Raes on Wategos

Raes sits right on the sand at Wategos, the horseshoe cove tucked under Cape Byron where the coastline turns and faces north. The original house holds two penthouses and five suites; a neighbouring building adds ten more rooms and a pair of lap pools. Interiors are Mediterranean in feel - lime-washed walls, rattan, linen, timber shutters that open straight onto sea air.

The kitchen is the reason many people come. Raes Dining Room works with the fishing boats out of Brunswick Heads and the farms of the hinterland, and there is a beach-facing bar for the long afternoon stretch. Breakfast is included in the rate.

The Cape Byron lighthouse walk starts a few minutes up the hill, and dolphins are a near-daily sight from the balconies. Humpbacks pass close to shore on migration. It is a small property with a strong following, and the penthouses book out months ahead over summer.