Marty McCaig is the General Manager of Raes on Wategos, the inimitable boutique hotel, luxury dining room and day spa. Raes on Wategos is well known for its now iconic white exterior facade (read on… it wasn’t always the white we know it today!), exceptional experience and idyllic beachfront setting in Byron Bay.
Our Maison Balzac x Raes on Wategos candle, Le Sel, was inspired by nature and the culinary experience. Elegantly capturing the scent of lemon, sea salt and palo santo, transporting you to a holiday by the calming beachside. It was only fitting that we sat down with Marty to discover the world of Raes and the Le Sel candle.
What is your definition of Raes?
Raes to me is the definition of laid-back luxury. The location, aesthetic and personalised service is accommodating and welcoming, and the level of touchpoints that we include into each guest’s visit really is second to none.
The Raes experience is the ultimate in relaxation.
Tell us a secret about the boutique hotel?
The hotel holds an incredible amount of history in its walls and there is no shortage of stories around high profile guests and their antics that have occurred over the years. The initial building was a canteen before being purchased in the 1970’s by local, Ruth Harris. It was her home before becoming a restaurant and it very quickly garnered recognition for its stunning architecture and unrivalled location. It has seen a few character changes of course - even a few exterior colour changes, too (Raes was once completely painted pink) but we couldn’t be more proud of where it is today.
How would you describe the perfume of the Le Sel candle to someone who lost the sense of smell?
The scent has a resounding and comforting citrus strength, supported by the subtle woody and earthy notes of palo santo and a top note of fresh salt filled sea air - reminiscent of a holiday by the beachside.
What dish and drink from the Raes Dining Room would you pair it with for dinner tonight?
The candle is best paired with our signature Paloma cocktail – infused with Blanco tequila, Pampelle, lemon myrtle, sherry and grapefruit, and our dry aged yellowfin tuna crudo.
If you were to burn the Le Sel candle in any location in Rae's, where would that be?
The hotel lobby. One burning candle in the entrance allows the scent to travel to each of our 7 exclusive guest suites. It’s a beautiful note to wake up to in the morning before heading to the beach for a swim or breakfast in the Dining Room.
What country and style of home would you hope the candle would travel to, carried by one of your guests as a memento of their stay?
It’s easy to picture this candle next to an open window in a beautiful villa in Italy, but I can also envision it travelling to a city location to help those reminisce of their visit to our beachside home. The subtlety of the scent notes makes the candle an ideal fragrance for any location.
Discover Le Sel, our collaboration candle with Raes on Wategos.
Join us on our journey
