Luxury Resort Review: Jonah's Whale Beach, NSW

With a semi-secluded location and multimillion-dollar views, Jonah’s has been an institution on Sydney’s Northern Beaches for decades - and for good reasons.

• Location: Perched above Whale Beach, about an hour’s drive from the Sydney CBD.
• Accommodations: This boutique hotel has just 11 luxury Ocean Retreat guest rooms and one lavish Peninsula Room, all with ocean views and balconies, elegantly decorated in a neutral palette with accents inspired by its natural coastal environment. The Peninsula Room has a separate living room, with a highlight of beautifully crafted furniture pieces.
• Dining options: The hotel has a nice bar, and an award-winning, Hatted restaurant known for contemporary Australian cuisine under the direction of Executive Chef Matteo Amboni, coupled with sweeping ocean views and an extensive wine collection. Meanwhile Jonah’s Terrace balcony is perched on the cliffs away from the restaurant, offering a special menu of lighter meals.
• What else is there: The hotel has a lovely cliff top garden, and you can enjoy spa treatments by way of its in-house beauty/therapy service, Purity Pacific. In-room yoga can also be arranged, along with kayaking, or go on a luxury chartered cruise on Pittwater. 
• What’s nearby: This isn’t really a hotel to explore anywhere from beyond Whale Beach below. It’s all about the destination.  
• Why go: Although my stay was brief, it’s easy to see why Jonah’s is a wonderful spot for a romantic getaway and especially for people in Sydney who are time poor and don't have much time to travel. It has fabulous views, lovely accommodations, friendly service, and plenty of good food in-house, with the picturesque Whale Beach below.

The Space

We were visiting Palm Beach for a wedding on a Friday afternoon, sans children, and rather than make the long trek back down the Northern Beaches and across Sydney to get home late at night, we thought we’d treat ourselves to a stopover in nearby Whale Beach. We were advised there was only one place to stay - Jonah’s. For Sydneysiders its an iconic institution ideal anyone seeking a few days away for a romantic getaway, tucked away on the Northern Beaches and close to home. It’s also perched above picturesque Whale Beach, offering luxury ocean view accomodations and fine dining worth staying in for. And if you really feel like spoiling yourself you can get there by seaplane on a 20-odd minute flight from Rose Bay. The hotel has a fascinating 85-year history, starting out as a roadside diner, and has been frequented by celebrities including actors and rock stars over the years.

Where We Stayed

The welcome of our Ocean Retreat room almost made me regret we had to go out that afternoon. The breeze from the balcony, and that luscious ocean view of the southern end of Whale Beach had me sold from the moment we walked in. The decor was contemporary meets the beach, with a pallet of muted tones, polished parquet floors, and plush fabrics, and our space comprised a sitting area with nice teak furniture, a sleeping area with an A.H. Beard king sized bed, and a large bathroom with a triangular spa bath and luxury Molton Brown toiletries. Floor to ceiling windows and picture windows flooded the area with sunlight, but there were also splashes of colour in particular in the beachy artwork. Facilities were impressive, and included a video on demand system with over 350 complimentary movies, complimentary WI-FI so you can boast to your friends on social media, electric curtains, a mini bar with Vittoria coffee machines, and luxury bathrobes with slippers.

UltimateTravelMagazine.com Loves 

• The elevated location above the beach which offers gorgeous views from every spot.
• The balcony and spa bath, both of which were a decent size.
• The lazy, room service breakfast.

Insider Tips  

• If you are staying for a few days, make time to enjoy a cocktail on the terrace at sunset.
• The hotel has a strict smart-casual dress code in the dining room.

The Details 

Jonah’s Whale Beach is located at 69 Bynya Road, Whale Beach, www.jonahs.com.au.

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