of Italian influence shaping its paddocks and plates, Griffith is a regional Australian town with serious culinary cred.
It might feel surprising to learn that Griffith is one of Australia’s leading food destinations. In-the-know Italians have understood this for generations, drawn to the Riverina region’s fertile soils that reminded them of the terrain they’d left behind more than a century ago. These days, Griffith supplies much of the nation’s pantry: 95 per cent of Australia’s prunes come from the region, it’s the country’s largest citrus-growing area, and it’s a leading producer of almonds and walnuts. Even the pickles in every McDonald’s burger nationwide are produced in Griffith. This is not just a farming town; the Griffith food scene is leading the way.
Here, culinary confidence is rooted in migration. Italian families began arriving from 1913, with a second wave settling after the Second World War. Today, Griffith has the highest proportion of Italian ancestry of any Local Government Area in Australia. Add to that more than 60 nationalities represented across the community and you have a town where food is driven not by trends, but by tradition. Griffith’s motto, ‘Taste our culture’, isn’t marketing spin; it’s the reality.
Where the vines tell a story
Uncover the stories behind every glass. (Image: Destination NSW)
The Riverina has long been dubbed the food bowl of Australia, but it’s also a wine region that remains largely under the radar. What sets Griffith apart is that every one of its wineries is family-owned, many spanning generations.
Calabria Family Wines is one of the region’s standard-bearers. The Calabria story began in 1945 when Francesco Calabria planted his first vines; today, the family continues to shape the region’s identity while also stewarding the historic McWilliam’s Wines brand. McWilliam’s was the first winery to plant vines in the area, and its barrel-shaped cellar door – complete with a soaring stained-glass window – remains one of the most distinctive in regional NSW.
Yarran Wines, run by the Brewer family, showcases estate-grown fruit across Mediterranean varietals that thrive in the warm climate. Expect bold reds and textured whites that reflect both heritage and innovation.
Set inside the old ambulance station, Harvest HQ is owned and operated by the Riverina Winemakers Association and pours a rotating selection of local wines under one roof. It also features spirits from The Aisling Distillery, reinforcing the region’s collaborative approach to craft.
At the table
Dine where tradition meets a bold new generation. (Image: Visit Griffith)
If the vineyards tell one story, the dining rooms tell another. Griffith’s restaurants are where tradition and next-gen confidence meet.
Zecca Handmade Italian occupies the former Rural Bank building, an imposing Art Deco landmark from the late 1930s. ‘Zecca’ means money print, and the name is a nod to the Zecca di Venezia in Venice. Here, find the Riverina’s only producer of dried artisan pasta and traditional Italian recipes. Importantly, the growers and producers supplying the kitchen are listed on the menu as a transparent expression of the region’s farm-to-table ethos.
Established in 1977 and still run by the Vico family, La Scala puts authentic Italian cuisine on centre stage. Expect handmade pasta, traditional wood-fired pizzas, slow-cooked sauces and dishes that follow recipes guarded like family heirlooms. For something more contemporary, Bull & Bell in Gem Hotelis a shrine to the Euro-style steakhouse that works closely with local farmers and artisans to showcase Riverina produce.
And then there are the institutions. Bertoldo’s Pasticceria, now in its third generation, draws locals daily for cannoli, biscotti, crostoli and house-made gelato, alongside classic sausage rolls and potato pies. La Piccola Grosseria feels like stepping into an Italian alimentari, its shelves lined with continental goods that wouldn’t feel out of place in Puglia.
Meanwhile, Limone celebrates local and seasonal produce across breakfast and lunch menus, enriched by the produce and stories of Piccolo Family Farm. Find pastries and sourdough baked daily, and pop into the onsite retail pantry for products from regional producers – including the Piccolo family’s own wine range, Caro Piccolo.
From the source
Taste world-renowned Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod, straight from its source. (Image: Visit Griffith)
Behind every menu is a producer. Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod is perhaps Griffith’s most high-profile export; the brand’s Murray cod and Aquna Gold Murray Cod Caviar have achieved global recognition. In October 2024, Aquna presented its products to King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the NSW Premier’s Community BBQ in Parramatta. Impressed by the producer’s sustainable farming practices, the King requested the cod be sent to Buckingham Palace – not bad for a fish farm in regional NSW.
Mandolé Orchard champions almonds grown on a family-run farm, transforming them into almond milk and value-added products. At Morella Grove, olives are pressed into premium olive oil and pantry staples that speak to Griffith’s Mediterranean heart. These producers are not peripheral; they are central to the town’s culinary ecosystem. Learn about local sustainable farming practices during a farm tour.
Mark your calendar
Plan your visit around A Taste of Italy Griffith. (Image: Visit Griffith)
For a town that helps stock Australia’s supermarkets, Griffith has remained curiously absent from the national dining conversation. That’s beginning to change. If you’ve been searching for a regional food destination with substance, heritage and a clear sense of identity, you’ll find it here in the Riverina, right under your nose.
Time your visit to the Riverina region to coincide with A Taste of Italy Griffith, held every August. This week-long celebration of Italian heritage and culture offers a wide range of Italian-inspired events and experiences to enjoy. Expect long-table lunches, wine tasting experiences, cooking classes and a Makers in the Piazza market. The headline event is a ticketed long lunch – Festa delle Salsicce (Salami Festival) – where winners of the best salami are announced.
