Need to refresh, restore, and re-energise? Sounds like you need a holistic getaway. Join us as we swoon over these luxury wellness retreats – the most sophisticated self-care imaginable.
Our fast-paced modern world can disrupt even the best wellness intentions. When we are feeling fatigued and fragile, our go-to remedies such as a weekend sleep-in, a good long walk, or even a resort-style holiday, can only go so far towards restoring our tired minds and bodies. When deep rejuvenation and healing is required, we might instead consider a stay at a luxury wellness retreat.
The benefits include the chance to break bad habits, experiment with new activities, eat nourishing food that someone else has prepared, indulge in some well-deserved pampering, and connect with like-minded souls. When you return to regular life, refreshed and revitalised, you’ll be in a much better space to meet its myriad demands.
Here are some of our favourite wellness retreats to pop on your wish list. And all cater exceptionally well to plant-based diets.
GWINGANNA LIFESTYLE RETREAT
Tallebudgera Valley, Queensland
gwinganna.com
Mornings at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat start with the soothing movements of Qigong on the lawn as the sun slowly edges up above the distant Pacific Ocean. According to the traditional custodians of this land in Queensland’s fertile Tallebudgera Valley, Gwinganna means lookout, and many breathtaking views await on the rainforest walks that wind through the lush 500 acres of this property. The most challenging trail leads up to an expansive yoga deck atop Mount Gwinganna, the ultimate spot for sun salutations or a blissful savasana. A changing daily program of activities includes yin-based options like yoga and pilates or yang-based options like the retreat’s signature Drums on Fire class, with challenging rounds involving a fit ball and a set of drumsticks.
Afternoons are devoted to rest and relaxation – the perfect opportunity to enjoy a treatment at the spa, which is the largest in the southern hemisphere. With 33 candlelit treatment rooms, it offers everything from classic hot stone massage through to more extreme immersion therapy using breathwork and an ice bath to train one’s stress response and strengthen the vagus nerve. The superb gluten-free, dairy-free meals feature many ingredients grown organically on site, including all greens, microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers.
Two-night Wellness Weekend Retreats start at $1,210 per person.
SPLIT APPLE RETREAT
Nelson, New Zealand
splitapple.com
From 180-degree clifftop views to the Japanese-style spa overlooking the glittering waters of Tasman Bay, Split Apple Retreat offers the ultimate in seclusion, indulgence, and exclusivity. There are just three luxury suites at Split Apple, all with private decks and fragrant gardens, and scattered with Southeast Asian artefacts gathered on the owners’ travels. Additional facilities include an infrared sauna, steam room, yoga pavilion, meditation theatre with reclining seats, and an Onsen hot bath. A range of off-site activities, such as sea kayaking and scenic helicopter jaunts, can also be arranged. Yet the real highlight of a visit to Split Apple is the spa cuisine created by Thai-born chef and co-owner Anne Pen Lee. All ingredients are selected for their health-giving properties and most vegetables are organically grown on a nearby farm. Guests can participate in cooking lessons, if they wish.
Three-night packages start from NZ$5,383 per room.
GAIA RETREAT & SPA
Brooklet, New South Wales
gaiaretreat.com.au
Located in the Byron Bay hinterland, Gaia Retreat & Spa is known for barefoot luxury – or “barefoot meets Armani”, according to co-founder Olivia Newton-John. The late Australian superstar stumbled upon the property in 2005 while scattering her mother’s ashes, and felt immediately drawn to its powerful energy. Soon after, her vision for a sanctuary on this special site was brought into being. From the highest point on the property, there are 360-degree views over the ocean and nearby Nightcap Range. As well as 22 rooms, suites, and villas, the 20-acre property’s facilities include a heated saltwater swimming pool, healing day spa, detoxifying sauna, and walking tracks. Treatments at the multi award-winning spa range from Indian Marma head massage through to body polishing with a combination of native wattleseed and volcanic rock granules.
A two-night Revive package starts at $1,950 per person.
EDEN HEALTH RETREAT
Currumbin Valley, Queensland
edenhealthretreat.com.au
Australia’s longest-running health retreat, Camp Eden (as it was then known) opened in 1985, but its original bootcamp approach to exercise and strict Pritikin diet has evolved over time. There are still substantial hikes to be enjoyed across the property’s 400 acres, as well as heart-pumping classes like boxercise, but the unofficial philosophy of ‘you do you’ means that everything is optional. “One thing that we want for you is that you leave here healthier,” says Chris van Hoof, Eden Health Retreat’s general manager. For many people, this means simply slowing down and stepping off the perpetual treadmill of over-stimulation and digital distraction.
Eden Health Retreat used a 10-month pandemic-related closure to undertake a multi-million dollar refurbishment, building 12 new luxury cabins, a purpose-built yoga pavilion, and a spacious new kitchen and dining room overlooking the spectacular grounds. The gluten-free menu focuses on seasonal wholefoods, with a wide range of mouthwatering vegan options. Presiding over Eden’s menu is nutritionist and 2015 MasterChef Australia runner-up Georgia Barnes, who seeks to nurture, nourish, and inspire with her ‘no shortcuts’ approach. “We soak things, we make things from scratch, we made our own kraut that you had on your soup today,” she explains. Also in the works is the Garden of Eden permaculture project which will expand the range of fruits and vegetables grown on the property.
Three-night packages start at $2,340 per person.
ELYSIA WELLNESS RETREAT
Hunter Valley, New South Wales
elysiaretreat.com.au
Elysia Wellness Retreat seeks to impart gems of wisdom that guests can gather up and take back into their daily lives. Meal planning and prepping in advance is one of the key secrets physiotherapist Melissa Ingram shares when it comes to making better food choices. “Remember to avoid complicating your life – there’s enough on your plate as it is,” she says. Executive chef Corryne Parkhill encourages guests to try something new and delicious each day. And what’s not to love about the retreat’s philosophy that eating should be one of life’s greatest pleasures?
Elysia recently refurbished 23 of its villas to better align with their natural surrounds. “We understand the impact of physical environment on our mental wellbeing, therefore the aim of our villa refurbishment was to deliver spaces that are joyful and rejuvenating,” says Shaun O’Bryan, Elysia’s general manager. In addition to its tailored personal programs incorporating spa treatments and cuisine, group classes, and consultations, the retreat offers weekend guest speakers talking on topics ranging from adrenal fatigue and face reading to storytelling for healing and identifying one’s purpose.
Two-night wellness retreat packages start from $1,235 per person.
ARO HA
Glenorchy, New Zealand
aro-ha.com
Sub-alpine hikes are a key component of the daily program at Aro Ha, but when you’re tracing the contours of New Zealand’s stunning Southern Alps or overlooking the sparkling waters of Lake Wakatipu, it’s easy to forget how many steps you’re taking. The retreat’s name derives from the Māori language and means ‘in the presence of divine breath’. Co-founder Damian Chaparro says that rewilding yourself in nature is essential for physical, emotional, and spiritual health. “We wanted to create a space that fosters the connection between nature, wellness, and humanity’s need for transition to a regenerative existence,” he says of the retreat, which opened in 2014.
The six- or eight-day programs include yoga, mindfulness, strength classes, and intuitive eating practices. Past guests say daily massages help soothe the sore muscles which ensue from hiking, plus there’s a world-class sauna and spa. The accommodation can be described as ‘minimalist luxury’, with celebrity guests reputed to have included Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon. The seasonally changing menu is gluten-free and garden-to-table focussed. A permaculture garden produces up to half of Aro Ha’s produce – a proportion of which is preserved by fermenting, pickling, or processing and then freezing.
Five-night Revive and Thrive packages start from NZ$6,125.
Lead image: Main spa at Aro Ha, Glenorchy
