A SUSTAINABLE SPACE ON THE GC
The Mysa Motel, a seven-bedroom, boutique-luxe motel in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, was envisioned with a focus on maintaining a minimal carbon footprint. Today, just over two years after opening, every aspect of the recently refurbished motel – from its architecture and design to the guest experience – has sustainability at the forefront.
Solar panels power the entire site, rainwater tanks are used to service the gardens and toilets; and each room is decked out with recycling bins, filtered water for guests to refill their reusable water bottles, energy-efficient star-rated appliances, and the option to save water by reusing towels. The Mysa Motel is registered with EarthCheck Climate Action Project; and it engages in Earth Hour by turning off its iconic neon sign and sharing informative messaging on social media.
The motel’s guest compendium is digital, accessible via a QR code in each room. In addition to helpful motel tips and information, it provides easy access to Mysa’s ‘support local’ map, which highlights local businesses the owners encourage guests to dine, engage and support while in the area.
The motel is owned and operated by a local couple, Eliza and Jase, who said environmental considerations were paramount during the motel’s renovation and planning phases, and they conducted a lot of research to ensure they were setting themselves up for a sustainable future.
“When we took over the property, there was only one plant onsite. It was extremely important to keep and attract local native wildlife especially bees and local birds; therefore, it was extremely important to plant Australian natives around the property. Plants were strategically located according to light levels throughout the days and the seasons, which also helps deter some insects and pests. We then used eco mats in the gardens to prevent weeds and the need for chemicals.”
“Originally, we ordered mini bottles for bathroom amenities, but after further research and internal discussions around sustainability, we realised that larger dispensers in the bathrooms would be more responsible, as there’s no plastic waste. We had large dispensers installed in every bathroom.”
In the creation of the motel’s ‘Mysa Cosy Packs’ (complimentary welcome packs for each booking) the motel partnered with local, sustainably minded brands and eschewed plastic packaging.
To encourage guests to use less electricity, they ensured each room has maximum natural ventilation, and during the renovation process, they extended windows in each room, and installed sliding doors with crim-safe screens to allow guests to leave doors open for airflow.
Jase and Eliza’s mission was to renovate with as minimal impact as possible, so they upcycled a lot of materials including the original building’s exposed hardwood ceiling trusses, and sourced second-hand materials such as breezeblocks from local sites.
“Our renovation was very hands on, with Jase utilising his tiling experience to lay every single tile in the property – including the much-loved ‘mermaid tiles’ surrounding the pool – himself. We worked exclusively with local tradespeople to ensure we were supporting our local economy and completed the works as sustainably as possible. Instead of purchasing brand new products, we sourced end-of-line products (such as tiles), repurposed materials from the existing building (including trusses that we utilised in the new carport) and sought recycled materials from other building sites in the region (including the breeze blocks that adorn our grounds),” they explained.
Rather than demolish a rich slice of the Gold Coast’s history and build something brand new, they wanted to preserve the essence of the original motel as much as possible. In a city that has lost so much of its architectural heritage to new development, it was important to Jase and Eliza to keep the DNA of the original building by preserving the façade.
“We never considered converting the property into something else – we always wanted to keep running it as a motel. The layout of the building and the rooms worked; it just needed some TLC and some modern tweaks.”
The existing structure was tired, rundown and in need of a revamp, so Jase and Eliza had to rebuild a lot of it, aside from the exterior structure. They also converted the old manager’s living quarters into a two-bedroom suite with a kitchen, and spacious living and dining room area, which provides short-stay guests with a comfortable option.
“We are continually having internal discussions and conducting research into steps we can take to better our sustainability framework and lesson our carbon footprint,” they said.