This blog post is all about my Drifter Byron Bay review and experience of spending two nights there on my recent trip to Byron Bay, New South Wales.
I recently visited Byron Bay for the very first time. For someone living in Australia and on a Working Holiday Visa (for now), Byron Bay is almost a rite of passage.
Even though Byron Bay is located within New South Wales, the town is much closer to the Gold Coast in Queensland, than it is to Sydney (where I live).
My partner and I had been recommended to visit Byron Bay so often that once the opportunity came up to go, we jumped at the chance.
We spent four nights in Byron Bay in total, the first two nights staying at Drifter Byron Bay directly in the town itself, and the final two nights just outside the town of Ballina, and a 30 minute drive from Byron Bay, at Tallaringa Views in the Hinterlands.
In this blog post, I’ll be reviewing my stay at Drifter Byron Bay, my second Drifter property that I’ve stayed at, and giving my honest opinion about my experience.
I regularly review my hotel stays around the world, and if you’d like to read more of those, you can find all of my hotel reviews here.
RELATED Byron Bay blog posts to read:
- The Perfect Weekend in Byron Bay Itinerary
- Hotel Review: Tallaringa Views, Byron Bay Hinterlands
- The Best Restaurants in Byron Bay: Where to Eat
- The Best Things to Do in Byron Bay for First-Time Visitors
My Third Time Staying At A Drifter Location
It was a no-brainer for me when it came to looking at where to stay in Byron Bay, once I saw Drifter had a location there.
Last year, I visited Little Drifter in Canberra on two occasions and reviewed my stay there. If you’re interested, you can also see a room tour in my TikTok video, and also in my Solo Trip to Canberra YouTube vlog.
The vibe of Drifter is quite Western-inspired, which if you’ve read any of my music reviews, you’ll know that I basically only listen to country music, so the aesthetic couldn’t have been more suited.
Drifter also take a modern approach to hostel stays. The Drifter portfolio (with locations across Australia and New Zealand) are a mix of hostel-hotels, and it really doesn’t feel like you’re in a really budget backpacker hostel when you stay there.
Especially Drifter Byron Bay, which we’ll get into to.
Location of Drifter Byron Bay
Drifter Byron Bay is in the perfect location, especially if you don’t have a car or aren’t driving.
However, if you are driving (like we were), they also have secure underground parking with an elevator that takes you directly inside Drifter Byron Bay from the car park. It’s only $15 per night to park there, which was great for us, knowing our car was secure during our stay.
You can see in the map below just how centrally located Drifter Byron Bay is, just steps from the main restaurants, bars, shops and a few minutes’ walk from Main Beach too.
For our first two days in Byron Bay, this was perfect as we could explore the whole town on foot and easily pop back into Drifter as and when needed.
Amenities at Drifter Byron Bay
This is probably my favourite thing about Drifter Byron Bay – the incredible amenities, especially for a hostel.
The open-air swimming pool on the first floor is like something from a luxury resort. With palm trees, sun loungers, deck chairs and even a huge ‘Drifter’ logo at the bottom of the pool, it’s like something out of a five-star hotel.
Also on the first floor is the communal kitchen with numbered drawers and slots for your food if you’re staying for a while, a huge open cooking space and lots of room to eat and meet other travellers.
They also have a co-working area with plug sockets, free WiFi and lounge area with a library space where you can borrow a book during your stay.
On top of this, there are vending machines full of snacks and drinks should you need them, a laundry room with detergent, and the lobby on the ground floor is huge with lots of seating areas, a full table for working and coffee machines.
Honestly, I wish we could have stayed longer to really make the most of everything on offer, as well as all of the daily activities like their run club, movie night and beachfront yoga.
If possible, I’d actually like to move in permanently.
Our Private Room at Drifter Byron Bay
Since we were travelling as a couple, we stayed in a private room at Drifter Byron Bay, and it was perfect for our first two nights in Byron Bay.
I’ve added a video room tour below, but it had absolutely everything we needed including a gorgeous queen bed, fridge, kettle, cups and tea, wardrobe space, a large private bathroom with a walk-in shower, fresh towels and soaps.
The two highlights of my room at Drifter Byron Bay for me were the balcony and record player. Yes, we had a balcony overlooking Byron Bay and a record player in the room with a small record collection too!
Our private room also had a large flat-screen TV on the wall facing the bed, which was perfect for me to catch up on Love Island when we returned to the room after a long day exploring Byron Bay.
You can see a room tour of our private room at Drifter Byron Bay in my TikTok video below:
Drifter Byron Bay Review: When Can I Come Back?
If you can’t tell from the above, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Drifter Byron Bay.
If I was comparing it to The Little Drifter in Canberra, where I’ve stayed on two occasions, I’d say Drifter Byron Bay is my favourite.
The swimming pool is a strong highlight, plus the location really can’t be beaten.
If you’re planning a trip to Byron Bay, make sure to check out my complete Byron Bay travel guide, as well as my additional Byron Bay blog posts and guides below.
RELATED Byron Bay blog posts to read:
- Small Towns to Visit During A Trip to Byron Bay
- When is the Best Time to Visit Byron Bay?
- The Best Breakfast and Brunch Spots in Byron Bay
- The Best Things to Do in Byron Bay if You’ve Been Before
- Unique Stays in Byron Bay and the Surrounding Hinterlands
By Orlagh Shanks
Orlagh Shanks is the Editor of Orlagh Claire, an award-winning travel and lifestyle blog.
After working in the PR & Influencer Marketing industry, Orlagh quit her job to travel Asia for 12 months and moved to Sydney, Australia where she is now a full-time travel blogger and content creator sharing travel tips and recommendations for all 30 of the countries she’s visited so far.
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