Sydneysiders itching for an excuse to escape the Big Smoke will welcome the unveiling of Sea Sea Hotel — the newest launching from designer/entrepreneur behind Aussie denim label Ksubi, George Gorrow.
Over the weekend, Gorrow (who also operates The Slow Bali) flung open the doors to his latest boutique operation on home soil.
Conceived in partnership with wife Cisco Tschurtschenthaler as something of a love letter to Australia’s surf culture circa 1970s, Sea Sea consists of a 25-room floorplan that overlooks the idyllic beaches of Crescent Head, NSW.
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Beyond its enviable proximity to what travel writers describe as a multi-generational “Mecca for surfers,” Sea Sea boasts many of the same experiential highlights Gorrow and Tschurtschenthaler first hit upon when they established their now-signature Balinese destination hotel.
These include an audio lounge, where tunes are curated on the fly by the hotel’s “resident record selector”; a project space reserved for exhibiting art and photography (much of it sourced from Gorrow’s personal collection); as well as a restorative outdoor area where guests have a sauna, ice baths, and fireplace at their disposal.
If you had to put labels on Sea Sea’s overarching space, the property would nominally fit into the niche of “barefoot luxury” hotels which are something of a specialty here in the Southern Hemisphere.
Drawing on their experiences with The Slow, Gorrow and his team decided to stick with the hotel site’s existing one-storey floorplan. The endgame? To make guests “feel immersed in [their] surroundings.”
Each of the property’s four room categories, including a signature Balinese-style villa complete with its own private pool, is detailed with vintage furnishings and “an abundance of natural textures.”
To bring just a touch of uniformity to all of Sea Sea’s suites and guestrooms, the hotel is pursuing a program of exhaustive native landscaping: leaning heavily on all the wetlands and rain forestry that are such an ingrained part of the surrounding Macleay Valley.
The hotel is served by a single bar-restaurant combination, opened in partnership with Chef Daniel Medcalf — head man in charge at Cabarita’s No. 35 Kitchen & Bar. Unsurprisingly, Medcalf’s focus on local produce and “distinctly Crescent” inspirations also nudge their way into the beverage program.
Signature drinks at the bar have been penned by cocktail wizard Antonello Arzedi and, intriguingly, Gorrow has even enlisted Mike Bennie (writer/winemaker/importer behind P&V) in the making of Zamiang — Sea Sea’s very own natural wine imprint.
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Such small, uniquely ‘of place’ details are vitally important to Gorrow, who hopes that his latest project will attract of broad church of luxury travellers. Even if you don’t fancy picking up a board.
“A hotel [is] not just the bed you sleep in while visiting a town,” he says.
“It can be a key experience. Something that allows you to deep dive into the surrounding local culture.”
