The Mysa Motel – Gold Coast

MYSA MOTEL – GOLD COAST

For millions of Australians, the annual Gold Coast pilgrimage is a rite of passage during the school holidays. For me as a kid, it was always sunny Surfers Paradise. But wedged between old gold Coolangatta, and the uber-chic Burleigh Heads, is the hidden gem of Palm Beach. This suburb is undergoing a huge renaissance with developers and businesses flocking to this beach-side oasis which is only a 15-minute drive north of Gold Coast airport.  

The revival of this little haven is in some part due to a super cool motel that has everyone talking. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s not a typo. It’s a motel. And it’s a true 1970’s old-school Aussie motel that’s undergone the most wonderful of transformations.  

15 years ago, Jase and his wife Eliza, left beachside Tamarama in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, for a new life on the Goldie. More than a decade later, they have more than made their mark at their new home with the iconic Mysa Motel.  The seven-room motel is a Palm Springs meets Las Vegas meets the Gold Coast inspired boutique lux accommodation – with the large hot pink neon sign out the front.  

After 22 years as a construction worker, Jase, along with his wife’s hospitality background, created a brand-new business. But it’s only half brand new. I will explain. Jase and Eliza had spent years trying to find the right motel to turn into their own DYI project. The famous Palm Trees Motel was for sale, and after a consortium pulled out at the last minute, it landed in their hands, and the rest is history.  

And history is very important to both Jase and Eliza. Where high-rise developments are a dime a dozen, the pair kept the original historic architecture and design asethethic as the point of difference. Even the yellow brown bricks remain on the outside of each room. 

But on the inside, it’s a very different picture. As we know, a picture tells a thousand words, and the prints in every room are from renowned local photographer Trent Mitchell. Each artwork is iconic Gold Coast attractions. For me, in suite 2, it was the Putt Putt mini golf at nearby Miami, where I played a few rounds with my brother and Mum as a teenager. Old Kodak cameras (remember those) and landline telephones (remember those) are even displayed for a nod to Aussie nostalgia.

Jase and Eliza have recycled a lot of materials from the original building and collected other pieces from nearby work-sites. Sustainability is key at Mysa Motel. It is powered by solar panels and the bathrooms and gardens, featuring Aussie natives, are serviced by rainwater tanks.

Entry to the building and every room is contactless with a security code. My suite was a self-contained two-bedroom, two-level apartment, complete with full kitchen, washing machine and dryer and outdoor area with a BBQ. It was the home of the former motel manager. All the other rooms each have a bar fridge with complementary drinks and nibbles, and some have a microwave. Colour palettes from pinks to oranges to yellows, and with unique pieces of modern furniture, creates a special happy and holiday ambience in every room. Holidays in Australia, after all, often mean the beach. The sand and sea of Palm Beach is directly across the road. If a pool is more your summer style, then enjoy the Splash Club pool and pink sunbeds on site at Mysa. Jase tiled the Splash Club himself.

Right outside your door are a plethora of coffee shops and bakeries, eateries, a gym and pilates studio, and an award-winning Gelato shop that makes all of its treats on-site. Minutes away are famed tourist spots like the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, the Native State Bathhouse and the party Pavillion at Burleigh Heads. A bus right outside the Motel takes you to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise and Seaworld.

Groups can book out the whole motel, and the undercover old-school garage has been popular for birthday celebrations, milestone birthdays and hen’s weekends. Rooms start at $270

Pack your togs, a hat and some sunscreen (and perhaps ear plugs as it is right on the Gold Coast Highway) and this really is one fabulous Aussie experience.