Photograph: Supplied | Crown Towers Perth
Treat yo'self to the glow-up of a lifetime at Australia’s best spas and bathhouses
Written by Melissa Woodley
Travel & News Editor, Time Out Australia
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You know what’s finally trending in 2024? Self-care. While a warm bubble bath or 15-minute face mask is a nice pick-me-up, nothing beats a full-on pamper session at the spa. And boy does Australia have some pretty phenomenal pamper palaces that’ll leave you glowing from head to toe.
Whether you’re treating yourself to a five-star massage while on holiday or searching for a local bathhouse to add to your weekly routine, we think you should add these spa days to the top of your to-do list. Here are the most luxurious day spas in Australia.
RECOMMENDED: The best health and wellness retreats in Australia.
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The best spas in Australia
- Health and beauty
- Balmain
There’s a reason why Nature’s Energy has been crowned Australia’s Best Day Spa forthree years running. With glorious outposts in Glebe, Balmain and Newtown, this spa-cross-bathhouse is not only the epitome of relaxation, but is the best bang for your buck when it comes to sweating it out and scrubbing up. For $60, you’ll be granted 60 minutes of freedom to explore your chosen bathhouse,with each featuring a traditional Finnish sauna, infrared sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi spa and ice bath. You’ll also enjoy all the perks of a pricier hotel spa: fluffy robes, fresh towels, secure lockers, hair dryers and herbal tea on tap. If you’re in the market for a full-body re-set, book a massage with one of their talented therapists and you’ll leave feeling like you’re on cloud nine. Looking for something a little more esoteric? Nature’s Energy also offers spiritual readings and energetic healing services.
Melissa Woodley Travel & News Editor, Time Out Australia
- Health and beauty
- Spas
- Barangaroo
If you’re seeking a complete escape into opulence and luxury, look no further than the Spa at Crown Towers in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Treatments by La Prairie and Subtle Energies offer the usual facials and massages, along with other therapies such as the Detox and Adrenal Boost Journey, which begins with a foot ritual and meditation, before ingredients such as tulasi, wild turmeric and Indian lime are applied via an invigorating body scrub, mud wrap and massage. Every treatment longer than one hour is complemented with time in the Aqua Retreat, which consists of a steam room, vitality pool and Swiss shower. The white fluffy bathrobe and a relaxation lounge with snacks and refreshments add that extra bit of wow factor that makes parting with your dollars a little bit easier
Adena Maier Former Lifestyle Editor
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Lavada, Hobart
Tucked awayin a laneway down at the city’s historic and stunning waterfront is Lavada, one of the most luxe day spas in Hobart. The architect-designed space is minimal and chic yet welcoming, and inside you’ll find holistic body and facial treatments to help you truly switch off. Dip your toe in by opting for a Himalayan salt stone massage or a soothing grounding massage – your therapist will tailor aromatherapy oils to suit your specific needs. Or go all in and treat yourself to a full spa experience with foot ritual, full body exfoliation, wrap, massage and facial. You’ll positively float out of the place.
Josie Rozenberg-Clarke Contributor
Stephanies Spa Retreat at Sofitel Brisbane
Stephanies is the grande dame of Brisbane's spa scene. Since 2007, this award-winning hotel spa has pampered both locals and visitors with bespoke rituals, including their signature Opal Rasul Steam Temple experience. Drawing inspiration from Turkish hammams, the candlelit, mosaic-tiled dome room elevates your journey, creating a meditative atmosphere akin to a starry night sky. After a steam session in the temple, enjoy a treatment – ideally a massage, which begins with a warm foot soak in a basin full of fresh rose petals. Alternatively, opt for a pedicure, brow couture or facial. The therapists are excellent and knowledgeable, ensuring Stephanies is still deserving of the reputation it’s built over the years.
Zoe Briggs Freelance writer in Brisbane
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- Health and beauty
- Paddington
Picture the fanciest massage parlour in Sydney, then multiply that image by ten. That’s exactly what awaits you at Venustus.OwnerJeannie Bourke opened the first iteration of her spainSydney more than thirty years ago – earning her place as one of Australia’s most sought-after therapists.Venustus 2.0 is an image of luxury, and we’d quite honestly pay for a tour of the space alone. Your healing experience begins from the moment your feet touch the floor, with a sacred underground crystal grid already working its magical mojo.However, the magic truly unfolds within Venustus’ noise-resistant, egg-shaped treatment pods. Here, you can restore the equilibrium of your body, mind and spirit with an East Coast massage and energy healing; melt pain and release tension with an Osaka to Sydney massage; or go all in with Venustus’ signature six-hand body massage. Bourke is always designing new treatmentsandher latest masterpiece, the S.L.O.W. massage, will have you rotating from front to back and left to right, leaving no muscle untouched. The two-hour treatment will fly by in what feels like 20 minutes, and you’ll float out feeling like an ethereal being.
Melissa Woodley Travel & News Editor, Time Out Australia
- Health and beauty
- Spas
- Collingwood
If you’re in need of a little R'n'R amid the hustle and bustle of daily life, you have to check out Sense of Self.Itused to be a warehouse so it’s split over two levels. The first floor is home to the massage and mindfulness studio where remedial, relaxation and pregnancy massages can be booked, as well as dry body brushing, gua sha facials and more.Then there’s the bathhouse itself. The showers are divine, featuring decadent brass showerheads and tapware.The venue provides body wash, steaming hot water and enough ambience to wash the stress away.
Adena Maier Former Lifestyle Editor
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- Health and beauty
- Spas
Hiddenamongst the manicured lawns and red brick buildings of the prestigious Brassey Hotel in the Parliamentary Triangle, you’ll find an opulent day spa and gym that might just take the cake in Canberra. While the exterior screams old money charm, the interior is fresh and crisp, featuring an infrared sauna, steam room, ice shower and moody “cave-like” heated plunge pool – all in aid of muscle recovery (or just relaxation). If your skin’s been looking a little blah lately, the signature facial will sort you out. The spa uses Rationale products, and it’s an extremely hands-on experience, with lots of facial and scalp massaging to aid product penetration and skin plumping.
Caitlyn Todoroski Contributor
Bodhi, Perth
Meaning ‘awaken’ in Sanskrit, a visit to Bodhi spa will leave you feeling revitalised in both body and mind. All of their spas, from the Westin to the Margaret River, offer a holistic suite of luxurious spa treatments, using only natural, Australian-made products. For a deeply relaxing experience, we recommend their three-hour Grounding Ritual, featuring a full-body exfoliation with botanical oils and Australian salts, followed by a sumptuous warm mud treatment. You'll leave feeling utterly transformed.
Emma Ruben Contributor
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- Hotels
- Brisbane City
The Whotel brand may conjure images of partying rather than pampering, but this stylish day spa is set to redefine expectations. Thoughtful touches and design choices abound, from heated neck pillows and cushioning under your knees during a massage to the enormous treatment rooms, some of which boast showers, huge, inviting couches and, best of all, stunning floor-to-ceiling views of South Bank. It’s not all downhill after your treatment is over, though. Your next stop is the Relaxation Pods, aka the ‘come back down to Earth’ spaces. Intended to ease the transition between treatment and real life, these are places to sip rejuvenating tea on your wave-shaped bed overlooking the river and contemplate how wonderful life is, at least in this escapist, luxurious moment. End your spa sesh with a soak in the mineral pool or medication in the sauna.
Zoe Briggs Freelance writer in Brisbane
Blue Lagoon Float and Spa, Adelaide
Sit back and relax – or float, more like it – at Hyde Park and Fulham Gardens’ Blue Lagoon Float and Spa outposts. The award-winning Roman-inspired bath housesflaunt bath-side columns, timeless archways and a distinctly reflective shade of blue that does wonders for the senses.Among Blue Lagoon’s restorative massages, nourishing facials, body treatments and sauna offerings, the day spas are all the rage for their inviting, flotation therapy amenities. Leave that concept of gravity at the door and experience weightlessness upon a dense bath of epsom salt. Release tensions of the mind, body and soul; drift through the realms of relaxation; and maybe even astral project to Ancient Rome. Queue the mood lighting.
Dale Anninos-Carter Contributor
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- Health and beauty
- Spas
- Ivanhoe
This luxury day spa has several treatment suits, a steam room with an ice fountain, a yoga and pilates studio, and a tranquil relaxation lounge that makes it a perfect space for escaping from the hectic demands of city life.If you want all-round care, try one of the Relinque treatments like the release package that includes a luxurious macadamia or volcanic ash exfoliation treatment, warming jet shower, signature bian massage, nourishing scalp mask and scalp massage, and a pH balancing infusion facial. For those who are short on time, there are also several shorter treatments available like the 50-minute deep tissue massage.
Adena Maier Former Lifestyle Editor
- Travel
- The Rocks
If you’re treating someone from out of town (or in town, for that matter) to a spa day, this is the place. Perched on the banks of the harbour, the Park Hyatt offers some of the most divinely-Sydney views in the city, and there’s really no better way to take in the vista than with a glass of Champagne after a dreamy aromatherapy massage. Spend a few hours in the sanctuary of the spa (you’ll be offered tea and handmade bliss balls on arrival, then treated to a perfectly executed treatment according to what your body needs), then head downstairs to The Living Room where you can enjoy afternoon tea and take in the uninterrupted views of the Opera House through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Winnie Stubbs Lifestyle Writer
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Nova Holistic Spa, Hobart
Nova Holistic Spa calls itself a “boutique wellness haven” and given its location right in the CBD, it's pretty impressive how tranquil the space is. Here you’ll discover several services that aren’t found elsewhere in the city: Hobart’s only outdoor, all-weather Therapeutic Thermal Therapy “urban oasis” – featuring an infrared sauna, ice bath and magnesium spa – as well as Tasmania’s only mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (mHBOT) AirPod and FDA-approved Infrared BioMat AirPod. The emphasis here is on helping your body properly heal, detox, recover and regenerate.
Josie Rozenberg-Clarke Contributor
Soak Bathhouse West End, Brisbane
Bathhouses are making a splash are the hottest wellness trend in 2024, and Soak is leading the charge. While this bathhouse isn’t exactly your traditional day spa, it offers the same tranquil space to relax and rejuvenate. During your 90-minute wellness journey, you can alternate between Soak’s indoor and outdoor communal mineral baths (34 degrees), hot spas (38 degrees), cold plunge (12 degrees), steam room and traditional dry cedar sauna. Once you’ve reached your inner state of zen, soak up Brissy’s beautiful rays on the sundecks and lounges, with a glass of vitamin C-infused coconut water in hand. Prefer to stay dry? You can also simply book in for a relaxing or deep-tissue message.
Melissa Woodley Travel & News Editor, Time Out Australia
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- Health and beauty
- Turramurra
This spa is everything you’d expect from a pamper palace that’s been around for over 25 years. Every word is spoken gently and with expert knowledge, there are floral fragrances floating through the vast relaxation areas and dimly lit treatment rooms, plus a surprisingly expansive garden. Start with a dip in the aquamedic pool toimprove circulation, flexibility and muscle tone. The huge domed ceiling and butt busts give it a very Greco-Roman feeling. Finish your ascent to ultimate relaxationwith a foot soak and scrub –your job is toinhale frankincense like the royal baby you are – followed by an aromatherapy massage.
Olivia Gee
- Hotels
- Luxury hotels
- Perth Central
price 4 of 4
Amidst the bustle of Perth’s city, Como Shambhala’s Urban Escape is a real-life getaway from big, city life. A trip to this spa will see you receive hands-on healing, a hybrid of traditional Eastern techniques and advances in holistic healthcare. Unwind in their reimagined 19th-century vaults, take a dip in the 20-metre indoor lap pool, or join one of their soothing yoga classes. Pamper yourself even further and reserve a lunch spot at one of the State Building’s many eateries after your treatment, including Perth’s highest-ranked restaurant,Wildflower.
Emma Ruben Contributor
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Ione Spa and Wellness, Adelaide
Would you believe us if we told you that one of the best urban spas in Australasia is located right here in Adelaide? Well, truth be told,Ione Spa and Wellness along the pristine West Lakes waterfront takes claim to just that, having won runner-up honours at the prestigious 2023 Australasian Spa and Wellness Awards.Forget no-frills,Ione has all of the frills with its organic skin products, Swiss vichy jet shower and lakefront lounge with refreshments on the house. The building itself is even constructed with non-toxic materials and incorporates a crystal grid in the foundation for maximum energy healing. May we recommend the whopping 3.5-hour spruce-up? Essentially, you will be reborn. It’s no surpriseIone Spa and Wellness is one of the best day spas in Adelaide.
Dale Anninos-Carter Contributor
Japanese Bath House, Blue Mountains
Perched on the slopes overlooking Lake Llyell, just north of Katoomba, is probably not where you’d expect to find a traditional Japanese onsen. And yet, once you cross the threshold of this authentic day spa and bath house, you’ll be left wondering if you’re not, in fact, looking out over the foothills of Mount Fuji. Using naturally mineralised water drawn from underground springs, the heated baths are infused with herbal treatments to soothe aching muscles and energise the soul. For the ultimate pampering, massages, skin treatments, and private baths are also available, and you can even stay in traditional Japanese accommodations on site if you want to make a weekend of it.
Alannah Le Cross Arts and Culture Editor, Time Out Sydney
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Canberra Day Spa, Canberra
Canberra Day Spa is all about the holistic health package – so you won’t just walk out with some flawless looking skin, but a clear mind too. If you’re open to trying something new, the spa pairs traditional treatments like massages with techniques like hypnosis and Reiki (a Japanese alternative medicine focused on unblocking the flow of energy through the body). Relax with scalp and head massages that target acupressure points to relieve tension and promote blood flow, or polish your whole body with a sugar scrub or aqua salt scrub treatment.
Caitlyn Todoroski Contributor
Temple Day Spa, Adelaide
Coming in hot (or pleasantly warm in this scenario) is Temple Day Spa over in Unley – where an earthy facade of wood-clad walls and greenery suspended from the rafters entices that sweet inner peace. With a multitude of awards under its belt across 11 years, it’s safe to say that Temple’s therapists know a thing or two about self-care.Circling back to the ‘hot’ thing, Temple Day Spa does actually offer an ever-so-soothing hot stone massage – your discs will thank you later. But if that’s a little too much Mother Earth for your liking, opt for a full-body exfoliation, a hydrotherapy shower or an infrared sauna session. Oh, and to those up in the north-western suburbs, you’ll be pleased to know Temple Day Spa Semaphore is officially open for your pampering desires.
Dale Anninos-Carter Contributor
Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.
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