While the aesthetic improvements were carefully delivered by Sydney-based interior designer Tamsin Johnson, newly appointed general manager Francesca Webster (formerly of Halcyon House) set out to reinvigorate the heart and soul of Raes to make the property and its offerings more accessible to locals, while still appealing to its clientele of discerning travellers. Part of that revival saw the recent overhaul of the kitchen and restaurant, and the appointment of renowned chef Jason Barratt (ex-Attica, Stokehouse and Hector’s Deli) to oversee Raes Dining Room and the property’s new casual offering, Raes Cellar Bar.

With a refreshed look, new furnishings, fabulous Lucy Folk-designed staff uniforms and Jason’s culinary direction, Raes Dining Room has moved into a more approachable territory, with a Mediterranean-inspired menu designed to capture its beachside setting. The food offering is intentionally simple and easy to interpret, with seafood and local produce shining bright – think dishes like spicy tuna with Fuji apple, lup chong and lemon, through to spanner-crab spaghetti with smoked tomatoes and sorrel. Raes Cellar Bar is a relaxed new addition where beachgoers are welcome to stroll in barefoot for cocktails, champagne and bite-sized eats like fresh oysters and sashimi, martini olives, crumbed local snapper sandwiches, fish wings with soured cream, potato scallops with seaweed salt, or even a scoop of coconut and macadamia sorbet. We think we just found our new summer hang.

For more information, restaurant reservations and hotel bookings, head over to the Raes on Wategos website.

Image credit: Sean Fennessy