Peppers Salt Resort Kingscliff : A great place to stay in NSW : Australia

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I love visiting the beaches of Northern NSW.  They are reminiscent of how  the Gold Coast was in the 1960’s and 70’s, before the temptation of development and all things bright, shiny and fun descended on the original beach shacks.

Today, the beaches of Fingal, Kingscliff and Cabarita, right down through Byron Bay to Lennox Head have a nostalgic air about them.  Small coastal villages stuck in time, making them warm, inviting and heaps of fun.  To the delight of many, much of the ocean foreshore is now heavily protected by legislation, meaning that another Gold Coast is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

My husband and I spent four days down here recently for what was a timely weekend of R&R.

About Peppers Salt Resort Kingscliff

Peppers Salt Resort Kingscliff is located in Northern NSW, a short one hour drive from the centre of Brisbane and a mere stones throw from the Gold Coast.  It’s also only 40 minutes north of Byron Bay.

Nestled behind the foreshores,  the contrast between the highrises we’ve left behind and the relaxed coastal style beach houses is immediately obvious.

It’s easy to find Peppers Salt Resort and Spa.  There’s a rather grand entrance, passing by the gorgeous spa on the left hand side, before making your way to an open and airy lobby.

I had pre-purchased this accommodation via another website, so I will admit to always feeling a little nervous at this point, unsure as to whether there will be some kind of drama because I didn’t book direct.  But I need not have worried, with check-in being efficient, helpful and incredibly friendly.  Our weekend was off to a great start.

As we headed to our room, armed with a bevy of vouchers covering everything from free welcome drinks, to reduced spa treatments, we passed the bar and the pool.  Mental note to come back here later.

The resort is comprised of a few different accommodation options including hotel rooms, apartments and Bale rooms (multi-room, more spacious and well appointed apartments).  The Peppers Salt Resort is a three level group of apartment buildings, with varying types of views.

TIP:  If you want a poolside view, be sure to ask about it when booking. 

Inside our room

Everything we needed was tucked inside room #3106, an incredibly spacious one bedroom apartment.  With a fully self contained kitchen, spa bath, lounge and dining room, I knew we were going to be comfortable here.

As I rolled up the blinds, the smile came out.  We were poolside.  Not that fancy, swim out of your room type of poolside, but almost as close.  We had a terrific view of the pool from our room and our outside balcony.  Mere steps was all it would take for us to be dipping our toes in the lagoon.  With the pandanus palms, white sand and comfy chairs, this was a step up from your average hotel pool.

Back inside, it was time to check out what was on offer a little more closely.

The bathroom is very large, with a separate shower, toilet and full size spa bath.  Because the bathroom is at the rear, a clear window sits overs the tub,  allowing the natural light to filter in.  If having a bath when you are on show is not your style, there’s a trusty blind that can be pulled down to restore your privacy.

Toiletries are complimentary and are of above average quality.

The deep and very luxurious spa bath

The bedroom of the apartment, with a very comfortable king size bed, can be sectioned off from the rest of the apartment  if you wish.  We’re used to having our living space open, thus providing a greater sense of space.  It’s nice to have a room that can accommodate either preference.

At the front of the room, taking in all the views through the glass sliding doors, is the living area, complete with large sofa and dining table.

As this lower level room can be accessed physically and visually by those outside, we kept our doors locked at all times when we weren’t around, and the blinds drawn at night time.

Despite our proximity to the pool, once we were tucked up inside we couldn’t hear any noise from other guests.

A great place to say….for a while

Whilst these apartments make excellent locations for a weekend break, they are also a great idea for a longer stay. A fully functional kitchen, including a coffee machine, fridge, toaster, electric jug and microwave means that eating in is very easy.  It’s also a great way of having a relaxing break without it costing you a fortune by having to eat out for every meal.

If you do want to eat out, there are a variety of great restaurants, cafes and a pub on site.

A laundry with washing machine and dryer is also tucked away in one of the cupboards, saving expensive and annoying trips to a laundromat should you be staying here for a while.

Sensing that people often get the munchies, a small mini bar is provided, along with mineral water and some very nice Margaret River wines.

My only bug bear relates to water.  I know Australia is a country where water is freely available from the tap, but would it really hurt a hotel to include a couple of bottles of water free for their guests?  They do it all over the world, but it is something that is rare to see here.

There are two coffee pods provided free of charge but beware that the others provided are at a cost.  Instant coffee and tea are provided free.

A couple of the Margaret River’s finest

Where the inside meets the outside

The room  is extended by having such a large outdoor and (reasonably) private area outside.  I say reasonably private because this area is yours and not for guests, but you are directly in front of the pool.  Obviously from this vantage point, everyone can see you.  This didn’t bother me one bit and I became quite accustomed to sitting out here on the surprisingly hard lounges, watching the resort world go by.

Outdoor area directly outside our room

View of the pool from my room

These little fellas are a frequent guest (or pest) around here.  The scrub turkeys are known for destroying gardens, over and over again.  This guy looked like he was right at home digging a hole big enough to bury himself in.

The local wildlife

Our morning start

Breakfast was included in our room rate, so each morning we headed off to Season Restaurant for a fine display of breakfast.  It’s been simply ages since I’ve indulged in such a breakfast, so it was a nice indulgence.

There’s plenty to choose from including wonderful fresh fruits, yoghurts and nuts, through to pastries, breads, muffins, crumpets and waffles.  Of course, no hotel buffet would be complete without the inclusion of all the hot elements: local bacon from Bangalow (and it really is worthy of all the hype), eggs, hash browns, sausages, mushrooms and tomatoes.

Juices, tea and filtered coffee is included but if you love your real coffee, then you can order at the bar for an additional cost.

The myriad of breakfast options

The great outdoors

Peppers Salt Resort occupies a broad expanse of land, including three acres of grassed parkland.  Here kids can play outdoor games or you can have a BBQ or picnic.  Just behind the row of pandanus palms sits the gorgeous, white sands of Kingscliff Beach, a short stroll from your apartment.  Start or end your day with a brisk walk along this pristine beach, and say g’day to the locals and their dogs as you pass.

If getting more exercise is what you are after, bikes can be hired from the resort as well.  Seven kilometres of cycle tracks means that you get a great ride without having to deal with the traffic.

Bike hire can be done from reception

Minutes from the resort is the beautiful Kingscliff Beach

The sun is starting to set over the beach

If relaxation is high on your priority list, or you need some help working out those knots after a frenetic game of tennis or long bike ride, then make sure you check out what’s on offer at the spa.

The Spa, located at the entrance to the Resort

A great place to stay

Overall, we had a great stay here and I would gladly come again.  The proximity of this resort to the local towns of Kingscliff, Cabarita, Fingal Head, Brunswick Heads and even Byron makes it a great place to base yourself.

The room is so well appointed that you would also never have to leave, if you just wanted to take advantage of all the resort and its immediate surrounds has to offer.  With Foxtel, unlimited movies, aircon and free wifi all included, one might argue there is no need to go anywhere else, except to take a dip in the lagoon or sit at the bar.

For those wishing to save money, particularly families, there are no restrictions on bringing in your own food or alcohol.  You just can’t roam around the pool with glass containers.

We got an absolute bargain by booking through Luxury Escapes on a special promotional offer they had running.  $A400 covered our three nights accommodation, full buffet breakfast for two, welcome drinks and various other discounts for the spa and Season Restaurant.

Why not check out these great deals available at hotels around the Kingscliff area.

Peppers Salt Resort Kingscliff

Peppers Salt Resort Kingscliff has amazing deals all the time.  Why not pin this for later as a reminder.

Kerri McConnel

A former business executive, Kerri McConnel, left the corporate world to pursue a different lifestyle, establishing the successful travel website, Beer and Croissants.
 Kerri now travels regularly with her husband, Stirling, where eating great food, drinking quality beer and wine, and cooking international foods are integral to their adventures.

She is also a firm believer that everyone can travel.  To help provide inspiration, she creates comprehensive guides and articles that are written in a down to earth, authentic manner.