SYDNEY’S WELL-LOVED JONAH’S RIDES A SEA OF CALM. STORY BY NELLA SCOTT

The calming atmosphere at Jonah’s swallows you up. Within minutes of checking in and catching my first glimpse of the changeable blue-grey sea stretching out to the horizon, the stress of the busy week and Friday night traffic melts away and I sink into a mesmerised state of relaxation. Jonah’s has that effect on you.

Just a 90-minute drive from the Sydney CBD and overlooking one of Sydney’s most prestigious beaches, Jonah’s at Whale Beach is an ocean-side retreat as popular with locals wanting a weekend escape from their busy city lives as it is with foreigners looking for a little luxurious Australian hospitality.

In my Ocean Retreat Room, the bed sheets are crisp and white, the pillows are soft, and a toy whale waits for a playmate in the empty spa bath. I climb into the tub and imagine soaking in Bulgari bubbles while I listen to the waves crash on the beach, but I’ve made a dinner reservation at Jonah’s Restaurant for seven o’clock, so jump quickly instead under the huge 20cm showerhead and let the water wash the dirt of the day away.

In the restaurant, the scenery is distracting but once the food arrives the light fades unnoticed from the evening sky as I savour every flavour. The service and the food are as spectacular as the view, and I sink into bed later that night dreaming of tender scotch fillet and delicately flavoured crème brulee.

Sliding from between the impossibly soft sheets of my sumptuous king size bed the next day, I venture out onto the balcony where I could sit for hours watching the ocean sparkling in the early morning sunlight. And why not when I have my own private balcony high above one of the most glorious beaches on Sydney’s northern coast? From my secluded perch, I can see almost 180-degrees of breathtaking ocean scenery bordered by the cliffs of Whale Beach on either side.

The smell of breakfast interrupts my thoughts as it wafts down from The Terrace, and my stomach grumbles. All the fresh ocean air must be affecting my appetite. Slipping on my favourite pair of Roberto Cavalli hide-from-the-day oversized sunglasses, I head upstairs to join my fellow guests for breakfast. Fresh Summer fruits and Eggs Benedict satisfy my hunger, and a pair of binoculars is brought out so I can scan the ocean for whales while I eat. This personalised service is standard at Jonah’s, and I learn from my host that Whale Beach is a popular shelter for whales as they stop to suckle their calves on the long journey south for the Antarctic Summer.

Indulging in few more minutes on my balcony before I leave, I marvel at the feeling of absolute calm that settled within me the moment I arrived. Even the truculent clouds are calm as they float slowly out to sea, reluctant as I am, to leave Jonah’s behind.

Jonah’s Restaurant & Accommodation, 69 Bynya Road, Whale Beach, Sydney. Ocean Retreat Rooms overnight package including dinner and breakfast $750. Details (02) 9974 5599, enquiries@jonahs.com.au, www.jonahs.com.au