The reception desk at the charming coastal hotel, which would be my home for the next few days, was working overtime to ensure I knew how charming and coastal it was. A wooden surfboard adorned the wall, book-ended by two vintage-style surf posters, the kind you might find on Etsy when you type in, vintage style surf posters. Everywhere you looked, parts of the sea had been repurposed for design: a giant clamshell bowl full of brochures, a piece of coral from which nautical-themed earrings hung, available for purchase.

Behind the desk, an unseasonably bronzed man whose name tag read Carlos was busy checking in guests. As with most of the hotel’s furniture, Carlos appeared lightly distressed, but when it was my turn to check in, his face transformed into a well-rehearsed grin.

The term ‘whale watching’ is a misnomer, given that you don’t spend any time watching the whales. It should really be called whale monitoring, or better yet, ‘Waiting for Whales.’ Credit: Dionne Gain

He explained that he was excited about my stay and that I would undoubtedly find the hotel a magical place to relax and unwind (but first, he needed a credit card for incidentals). With all that sorted, Carlos hit me with the front desk question of choice – What brings you to town? – for which I had the perfect answer:........

© The Sydney Morning Herald