Eco-conscious Hotel Sebatikel has been approved for development on the Ningaloo Coast.

Exmouth is arguably one of the most visually striking destinations in Australia. Along Australia’s west coast, rolling red desert dunes meet the turquoise waters that majestic whale sharks call home. Luxury stays are thin on the ground, but a new environmentally-conscious resort is set to elevate the region’s offerings. Projected to open its doors in early 2028, Hotel Sebatikel will sit 150 metres from the water’s edge and act as a gateway to the Ningaloo Coast (Nyinggulu) World Heritage Area. 

Hotel Sebatikel is the first tourism development in Exmouth to be approved by the Western Australian Development Assessment Panel (DAP) in two decades. Endorsed by Tourism Western Australia and the Shire of Exmouth, the accommodation was the brainchild of Phil Smith and Mon Palmer. Their vision for the $13 million project is for it to be Western Australia’s first climate-positive hotel, and a sanctuary-like destination with a strong sense of place rather than a standard hotel. 

“Exmouth is our favourite place on earth," co-founder Mon Palmer, a qualified horticulturalist, told Australian Traveller. “Phil and I have travelled extensively. It has always been our greatest source of inspiration, and those experiences have shaped how we see design and hospitality. But nowhere has ever felt quite like the North West Cape (Palyadi Manu). There is something about the warm air, the scale of the landscape, the colours of the sky. When we first discovered the site – a five-hectare stretch of untouched Crown land on the edge of Exmouth Gulf – we both felt it immediately. This was it."

The boutique stay’s capacity is deliberately limited to just 24 people in-house at any time. Nine chic suites will showcase water views. Neutral tones and matte natural surfaces will bring a sense of calm. Renewable energy, water stewardship, waste reduction and conservation partnerships are central to the development, which is designed to be entirely off-grid via solar and battery storage and follow a zero single-use plastic policy, and waste management systems designed to divert 80-90 per cent of waste from landfill. “These aren’t marketing claims, they are design specifications."

The rammed-earth construction is set to be structural, thermally functional and cyclone-rated and allow the resort to sit sensitively within the landscape. “We are acutely aware that we are guests here, in the deepest sense of that word. The Ningaloo Coast (Nyinggulu) is one of the world’s great natural environments, and we hold that responsibility seriously." 

Troba, the resort’s onsite dining room and Club Lounge, will offer a produce-led menu in alignment with the Indigenous seasonal calendar and utilising ingredients from the property’s biodynamic kitchen garden and local larder. The Walter, the resort’s reservation-only speakeasy, will complete the food and beverage offering.

The adults-only The Wellness Pavilion & Spa will be available for up to six guests at a time, featuring an infrared sauna, mineral hot and cold plunges, reformer Pilates, fitness and recovery centre and a lounging courtyard.  The Sebatikel Signature treatment will be offered to just two guests per day and consists of a five-hour experience. A nine-hole short course, pickleball court, swimming pool and pool club are also part of the development. 

“We want to tell stories about the people involved in the build, create events that the town itself benefits from, and deepen our understanding of First Nations culture and Country."

Reservations can be made from September 2026, with a three-night minimum stay in place.