A stunning new guest house has just opened steps from Hyams Beach, melding playful 1970s and Mediterranean beach club aesthetics.
Renowned for its pristine coastal beauty and thrilling wildlife experiences, Jervis Bay has long been one of the NSW South Coast’s most coveted escapes. And then there’s Hyams Beach – arguably its crown jewel – where pods of dolphins can regularly be spotted cresting crystal-clear waves. Plotted just 100 metres from its sugar-white sands, a new couples’ retreat is bringing a fresh squeeze of colour to the beloved beach locale.
Meaning ‘siren of the sun’, Sirena Del Sol welcomed its first guests mid-August 2026. The style-forward beach house for two is the vision of Logan Brae Collection creators Asia Upward and Sam Edwards, boasting serious design credentials with its bold 1970s-inspired aesthetic.
With its characterful interiors and outdoor hot tub, we’re betting this adults-only sanctuary is the coolest new spot to bunker down on the NSW South Coast.
What to expect at Sirena Del Sol
Sirena Del Sol is located 100 metres from Hyams Beach.
Roughly 2.5 hours from Sydney by car, the guest house features multiple outdoor areas so that guests can soak up the sun all hours of the day.
There’s a firepit for marshmallow-roasting in the cooler months, private temperature-controlled hot tub for year-round dips and a garden oasis with a burgundy parasol and sun loungers for enjoying afternoon spritzes in the summer.
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A temperature-controlled hot tub awaits year-round.
Expect splashes of colour in the king bedroom.
The property features a playful outdoor design for relaxing.
Curvy edges add to the character.
The breakfast bar stools are the perfect spot for enjoying your morning coffee while listening to native birdsong, while the smooth geometric patio tiles deliver a tactile sense of warmth.
But it’s the expressive interiors that really steal the attention. In the king bedroom, you’ll find a mishmash of scalloped-edge table lamps and patterned bedding creating a maximalist energy (no beige sheets here).
Relax in the open-plan living area.
The open-plan living and kitchen area is made for lazy breakfasts and post-beach board games. Cherry-red wall stripes and a curved-edge coffee table promise playfulness and retro edge, while Mediterranean artworks add to the coastal whimsy. There is also stool seating at the veined marble countertop and a dusty-rose lounge for unwinding, with windows looking out onto bushland.
No space has been left untouched by the design vision – bathroom included. The space is fitted out in checkerboard tiles from Zia Tile, terrazzo floors, aged brass and spotted gum cabinetry that ties back to the region’s native flora.
The bathroom comes adorned in bright tiling.
Pops of colour are found on the walls.
Enjoy breakfast at the outdoor stool area.
If you’re looking to book a stylish South Coast stay that’s not afraid to have fun, make it this one.
Included amenities
The kitchen is equipped with essentials and cooking appliances.
Sirena Del Sol is equipped with ducted central heating and cooling, as well as a ceiling fan. The accommodation offers high-speed wi-fi, and there is free parking on the premises.
The living space has a Bluetooth sound system and smart TV where you can sign into your own streaming accounts. The laundry comes with a washing machine and drying rack, while the kitchen is equipped with a dishwasher, espresso machine and everything needed to cook your own meals.
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The details
Location: Just 2.5 hours south of Sydney in Hyams Beach, NSW. Address provided upon booking.
Best for: Couples seeking a design-led sanctuary with plenty of character just a quick stroll from the beach.
Good to know: Strictly no children permitted. Firewood not supplied. There is no indoor dining table; however, there is kitchen bench seating, outdoor breakfast bar stools and an outdoor dining area.
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Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
Bate Bay’s sweep of beaches has been crowned Australia’s best for 2026, placing Sutherland Shire in the spotlight as a top coastal destination just south of Sydney’s CBD.
The beaches fringing Bate Bay – Cronulla, North Cronulla, Wanda, Elouera and Greenhills – have topped Tourism Australia’s 2026 list of best Australian beaches (as curated by Beach Ambassador Brad Farmer). For locals, it’s less revelation, more recognition.
The mood shifts from the moment you step off the T4 train service from Central to Cronulla and catch a glimpse of the ocean. At dawn, the Esplanade is already buzzing with regulars, and by mid-morning, parents have staked out a toasty spot on Cronulla Beach where excited toddlers clamber over rocks, and the Jellybean swim squad at Oak Park have donned their bright pink caps while singing Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’.
By the afternoon, towels are being collected from across the sand as visitors wander back to Cronulla in loose formation.
Dive into the world’s best beaches.
That’s the thing about Bate Bay beaches. This isn’t a story about a single beach. This long, uninterrupted sweep of sand and sea, where you can walk for kilometres without breaking stride, is not just enjoyed over summer; it’s a year-round destination. Here, Cronulla’s buzz gives way to Wanda’s wild edges, before stretching out to the quieter reaches of Greenhills.
But while Bate Bay’s beaches may have taken top honours in the 2026 Best Australian Beaches list, they’re only part of the drawcard. Sutherland Shire stacks up as a full-spectrum coastal escape, where good food, national park adventures and on-the-water experiences sit within easy reach of the shoreline. Whether you’re planning a long weekend or stretching out a stay, here’s how to make the most of Cronulla beyond the sand, sea and surf.
Beyond the beaches
Dining
Enjoy a sundowner by the sea at Pippis Cronulla.
The Sutherland Shire dining scene delivers from early morning to late at night with a mix of vibrant cafes, bars and pubs. Start your day at Grind Espresso, where the coffee comes strong and fast. From there, drift towards HAM for pastries, best eaten buttery warm.
By midday, locals linger across sun-lit tables. Loaf and Next Door appeal to the surfers who come in for snacks after chasing waves. Blackwood’s Pantry and The Press are also popular for breakfast and lunch, while Pilgrim’s continues to hold a special place in the hearts of vegans.
Newer arrivals signal where Cronulla is heading: Homer Rogue Taverna is being hailed as one of the best restaurants in Cronulla, with the confidence that comes from understanding what locals want. Ask a local to reveal their favourite restaurant for a special occasion, and it’ll likely be Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare, Yalla Sawa or Alphabet Street. Summer Salt, Sealevel, Benny’s, Bobbys and Pippis are a few of the best waterfront restaurants in the Shire.
A short ferry ride from Cronulla, Bundeena offers a counterpoint to Cronulla’s mighty surf beaches. If Cronulla is the Shire’s social heart, Bundeena – or Bundenesia, as it’s affectionately known – is the place to go to exhale and unwind.
Hop on the ferry from Cronulla, and within 30 minutes, you’ll be inhaling the eucalyptus-scented air. Check the creative pulse of the local community by timing your visit with the Bundeena Maianbar Art Trail on the first Sunday of every month.
One of the best things to do in Bundeena is paddle into Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. Follow the five-kilometre Jibbon Beach Loop Track that leads past quiet coves to ancient Indigenous rock art, or simply find a stretch of pearl-white sand to relax on.
Pristine walking trails
Cool off with a coastal stroll.
Beyond the coastline, Sutherland Shire offers myriad ways to shift gears. Royal National Park – the oldest national park in Australia – sits just minutes from the surf. Clifftop walks trace the edge of the continent, the rugged bushland is threaded with creeks and hidden waterfalls, and a network of tracks rewards those willing to go a little further.
Take the Coast Track, where the land drops cleanly into the ocean over sheer cliffs that have been stacked together like giant Jenga. Or veer inland, where pockets of forest cool the air and filter the light. It’s a reminder of how close nature sits to the bustle of suburbs in the Sutherland Shire.
Enjoy whale watching
Spot whales from May to October. (Credit: The Edit Suite)
Twist your binoculars until the ocean is in focus, stretched like a creased blue sheet all around.Come May, the East Coast becomes the humpback highway. Thousands of whales migrate along this stretch of coastline each year, their movements tracked by keen eyes from vantage points like the Cape Solander platform in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, one of the best places for whale watching in Australia. There’s something quietly thrilling about seeing that first telltale spout or the arc of a breaching body against the vastness of the sea. From June to October, whale-watching cruises depart from Cronulla, offering a closer look at the migration.
Awards come and go. But places like Cronulla endure because they belong as much to the visitors as they do the early-morning swimmers, walkers and surfers.
