Alba Hot Springs in Melbourne. Photo / Supplied
On your next city hop to Melbourne, stop by one of these wellness hot spots to arrive home feeling your best, writes Dani Wright.
The tiny coastal hamlet of Aireys Inlet, along the Great Ocean Rd, is home to a famous lighthouse with jaw-dropping ocean views, live music favourite the Aireys Pub, a classic coastal bookshop in Great Escape Books, and retro-inspired Sunnymead Hotel.
It’s here you can check in for wellness with a side of fun. Slip on the yellow slides, tie up the yellow checkered robe and head to the hotel’s onsite Indie Spa. Try the “Let’s Get Steamy” option, with a 40-minute steam surrounded by terracotta and mustard tones. Once warmed up, there’s an adjoining room with a snowflake shower, where ice falls from the ceiling into a snowman-like pile on the floor and, at the push of a button, a cold mist can be called up, as if you’re Elsa on the top of an alpine peak.
After working up an appetite, try Indian-fusion dining at the onsite Santara Restaurant, take a cold plunge in the never-warm Victorian ocean waters, try your hand at surfing at beginner-friendly Anglesea beach or mountain biking through diverse landscapes on the nearby Eumeralla Trails. Sunnymead also has a 1958 vintage Kombi named “Daisy” for hire to explore further down the coast, including a hike to one of the many waterfalls near Lorne, try Erskine Falls with its 30m drop, or a stop at a local winery – try Bellbrae Estate, five minutes inland from the famous Bells Beach.
Under a shady tree in the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is the perfect place to indulge in a dose of Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing”. Originating in Japan, the practice capitalises on calming sounds and smells of nature to strengthen mental and physical wellbeing. It’s on the more affordable end of the wellness price-range at $50 per person for a two-hour morning session run by a certified nature and forest therapy guide. The practice involves guided nature connection, with sensory and creative practices to help calm your mind and provide health benefits including boosted immune system, reduced stress levels, regulated blood pressure and better sleep.
A green oasis in the heart of Melbourne, the Gardens lend themselves well to trying out other mindfulness practices, such as watercolour painting or travel sketching. It’s hard to be consumed by day-to-day worries when surrounded by awe at nature’s gifts.
Take a drive to the swanky seaside town of Sorrento and you’ll be at the deluxe Aurora Spa and Bathhouse retreat. Set within the gorgeous InterContinental Sorrento, it’s like stepping into another, more glamorous, world where outside cares slip away effortlessly as you follow the 12-step bathhouse experience.
Founder and author Lyndall Mitchell created the spa as an urban health retreat inspired by the European traditions and culture of bathing, where this kind of restoration is part of a person’s life, rather than seen as an indulgence.
After a salt scrub to remove dead skin and capitalise on the mineral waters, guests can sit in the Daydream pool as the bubbles jiggle away any tension. A cold plunge is next, with three rounds of contrast therapy (switching between the hot and cold pools) recommended to boost circulation, gently stimulate the cardiovascular system and support lymphatic drainage. Then work your way through the steps, including goose-neck water therapy massage and a hot pool with reflexology stones.
Every step is well thought out, with a favourite being the halo therapy room with salmon-coloured salt bricks and a guided meditation at the push of a button. The chill room with glacial mist and shaved ice to rub on your body in between heat therapies is welcome relief and the experience finishes with mindfulness on a heated lounger wrapped in a warm towel cocoon. Afterwards, head for a bite to eat in the light-filled CeeCee’s Dining Room at The Intercontinental, or head to the rooftop pool and bar to cool off under the swaying palms with ocean views across Port Phillip Bay.
There are pockets of hot springs from Warrnambool to Metung, but the Mornington Peninsula is particularly blessed with hot spring potential. Here, Peninsula Hot Springs has its new Cool Moments session offering, which includes chilled Amphitheatre pools, misting clouds, cooling showers, cold plunge pools and a deep freeze ice cave.
Its newer neighbour, Alba Thermal Springs and Spa has artisan massages with heated volcanic stones and a champagne sugar scrub or try the bathe and beluga caviar experience. At certain times (weather-dependent) there’s a decadent Reach for the Stars experience where you’ll have a private hot pool and dine by candlelight.
The atmosphere at Alba is reminiscent of a sanitorium with everyone wearing white robes and walking in a blissed-out state around the 31 geothermal bathing pools, some in secluded forest settings and others walled in for privacy. There are also large saunas and steam rooms with garden outlooks and cold plunge pools for contrast.
The writer was supported by InterContinental Sorrento, Sunnymead Hotel and Alba Thermal Springs and Spa.