Ksubi co-founder set to wake up sleepy town with designer hotel
Where is Crescent Head?
That’s the question most people ask when name of the sleepy little town comes up.
However, a designer hotel is set to put the NSW coastal town on the map as it becomes the next go-to destination for fashionable travellers.
Sea Sea is the brainchild of fashion designer-turned-hotelier George Gorrow, who was the co-founder of Ksubi, the cult Australian denim brand.
“We’re keeping things very low impact,” Gorrow told The Australian.
“We want to honour the place. I’ve been coming here with my family on surf trips since I was a kid, and the relaxed Aussie surf-spot vibe hasn’t really changed to this day.”
The 24-room boutique hotel lives in a restored motel and is a sprawling one-level property with a 1970s-style brown brick exterior.
Gorrow purchased the property with his wife Cisco: the pair has been living in Bali for the past nine years where they opened built and operated restaurant and hotel The Slow.
“I watched that place change so dramatically,” Gorrow told The Australian. “It’s getting very built up, almost like Miami. What I think is so beautiful about this spot in Crescent is it’s low-lying. It’s all nestled in with these huge gardens, a great pool, and it’s close to the beach.
“I like the idea of doing something in a nice sleepy town that’s so rich in Australian surf culture, and that hasn’t been, you know, f***ed with or anything like that.”
Gorrow’s aim is to “create great moments for guests”, including creating immersive experiences.
“I spent a lot of time thinking about how we could create these great moments for guests; a place where you can have peace and quiet with your family, but you can also connect with like-minded people through events and art programming.”
Gorrow describes Sea Sea as more residential than commercial – somewhere guests would want to live.
Sea Sea will feature a new photographic exhibition every six weeks from different artists as Gorrow attempts to tell the story of the sleepy hamlet through art and design.
He says it is for the community as much as it is for the tourists.
Sea Sea will be open in June 2023 and is currently taking bookings.
Jonathan Jackson - 02-02-23
