When it comes to idyllic Australian holiday destinations, few places hold the level of popularity Byron Bay does. Home to numerous celebrities (especially since the pandemic) and frequented by Aussies and international tourists alike, Byron is quite the tropical hot spot nowadays. And if you’ve ever visited, you’ll understand why. Between the stunning beaches, wildlife, food spots and the general chilled energy, a holiday to Byron Bay feels like a salve for the chaos of everyday life. Trust me, I’ve been a bunch of times.
In recent years, luxury living (and holidaying) in Byron has been on the rise, and while the celebrity locals, the mansions and the many 5-star resorts of the town have certainly shifted the vibe – and the price – of Byron, it remains an incredible place to unwind.
For this reason, I jumped at the opportunity to review a stay at Reflections Holiday Park Byron Bay. Here’s what that experience was like.
Real Life Reviews: Reflections Holiday Park Byron Bay
If you’re not yet familiar, Reflections Holiday Parks are camping and caravanning sites scattered around New South Wales. Many of these parks also offer tiny homes and cabin accommodation options, and its Byron Bay location is fitted with both – along with spaces for folks with caravans.
I stayed in the park’s Superior Ocean View Studio cabin for two people, which usually goes for about $410 per night, or $369 per night if you book for the week.
The cabin has been fitted with a queen-sized bed, as well as a kitchenette, bathtub, shower, large verandah, barbeque, outdoor shower and floor-to-ceiling windows with ocean views. As well as your standard inclusions like air-con, TV, Nespresso machine, mini fridge and so on.
What’s good?
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve visited Byron Bay a number of times before. It’s been about 10 years since my last holiday there, but I’ve been four times now, so I have a pretty decent idea of the destination. This accommodation option, without a doubt, offered the best location of all my holidays in Byron Bay.
Sitting on Lighthouse Road, the holiday park is walking distance from both Byron Bay’s Main Beach (10 minutes), as well as Byron Beach (7 minutes), Clarkes Beach (15 minutes) and even Wategoes – if you’re willing to walk for almost 30 minutes. So, if you’re hoping to get some ocean time in – which assumedly you are – you’re spoiled for choice. You can also easily stroll over to The Pass and make your way onto the Cape Byron Walking Track from here. I did exactly this one afternoon and it was an incredibly relaxing walk that offered stunning views of the beaches below. You could make your way all the way to Cape Byron Lighthouse if you like (this takes around 40-45 minutes), but I was lazy and chose to drive up, instead.
Also adding to the location wins, The Beach Byron Bay is about 100 metres from the Reflections accommodation, so you can pop in for a swanky dinner, or visit the kiosk of a morning for a takeaway coffee – which I did most mornings. However, if you want to explore the rest of the town and its many restaurants, you can walk over in about 15 minutes and roam.
Now, onto the stay itself. The Superior Ocean View cabin is not playing when it says it’s ocean view. Our cabin was situated at the end of the Reflections property and it kissed the edge of the beach. The scene outside our window was incredible. I made it a habit to stop and watch the sun set each evening I was in Byron and tuning in from the cabin was almost as striking as seeing it while standing on the sand. There were afternoons I could see whales having a play in the ocean – from my cabin. Frankly, it blew my mind.
The cabin itself is decked out in a way that is simple, but lovely. You won’t find any grand design features here, but the finishes are thought out and everything looks and feels well-designed. It’s spacious, but feels cozy. It’s furnished in a way that invites you to spend an afternoon relaxing in an armchair or soaking in a tub and it offers more privacy than most hotels can promise. The verandah is also a huge plus, not only because of its size, but because it’s equipped with a barbeque, so you can prepare meals to enjoy in front of your epic ocean views.
Oh, and the bed was incredibly comfortable – a huge plus.
In addition to all that, the Byron holiday park has a really nice, relaxed energy to it. The team won’t bug you if you’re looking for quiet time, but you’ll receive occasional texts with any updates regarding your stay or to let you know if there are any events happening. A food truck serving pizza turned up at the park one night during our stay, and we could order dinner that night because the team had alerted us to the fact it was on its way. The pizza wasn’t the best I’ve ever tasted, but it was a nice touch.
What’s not so good?
In case it isn’t already obvious, I don’t have many criticisms to share here. The only stand out, I’d say, is that because of the apartment-style nature of the studio, you don’t get milk or coffee pods replenished during your stay unless you ask – and the same goes for fresh towels. This is mostly fine (you don’t need a fresh towel every day), but after a number of nights, you may be keen to see those bits topped up and have your towels swapped out. Simply asking the staff should sort this out, but it’s not an inclusion – which would be nice, I think.
We also had some trouble with the WiFi connection at times and weren’t able to stream Netflix or similar from the TV, so we had to use data to watch shows and movies from a laptop instead. Again, it was not the end of the world, especially when you’re in paradise, but it was a small inconvenience.
Reflections Holiday Park Byron Bay: The verdict
My overall takeaway from my stay at the Reflections Holiday Park in Byron Bay was that it was the most comfortable and impressive accommodation I have ever experienced in the town. It’s well-designed, it’s comfortable, and the location is perfect.
It’s not cheap per se, but for a private studio cabin and the location, I think the price is far more tolerable than dropping $500 per night on a luxury room elsewhere. And if you book a cabin that sleeps a larger group (up to five people), you can land a great deal.
If you’re looking for a high-end hotel with a pool bar and spa on site, this is not the Byron accommodation option for you. But if you’re looking for a lovely, private stay in a cosy spot, you’ll be more than satisfied with a visit here.
Image Credits: Lifehacker Australia/Stephanie Nuzzo
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