five years of mysa: the journey from retro motel to boutique gold coast stay

Seven years ago, The Mysa Motel was little more than a late-night whisper - an idea scribbled between Pinterest board, renovation quotes, and the inevitable, “are we actually doing this?”

Five years ago, that dream became a living, breathing boutique motel in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast.

What we didn’t know then, and what we came to understand very quickly, is that what defines a place is the culture you cultivate and the people who are called to it. Your frequency really does attracts your tribe!

But before the magnesium pool soaks, before the sun-drenched, colour-happy interiors and slow-stay weekends, there was demolition dust, original trusses, and more grit than glamour.

So here it is the honest, punny, slightly paint-splattered story of how The Mysa Motel came to be.

the beginning: good bones & big vision

When we purchased the property (originally, The Palm Trees Motel), we saw what others might have missed - character, nostalgia, and the potential for a retro-inspired boutique motel in the heart of the Gold Coast’s popping south.

We kept the original signage (yes, over 50 people tried to buy it during demolition but it’s still proudly fixed to the building). We brought in the original neon crew who installed many of the Gold Coast’s iconic signs back in the heyday to build and erect the Mysa sign. And we made the decision early on that this wouldn’t just be “accommodation on the Gold Coast.” It would be a stay, full of colour and one with soul.

Room 2, Merillo, was named after Giovanni Merillo - the man who taught Jason (as in co-owner, Jase) everything he knows about rendering, paving, tiling, brickwork and concrete. That room carries legacy in its name and craftsmanship in its bones.

Even our PIN code entry system? Inspired by storage sheds. Glamorous origins? Maybe not. Practical and seamless? Absolutely!!!

take a walk down memory lane before palm tree motel become the mysa

behind the scenes: blood, sweat & retro tiles

There was one summer day we’ll never forget.

Cleaning the original roof trusses for the carpark roof. Ripping out nails around the pool area - Eliza (of co-owner fame) even donned her steel cap boots! Middle of a Gold Coast summer. Literal blood. Sweat. Tears coupled with delirious laughter.

Eliza learned how to tile and render on the job, because when you’re building a boutique motel from the ground up, you either learn or you outsource your sanity.

Those early days weren’t styled shoots and magnesium pool content. They were dusty boots, long nights, and decisions that felt enormous at the time.

But every brick was laid with intention.

5 things we learned in 5 years of running a boutique motel

Running a small, design-led motel in Palm Beach is equal parts art and logistics. Here’s what five years in hospitality has taught us:

1. Always Keep a Spare on Site

   Light globe, remote, pool key… you name it. Keep a spare everything and future you will be deeply grateful.

2. Hospitality Never Switches Off

   It’s a 24/7 kind of love. Guests arrive late, flights get delayed, questions pop up at 9pm. When you run a boutique accommodation, you’re always “on”. And honestly? We wouldn’t have it any other way.

3. Early Check-Ins & Late Check-Outs are Gold

   Guests love easing in to their Gold Coast stay early. That extra hour can turn a good getaway in to a great one. It’s worth locking in early with our guaranteed Early Check-In offering.

4. Community is Everything

   Locals recommending us, repeat guests returning every year. Word of mouth carrying further than any ad spend ever could. Mysa is a community of supportive, like-minded, intentional seekers of good times.

5. Adapt to Guests, Not Just the Rulebook

   Yes, policies matter but people matter more. The best boutique stays happen when you listen, adjust and evolve.

5 reasons guests keep coming back to the mysa motel

When people search for Palm Beach accommodation or a boutique motel on the Gold Coast, they’re often looking for something beyond just a bed. Here’s what they tell us keeps bringing them back:

• Spotlessly clean - immaculate rooms. Beautifully maintained spaces. Every single stay.

• Thoughtful extras - complimentary snacks. Cold Drinks. Small touches that quietly say, “We thought of YOU!”

• Effortless comfort - comfortable beds. Proper showers. Calm, fun, considered interiors designed for real rest.

• Easy, seamless stays - clear communication, smooth check-ins (you’re in control), no fuss. (Think the PIN code system from storage sheds - but it’s chic and it WORKS!

THE MYSA MOTEL TODAY

the glow up: then vs now

If you’re looking at the build photos in this post - here’s what’s happening in them:

• Roof trusses being cleaned and prepped in peak summer heat.

• Pool area nails being ripped out (we still feel that one).

• Fresh rendering being applied by hands that were very much learning on the job.

• Original signage mid-demolition, still stubbornly iconic.

• Neon being installed by craftsmen who helped shape the Gold Coast’s original aesthetic era.

What started as a simple renovation became a full design-led transformation into one of Palm Beach’s most recognisable boutique stays.

Same postcode.
Very different vibe.