Travel Diary: My Queensland Roadtrip Part 3: Byron Bay

BYRON BAY

After breakfast at the Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach we were back in our UberSelect vehicles, and off we went to BYRON BAY!!!

You all know my love for Byron Bay, where I spent my short (but lovely) honeymoon, then returned 4 years in a row thereafter, and more recently, came back with my two little ones...So this was for me, the highlight of my QLD trip...

Having only opened recently (earlier this year), Elements of Byron, of MGallery by Sofitel, is Byron Bay's first world-class beachfront resort, impressively situated on 50 acres, which encompasses almost 2km of beach frontage on Belongi Beach (the beach I usually stay at when I visit Byron Bay!).  There are currently 94 Villas (with a further 96 being built), with their design driven by reverence to the four landscape ecologies present on the site: rainforest, dunal, eucalypt and wetland. And although they may look humble from the outside, inside they were all about quiet luxury.

The mosaic tiling on this bar was so beautiful!

 Yessssss!

'Grazing'  at Elements of Byron - the crab-filled hole doughnuts, burratta, and parfait were my favourite! Ok, oysters too, and stuffed squid...ok, everything!

The only way to while away the afternoon after an amazing lunch is swinging on a daybed over a pool...

 Bikini: Lisa Marie Fernandez 'Mira' in denim (available at MyTheresa, Farfetch, Browns Fashion and Matches Fashion - which is where I got mine from; also love it in black, and might purchase it in white when it comes out).

Hat: bought at Nihiwatu

Photo obligingly taken by Shellie Froidevaux, who is in fact a Food Photographer (and I saw on her website, explicitly says "does not do portraits" :D), thank you for making an exception Shellie!

And sipping a cocktail!

No fighting required, there are 3 daybeds to share...wave hi to Natalie everyone!

Then treated to an amazing massage and facial at the hotel's Osprey Spa, such beautiful zen vibes inside!

Beautiful hotel grounds...en route to morning yoga overlooking the sunrise by the beach...

 We were treated to an incredible degustation by chef Justin Dingle-Garciyya at the hotel's restaurante Graze at Elements, repeating some favourites we had lunch plus loads more amazing dishes! This was one of my favourites (in addition to the favourites from lunchtime): octopus with compressed watermelon, watercress and wasabi...sooooo goood!

Next morning: Amazing amazing amazing buffet breakfast at Graze at Elements overlooking the hotel pool! The coconut chia pudding was SO good!

 And the A la Carte breakfast menu had me with hearts for eyes...

Greedy? Who, me?!? Here's the sambuca-cured salmon with dill hollaindaise with a side of avocado, and the 'waffles special' which was served with poached pear and berries. Uhuh, YUM!

And after breakfast thus concluded this fabulous fabulous road trip! Such a spectacular time spent with lovely people over incredible food!  Thank you Accor Hotels and UberSelect for the amazing ride!

All photos taken by me (bar the picture of me over the pool, which was taken by Shellie Froidevaux)

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