“We wanted to create somewhere friends and families can congregate that reminds them of childhood holidays but with modern sophistication,” says Yanna Dascarolis, co-founder of The Isla in Batehaven on the NSW south coast.

The decision to reimagine the property, says Dasacrolis, came about partly because the motel – which is directly across the road from picturesque Corrigans Beach – had such “great bones”, and partly because there was a gap in the local accommodation landscape.

A melting pot of ’80s Australiana meets Mediterranean glamour, The Isla is as reminiscent of childhood beach holidays as a Bubble O’Bill ice cream, with the understated luxe of a boutique hotel. A bright white-paint job erases all evidence of the former office block-brown, while the ochre-accented colour palette and Daniel Tucker-designed chairs round out the 18-room haven’s upscale transformation. 

Cantina, a communal pool house where guests can socialise outside of their rooms, has sparkling water on tap, TV and Jenga for the kids, and a custom vending machine stocked with everything you might need (or want), including wines from nearby Canberra vineyards, beer from Milton’s Dangerous Ales brewery, and travel essentials such as toothpaste.

While often overlooked for its northern counterparts such as Mollymook and Jervis Bay, the sleepy stretch of coast on which The Isla is located is in the middle of its moment. For the best coffee, swing past the Mossy Cafe (“order the Turkish eggs with Aleppo butter and roasted chickpeas while you’re at it,” adds Dascarolis). A sandy track 10 minutes’ drive up the road (between North and South Broulee) leads to Shark Bay, a family swimming spot as flat and safe as a kiddy pool. Mami’s Bar in Batemans Bay ties dumplings, ramen, cocktails and ’90s trivia nights together in a kitsch bow, while the newly renovated Club Catalina is just the spot to watch roos amble onto the golf course at twilight.

It’s been called “the new Byron” but truth be told Brunswick Heads – a holiday haven perched on the point where the Brunswick River yawns out into the Coral Sea in NSW’s far north – has an energy all its own. 

This 12-room coastal escape in navy and white brings a slice of ’60s LA to the North Coast, with a few luxe touches (Malin + Goetz bath products, free guest bikes and Heyday Harry’s, a pink vintage caravan serving up cocktails and boutique beers out the back). Rooms range from snuggly doubles to a host of family-friendly options, including the three-bedroom sunset loft, complete with private deck and sun-loungers, and the free-standing sunset bungalow, a three-bedroom cottage for guests requiring a little extra room to roam. Adding to its relaxed bonhomie is the fact that furry family members are welcome, too.

And if the decor doesn’t transport you straight back to the ’60s, the simplicity of a weekend in “Bruns” will. Rent fishing gear from Bruns Beach Bait & Tackle (0432 394 869) on the corner of Fingal and Park streets (you’ll need a NSW fishing licence but they’ll also sort that for you), and head down to the Marshalls Creek rockwall. If the flathead are biting, grill up a hyper-local feast at The Chalet’s communal barbecue area that evening while the kids splash about in the palm-fringed saltwater pool.

Cloaked in bougainvillaea and olive trees with a pastel, shuttered facade that conjures up Barbie’s dream house by way of the Amalfi Coast, Motel Molly is in the beachside suburb of Mollymook, around a three-hour drive south of Sydney. Just metres from the sea, the transformation – born of a collaboration between Knox Developments and interior design and architecture practice Richards Stanisich – is a 16-room homage to playful Mediterranean style. 

Bio-Pelle leather bedheads, imported Moroccan tiles and Le Labo shower amenities provide high-end accents, while surfboard and cruiser hire, communal barbecue facilities and a pool edged with scalloped beach umbrellas and creamy mosaic tiles set the tone for laidback luxuriating.

Nearby Narrawallee Beach (about five minutes in the car) is a crowd-pleasing stretch of sand. The long-breaking waves at its southern end provide good conditions for beginner surfers, while a playground and sheltered bay to the north – complete with excellent coffee from pop-up van Hello Huey – makes it a favourite for young families. Mollymook Beach Hut café (across the road from the beach on Ocean Street) delivers unfussy, delicious fish and chips fresh off the morning’s trawlers, while a seven-minute drive inland to picturesque Milton will bring you to Altar Wine Bar, a trendy garden oasis set on the grounds of the Old Church that serves up local wines, cheese and live music on the weekend.

Setting out on an adventure with the family and staying wherever you end up is a lo-fi getaway that’s high on nostalgia. But don’t expect shag-pile carpets and instant coffee – the modern resurgence of the old-school motel comes with mod cons and a keen focus on design. The Berry View Motel, 145 kilometres south of Sydney in the coast-meets-hinterland hamlet of Berry, certainly ticks all the boxes. Its ’50s-style exterior – white concrete breeze blocks, burnt-orange doors and rows of mother-in-law’s tongue in pebbled garden beds – is enough to make you wish you pulled up in an FJ Holden to complete the vibe.

“I love the inclusive pricing of the motel model,” says David Stubbs, who together with business partner Matt Hall bought the former Bangalee Motel in 2021. “I love that groups of mates can still come away together without having to decide who gets the big room in a holiday house, or who has an ensuite.” A focus on communal entertainment features heavily in the property's future – plans are underway to open an infinity pool and entertaining deck by early 2024, as well as a new 18-room dwelling, the top floor of which will feature marquee rooms with fireplaces and full baths.

Until then, there’s plenty in the region to keep you busy. Bundanon is less than half an hour away by car – the gallery and homestead on 1000 hectares of land was gifted to the Australian people by artist Arthur Boyd in 1993. There’s also the Famous Berry Donut Van, which coerces a stop out of every second vehicle passing through town, and don’t miss Berry’s other baked goods. Milkwood Bakery – expertly turning out organic sourdough from 6am every morning – makes an ideal pit stop for provisions. Our pick? The brandy-soaked prune and custard tart.

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