Inside Out / 147T
he new Bannisters Port Stephens has taken the winning
formula of its original location at Mollymook on the
NSW south coast and transferred it to a stunning
headland in Salamander Bay, an hour’s drive north of Newcastle.
Its owners, Peter Cosgrove and UK celebrity chef Rick Stein
and his wife, Sarah, have extended their nostalgic vibe with the
help of architect Tony Freeman from Molnar Freeman Architects,
interior designer Romy Alwill of Alwill Interiors and landscape
designer Will Dangar of Dangar Barin Smith.
The plan was to start with a tired motel with good bones and
then focus on the extraordinary location. “In this instance, the
architecture had a vintage motel vibe, which you can’t hide, so we
went with a Palm Springs feel for the lobby and terrace bar,” says
Romy. “We wanted the Rick Stein At Bannisters restaurant to have
an earthy Australian feel, so responding to the environment was
really important – we drew a lot of inspiration from that.” To this
end, the reception and restaurant are vast spaces that interconnect
with a material and colour scheme that works with the outlook
over silver-grey eucalypts and a rolling lawn to the water’s edge.
It’s calm here, featuring earthy textures and tones of the sea
with terracotta, brass, exquisite water-coloured Japanese wallpaper,
rich timber and punches of Rick’s signature blue.
And while the daytime view is incredible, dinner is the hot
ticket. “I love the ambience of the Rick Stein restaurant, particularly
at night,” says Romy. “All the textures and tones come together
beautifully.” Hot tip – the leather and brass booths at the far end
of the room are the best seats in the house.Clockwise from above left: Bannisters Port Stephens has around
80 rooms, with many enjoying water views or bushland outlooks.
When required, curtains block the sun at the hotel’s Terrace Bar.
A bird’s-eye view of the infinity pool, which has a pool bar.
Opposite: Interior designer Romy Alwill’s collaboration with architect
Tony Freeman on the refurbishment has brought the shades and
shapes of the surrounding landscape indoors.OUT travel