Australia is home to some of the most fascinating and unique places in the world. This was my first trip to Byron Bay, and I have fallen in love with the town, the beach and the Elements of Byron hotel. It was a great trip, and now I want to share the details here.
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How to Get to Nature of Byron in Byron Bay
The closest airports are Byron Bay and Gold Coast. However, I flew into Brisbane airport, since it has more flights and connections, including international flights. It’s only 2 hours away, so it’s worth it for the more convenient flights.
Renting a car is a good idea, as it makes moving around Byron Bay much easier. Taxis are available but not very common here. Since every villa in Elements comes with an attached parking space, a car is helpful even just to navigate the resort.
The Element Hotel is located at Bayshore Drive, Belongil Beach in Byron Bay. It lies in a quiet and peaceful corner of Byron, with a huge natural reserve. It’s the only beachfront resort in Byron Bay.
Elements of Byron review: Check-In
I arrived around 6 pm, after a drive from Brisbane airport. The lady at the check-in counter was friendly and efficient. She quickly gave me my room key and all the essential information about the hotel. She also gave me a map of the resort and showed me how to drive to my villa. I was very happy to find out that my villa was located right by the beach. The quick check-in and the friendly nature of the staff really made me feel relaxed and calm as I moved into my villa.
Elements of Byron review: the Villas
I arrived in the evening, and my first impression was that the villa didn’t look that nice from the outside. However, walking inside the villa, it had a totally different atmosphere. All the villas are far enough apart that it gives everyone a sense of intimacy and privacy.
I choose to stay in a Dunal villa, which turned out to be an amazing home for vacation as it was very close to the beach. The interior looked great, with a mix of pale blue and natural wood. They have all the usual amenities you’d expect from a nice beachfront resort.
I was greeted with two very tasty chocolates, and the fireplace was a nice touch.
The bedroom and the bathtub both looked amazing.
The hotel even provided some luxurious bath salts. The bed was very soft and comfortable, and I slept well listening to the waves.
Tip: The Dunal villas are located closest to the beach and are really worth the upgrade. There are only three villas that have a view of the ocean in the whole resort (Ask for villa 33, 41 or 43). The villas around the lagoon are also very nice, as they have a balcony over the water.
The cozy woollen blanket was a thoughtful touch, and it was very useful for keeping warm while enjoying the sunset on the beach.
My villa also came with a snake by the entrance—it was a good reminder that I was in Australia! The gardener showed it to me and reassured me that this type of python was not dangerous. The snake seemed to be enjoying his time there, as he stayed in the same place for the whole three days I was there.
Elements of Byron review: the Hotel
Elements of Byron is a huge resort, with two kilometers of beachfront located just north of Byron Bay. It is on a quiet part of the beach, but only a 30-minute walk into town. The resorts is composed of about 200 villas, two pools, and a huge garden.
The pools are one thing that I loved about my stay at the Elements Hotel. The hanging day beds and private cabanas at the Central Lagoon Pool were more than enough to create a relaxing atmosphere. In fact, it was a great place for me to unwind and take a much-needed rest.
It’s useful to know that the pool is heated in the winter, so it was pleasurable to swim even on a cold day. The service was impeccable throughout the entire hotel, which frankly is not always the case in Australia’s luxury hotels. Every single member of staff was efficient, friendly and helpful: buggies would often stop as I was walking and offer to give me a lift, and when I had a problem with the internet in my room and a technician was there within 5 minutes to fix it.
What To Do in Byron Bay
Morning Yoga at Elements of Byron
I started every day off right with a yoga class. Elements of Byron provides a free yoga class every morning at 7:30 am. The class takes place on top of the dune beachfront, with an amazing view of Byron Bay. It was a very cold morning, only seven degrees. I was told this was the coldest Byron had seen this year. Lucky me! 🙂
It was hard to get out of bed for the yoga class but it was worth it. It is one of the nicest locations for yoga I have ever seen. The sun quickly warmed us up and the instructor Tara was terrific. I really enjoyed listening to the waves while moving through the class.
Rainforest walk at Elements of Byron
Elements of Byron offers a complimentary guided rainforest walk 3 or 4 times a week. I did the walk on my last day, and I wished I had done it on my first day instead, as it gave me a new impression of the resort and its garden.
The walk was led by Alistair, who is the landscape manager for the resort. He was very knowledgeable about all the plants and animals.
The tour was not only about walking and looking at the trees; it was a rich multisensory experience. We started by smelling many different leaves with beautiful fragrances. I got to try many rainforest fruits. The most intriguing was the Davidson plum that is also full of antioxidants.
Alistair had recordings of some birdsongs, so we would listen to them and then try to hear those birds in real life. Elements of Byron has over 200 bird species in the area, and it’s a heaven for birdwatchers. We witnessed an Osprey bird trying to steal a fish from another bird.
I was the only participant on the tour despite the hotel being fairly busy. If you stay at Elements, do yourself a favor and don’t miss that tour.
Walk on the beach to Byron Bay
It takes about 30 minutes to walk along the beach to Byron Bay and it is a spectacular walk. I was accompanied by birds the whole way. Most people on the beach seemed to either do yoga or walk their dogs. Do keep an eye on the water, as whales are often seen swimming by.
Tip: there is a small river that merges into the sea by the end of the resort that you need to cross to keep walking on the beach, So plan on getting your feet wet. The water looks red because of the barks and leaves in the creek upstream. The water was only about 15 centimeters deep but very cold…
Byron is a great place for lunch, as it is full of cafes and great restaurants. There are a few art shops and decent shopping, making it a pleasant place to stroll around.
Byron Bay Solar Train
The world’s first solar-powered train is in Byron Bay, and it links the Elements hotel to the center of Byron. After my walk into town and some shopping, I took the train back to the hotel. The train was first built in 1949 and has retained its vintage feel. It looks like an old train, it feels like an old train, and it even sounds like an old train, but it runs entirely on solar energy!
The train ride is a pleasant journey through the natural reserve. It runs approximately every hour during the day. You can find more information about the train and timetable here. If you are interested in the sustainability aspect of the train, do read my interview of the Byron solar train developer here.
Crystal Castle
If you are looking for an escapade out of Byron Bay, check out Crystal Castle. It is a 30-minute drive from Elements along a lovely scenic road.
Crystal Castle holds the largest crystal in the world. You can even lie down inside a giant amethyst crystal. The place has a great vibe and is good for walking around. They hold events like meditation and sound healing a few times a day. The place has a beautiful energy and I wish I had had more time to spend there.
Do not miss Crystal Castle if you believe in crystal and energy healing. You can find more information about Crystal Castle and their daily activities here.
Sustainability
Elements of Byron has been developed on an ecological hotspot. The land comprises of 4 different ecologies: rainforest, dunal, wetland, and eucalypt. The resort has decided to build only 10 percent of the developable area. The rest of the 50 acres is a natural reserve that hosts endangered birds.
19 endangered species live on the property, including birds, bats, koalas, and long-nosed potoroo.
This gives a very natural feel and not a single tree has been cut down to build the villas.
Furthermore, the villas have been designed to minimize energy and water consumption.
The resort was recognized by the Australian Institute of Architects for its sustainability efforts with its Sustainability Award 2017
Elements of Byron compost and recycle its organic food waste.
Conclusion
My stay at Elements Hotel was beyond my expectations. Everything from the staff and accommodation to the fun activities was perfect. The location by the beach and within this huge protected area with four unique ecosystems makes it feel very special. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a beach holiday near Byron Bay while being surrounded by nature.
For more information, check the hotel website here
If you are in the region, do check out the Nightfall Wilderness Camp near the Lamington national park. It is a unique place to stay to be close to nature. You can read my review of Nightfall here