A contemporary take on retro Australiana revives a dated motel

The Abel Tasman was once a dreary and dated motel located on the outskirts of Batemans Bay on the New South Wales South Coast. However, this 80’s accommodation option has undergone a beautiful rebrand and re-emerged as The Isla, a design-led boutique motel that pays homage to Australia’s chic coastal identity of yesteryear.

The owners of the business engaged the services of Those Architects in 2021, and the twelve month project was led by Ben Mitchell, co-founder and director of Those Architects. “The original structure was 40 to 50 years’ old, a standard brown brick 1980’s drive-in motel style with dated features,” says Ben. “The brief was simple: to reconfigure the motel to appeal to design-literate clientele looking to escape to the south coast of New South Wales.”

While the structural changes were kept to a minimum, the 18 guest rooms and three suites (Poco, Vista and Grande) were entirely redesigned with a contemporary aesthetic and finishes that subtly acknowledge a sunset-hued 70’s Australiana personality. The suites were opened up to private garden courtyards to increase amenity for modern guests, and two swimming pools were added to the grounds, one of which is solely for guests of the largest private suite, Grande. The common areas have been reconfigured to cater for guest interaction and relaxation; the former garage space is now a pool lounge that connects to a dining area, and the original cantina has been kitted out with artisanal vending machines that sell local products.

The Isla has been entirely washed with white paint, while decorative archways and doors are painted with contrasting accent colours to create a Palm Springs-esque visual. “Soft greens and marigolds are the prominent colours throughout,” says Ben. “These were selected to provide counter points to the neutral tones of the building, and provide a highly contemporary accent to the motel.”

The transformation of the Abel Tasman into The Isla was a considered process that required careful curation and specific visual cues in order to produce a boutique motel reminiscent of long summer holidays from simpler times. “It’s a suggestion to the design-conscious traveller that there’s still a place for this kind of local, simple holiday to unfold on your doorstep only a few hours from Sydney and Canberra,” says Ben.

A luxe material palette boasting a selection of terrazzo, pale oak timber, tactile furniture, brushed brass accents and elegant homewares further elevate The Isla’s appeal. “We opted for a material palette that wasn’t too far removed from the period the motel was originally built, so there would be a visual design language between the existing structure and the contemporary updates,” says Ben. “Terrazzo is a great example of this; we used it in the bathrooms, the joinery detailing, and the door thresholds to the guest rooms.” Tech-loving guests will also appreciate the new USB ports fitted into the bedside decorative cavities.

The furniture selection is guided by the same design philosophy applied to the architecture and interiors. “The furniture curation ensures every piece enhances the user experience, is comfortable and practical but also beautiful,” says Ben. “Locally designed and made furniture also ranked highly on the criteria.” The refurbished rooms showcase furniture pieces by Australian designers such as Design by Them, lighting by Coco Flip Design Studio, and artwork by Vynka Hallam and Tegan Franks.

The outdoor splash zone presents an iconic summer visual; a bright blue pool with suitably retro branding upon the floor is framed by large umbrellas, gently undulating sun loungers and linear fencing, all in minty shades of green. The end result is a beautiful and nostalgic accommodation option for holidaymakers looking to soak up a little vitamin sea on the south coast in luxurious - yet affordable - surroundings.

See more projects by Those Architects on ArchiPro.