Does Justin Hemmes' new Narooma resort live up to the hype? Here's our verdict

It was the middle of Covid-19, and Justin Hemmes was riding his bike along the Narooma waterfront when he noticed the 1970s motel, the Whale Inn, was up for sale. The Sydney bar and restaurant tsar was escaping the pandemonium of the pandemic in this gorgeous regional NSW town, about three hours' drive from Canberra, and was toying with the idea of opening a resort. So he decided to drop in for a look and - as the hotel's new general manager, Erin Proud, tells me on my first night at the revamped property - the rest is history. Hands were shaken, contracts were signed and, in June this year, the Whale reopened as Merivale's first-ever resort.

Perched on a hill with wide-angle views across Wagonga Inlet, the Whale is located in the heart of Narooma. The town centre and all its conveniences are right on the doorstep, while scenic walks lead to some of the region's best attractions - from Bar Rock Lookout, about 15 minutes in one direction, to Mill Bay Boardwalk, about 30 minutes in the other.

If the property's sun-baked ochre-hued facade doesn't make you swoon, its interiors - a melange of influences from all over the world - certainly will. Justin and his sister Bettina were heavily involved in all aspects of design and the objets d'art sprinkled throughout the hotel are a curation of their travels: classic terrazzo floors from Italy, hand-woven rugs from India and knitted light shades from Morocco.

There are nods to the original property, too. A small patch of old rug discovered in a storeroom during the renovation became the prototype for the carpet that now anchors the hotel's Queen Chow restaurant, where the walls are still the original teal colour. Outside, an old frangipani tree remains the centrepiece of the pool area. "Justin was very passionate about keeping that particular one, so he orchestrated the rest of the landscaping - with soaring new palms - around it," Erin says. And then there are the staff uniforms, designed by Sydney label Alemais, known for bold, colourful prints. Watching the waiters sashay through the restaurant and along the hallways in free-flowing, mismatched clothes with bold patterns is enough to transport you to Ibiza.

The rooms are an extension of the common areas, with tastefully assembled tapestries, rugs and other furnishings - eclectic but not loud; colourful but not chaotic. There are 18 accommodations on site, from compact Palm Rooms on the ground floor to the sprawling two-bedroom Oceanview Penthouse on the first floor. I'm staying in room No. 17, which - at 48 square metres - is the largest of the Premium Inlet Suites. Its generous balcony looks over the picture-perfect pool on one side and the vast Wagonga Inlet on the other.

But it's inside where I find myself lingering. There are gorgeous touches everywhere: a turn-table with handpicked vinyl here; a separate sitting area large enough for a party of six there. The mini-bar is packed with goodies you rarely see in hotel rooms: a bottle of yuzu negroni in the fridge; dark-chocolate-covered dates in the snack drawer. The ensuite is equally considered. The toilet sits in a room of its own, while the spacious shower, topped by a skylight, is simple and elegant, with a single mixer - meaning you don't need a degree in science to get the water temperature right. Next to the sink is a whole stash of freebies: hydrating Lapcos face masks, exfoliating body mitts and Sisuu magnesium spray for muscle recovery. Who needs a spa?

Food is Merivale's trump card and the fare at onsite restaurant Queen Chow, with celebrity chef Dan Hong at the helm, is proof. Breakfast is unmissable here for two reasons: one, it's included in the room tariff; and two, the breakfast burger - piled with American cheese, crispy pancetta, omelette and hot mustard mayo - is downright delicious. There's a mind-boggling array of Asian delicacies for dinner: from crunchy prawn toasts with luscious chilli mayo to deeply flavoured Singapore noodles with pork.

The tiled bedside table in my room. It's easy to miss but one of the tiles has a charging sign. Just place your phone on it and juice it up. No cables required. Love.

The writer was a guest of the Whale