Whether it’s a massage by the sea or ancient Indian rituals delivered in a lush rainforest setting, a spa session at one of these spa retreats will help you step out of the fast lane and submerge yourself in bliss.
Apr 2024 -
3
min readAwaken your third eye near Byron Bay
The rituals of Ayurveda are among the oldest forms of healing in the world, and at Gaia Retreat and Spa in the Byron Bay hinterland, the Ayurvedic Journey package lets you discover these time-honoured therapies for yourself. Follow the path through the lush rainforest setting to reach the tranquil retreat and settle in for a very different spa experience. The deeply restorative shirodhara, a meditative treatment that involves having a stream of warm oil poured onto your forehead on the spot known as the third eye, is a highlight.
Gaia Retreat and Spa, Byron Bay
Soma, also in Byron Bay’s hinterland, is a purpose-built retreat led by Vedic meditation teacher, mindfulness expert and founder of Sydney’s Conscious Club, Gary Gorrow. Four programs are offered to rest, recharge and renew.
Soma Byron Bay, Byron Bay - Credit: Romero Pereilla
Meanwhile, the luxurious Crystalbrook Byron offers sunrise yoga for guests and has recently unveiled its brand new Eléme Day Spa in consultation with spa expert Naomi Gregory. Sodashi facial and body therapies are on the menu while massage treatments feature custom therapeutic oils by Byron Bay’s Cura Co. Lab. Alternatively book in for ‘the Long Exhale’ treatment (no explanation necessary) at minimalist wellness hub Comma.
Crystalbrook Byron, Byron Bay - Credit: Crystalbrook Byron
Stop and smell the roses at a luxury city spa
There is a toe-curling pleasure in having power-packed beauty products massaged gently into your skin, but that’s not the only thing that makes The Langham Day Spa’s Babor Grand Cru facial such an indulgent treat. The therapists at this spa in Sydney understand that the best treatments stimulate all the senses, which is why they use rose-infused products. The spa session doesn’t end with the facial: complimentary champagne and macarons are served poolside beneath a twinkling sky of artificial stars to provide a grand finish.
Be lulled by the sound of the sea in Mollymook
When it comes to jaw-dropping settings, Mollymook’s Spa by the Sea has it sewn up. Part of the Bannisters by the Sea boutique hotel on the South Coast, a three-hour drive from Sydney, the day spa is known for its views – gaze out into the garden or across the ocean during your facial. Dial-up the luxury factor by booking yourself into The Cabana, a semi-open-air pavilion where your massage, accompanied by the gentle touch of a sea breeze, is delivered against the most soothing soundtrack of all, the ancient rhythms of the waves.
Bannisters by the Sea, Mollymook Beach
Get steamed up at Sydney’s SpaQ
If you’re looking for a shortcut to relaxation, it’s hard to go past a session in a steam room where the air wraps around you like a warm hug. A stint in the hammam-style steam room of Spa Q – tucked inside the colourful QT Sydney hotel in the middle of the city – is the perfect overture to one of the spa’s indulgent treatments. Need a full recharge? Then sign up for the 6hr Metamorphosis package which, apart from a steam session, includes a body wrap, a 90min massage, a 90min facial, a mouthwatering lunch and a glass of bubbly.
QT Sydney, Sydney
Drift away beneath the palms on the North Coast
Halcyon House, a boutique hotel at Cabarita Beach in northern NSW, has a playful take on coastal chic that suits its prime oceanfront position. That extends to the stylish spa, where the cheerful palm-patterned fabrics on the walls and the armchairs will lift your spirits as soon as you step inside. The treatments, using products from the acclaimed Australian Sodashi range, are designed to leave you looking and feeling better. Try the Thermal Infusing Facial, a warming, nourishing indulgence that will leave your skin silky smooth.
Halcyon House pool, Cabarita Beach - Credit: Kara Rosenlund
Be energised in the Blue Mountains
Set in a lush valley a 2.5-hour drive from Sydney and overlooked by the spectacular sandstone crags of the Blue Mountains, Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley is all about celebrating nature. That philosophy extends to its spa. The most memorable treatment, the Mountain Aromatherapy massage, uses essential oils infused with the distinctive scents of the surrounding bush. Feel your body sink into a state of calm as oils fragrant with honey myrtle, eucalyptus and lemon myrtle are rubbed into your skin during this Swedish-style full-body massage.
Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, Blue Mountains
More R&R awaits in this region. Melding restorative spa treatments and striking vistas, Lilianfels Day Spa sits adjacent to iconic rock formation the Three Sisters. Deep bathtubs and soothing massages are on the menu at Parklands Country Gardens and Lodges’ upmarket day spa or soak your cares away in a traditional onsen at the Japanese Bath House.
Lilianfels Day Spa, Katoomba - Credit: Lilianfels Day Spa
Enjoy a one-of-kind massage at Sydney’s most glamorous spa
The moment you enter Crown Spa at Crown Sydney, you know you are in for some serious spoiling. The spa menu includes treatments available nowhere else in Australia but the stand-out is the psammotherapy. This memorable massage takes place on a heated bed of quartz sand and is designed to loosen even the most knotted muscles. The therapy also includes the use of singing bowls, which emit vibrations designed to relax you even further. Ahhhhhh!
Crown Sydney, Barangaroo
Pamper yourself in Port Stephens
Don a linen robe and let Spa Lucca’s skilled therapists work their magic at The Anchorage hotel on the shores of beautiful Port Stephens, a 2.5-hour drive north of Sydney. The luxe two-storey spa offers a hydro suite with Jacuzzi and steam room, Sodashi treatment menu and relaxation lounge where vegan chocolates are served before you float back to reality. Nearby the Palm Springs-inspired Bannisters Spa offers an extensive treatment menu featuring products by Australian Organic Spa and supermodel Miranda Kerr’s, KORA Organics.
Bannisters, Port Stephens
Combine wine and wellness in the Hunter Valley
In the Hunter Valley, Bondi yogi Evangeline Yeun runs yoga getaways at Nu Leaf Retreat. Overlooking a shiraz vineyard the boutique retreat offers fitness centre, al fresco yoga deck, heated mineral pool, jet spa, steam room, gym, day spa and outdoor pool with sundeck. Spa Anise at Spicers Vineyard Estate and The Spa at Chateau Elan are also found in the Hunter Valley, Australia's oldest wine region and just a two-hour drive north of Sydney.
Spa Anise at Spicers Vineyards Estate - Credit: Spicers Vineyards Estate
Join a wellness week on Lord Howe Island
The World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island is the dramatic backdrop for Charlotte Dodson’s Wellness Weeks at historic Pinetrees Lodge. Yoga is held facing Lagoon Beach which the yogi to the star describes as; “One of the most beautiful and natural locations to practice yoga”. Also on Lord Howe Island, experience Ayurvedic treatments in a traditional yurt beneath a majestic Banyan Tree forest at Arajilla Retreat.
Arajilla Retreat, Lord Howe Island - Credit: Arajilla Retreat
