As we round upon the final stretch of winter, it’s worth sparing a thought for those not lucky enough to have escaped for a cheeky summer sojourn on the sandy shores of Waikiki or the pebbly inlets of the Mediterranean.
But you don’t have to travel far to make getting through the colder months that little bit easier.
Here are a handful of day-spa retreats in and around Sydney to revitalise your soul and rejuvenate your skin.
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Find out moreIN SYDNEY
The Day Spa by Chuan at the Langham Hotel
If you’ve ever looked at a Renaissance painting of Romans frolicking with hedonist abandon and felt a twinge of envy, then this place is for you. This subterranean day spa at the Langham Hotel – which also has one of the most impressive art collections of any hotel in Australia – is home to a swimming pool befitting Octavia herself.
It’s worth taking advantage of the spa’s signature Chuan Yu facial. Employing the ancient Chinese gua sha technique, this treatment scrapes on important meridian points using jade stones, which is said to promote better blood circulation.
The Babor Spa Facial is $200 for 90 minutes. It claims to detoxify and hydrate skin, which is then massaged before being treated to a mask. You can also customise bespoke treatments or indulge in the Afternoon Serenity offering ($225), which gets you a one-hour aromatherapy massage; ulimited time in the spa and pool; and afternoon tea with a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne.
Gillian Adams
Located in Turramurra on the Lower North Shore, this independent day spa has cultivated its reputation for excellent service over 20 years.
Gillian Adams houses a hair salon and restaurant to accompany its treatments. If the private treatment rooms, “aquamedic pool”, steam room and hydrotherapy bath aren’t enough to convince you, perhaps the beautiful vaulted marble ceiling will.
Hydrotherapy treatments start at $70 and max out at $1800 for a treatment that claims to increase collagen (La Jeunesse Royale). But the real star is that incredible pool. Patrons can indulge in a 50-minute session that includes hydrotherapy, pressure-point massage and soothing reflexology jets in the aquamedic pool.
Darling Spa at The Star
Located on level two of the Star, Darling Spa offers a range of treatments with aromatherapy and hot-stone massages starting from $180.
The Pure Gold Radiance facial is $310 for 90 minutes and includes a facial cleanse with La Prairie Cellular Radiance concentrate, which contains pure gold and newly developed peptides. Gentle heat is applied to help the serum penetrate deep into the skin.
Pre-and-post-natal treatments are available alongside a range of group packages, including various date-night options. Espa aromatherapy oils and warm volcanic stones are used for a relaxing hot-stone massage that’s $180 for an hour.
star.com.au/sydney/hotels-and-spa/the-darling/spa
Endota at The Four Seasons
If it’s selfish to indulge in the therapeutic wonders of a massage at The Four Seasons while overlooking the poor suckers battling the elements in the city below, then consider us guilty.
With sweeping panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, Endota at The Four Seasons is arguably one of the best-value day spas in the city. Facials start at $150 for an hour with a fully customised treatment tailored to your skin using Dermalogica products. The usual host of remedial and relaxation massages are also available.
Endota also offers remedial light therapy, waxing, tinting and full pedicure and manicure treatments.
The Spa at the Park Hyatt
Like anything one might expect from the Hyatt group, The Spa stands as a testament to the group’s attention to detail.
With aromatherapy steam rooms, and a rooftop terrace complete with a swimming pool overlooking the city, this spa delivers one of the most complete relaxation experiences in Sydney. With a strong emphasis on the therapeutic quality of native-Australian botanicals, packages begin at $90 and come with complimentary Australian sparkling.
Using products from Blue Mountains label iKOU, the 90-minute treatment ($224) begins with a lime face polish, which is designed to strip way build-up on skin. Australian plants and botanials such as white flannel flower are infused into cleansed skin, followed by an acupressure facial massage.
hyatt.com/corporate/spas/The-Spa-Sydney/en/home
OUT OF SYDNEY
Bannisters Day Spa
Only at Bannisters in Mollymook can you take in the sweeping views of the dramatic South Coast shoreline, eat the delicious fare coming out of Rick Stein’s kitchen, and experience an intensive day-spa treatment.
Equipped with four treatment rooms and a traditional hammam steam room, Bannisters also offers a semi-alfresco cabana for couples or groups, which houses relaxation pods, lounges and a massive 12-person spa. Massages range from $60 to $185 and the comprehensive relaxation package maxes out at $235.
Lilianfels Day Spa
The Blue Mountains is an obvious choice for city dwellers looking to escape the rat race. Lilianfels Resort and Spa overlooks the incredible World Heritage wonder and is a true sanctuary of relaxation.
Lilianfels Day Spa offers a comprehensive range of skincare products from Kerstin Florian to supplement the menu of hot-stone massages, full-body treatments, body wraps, manicures and pedicures. For those who think caviar for lunch isn’t posh enough, there’s a caviar facial for $280. A thorough enzymatic peel and acupressure massage preceeds a specialised caviar face-mask, which is allegedly packed with collagen, antioxidants and nutrients.
Two-hour head-to-toe treatments start at $275 and personalised facials that include a skin consultation start at $175.
Gaia Retreat & Spa
Perched atop the highest peak of the beautiful Bundjalung country wilderness of Byron Bay is Gaia Retreat & Spa. With an enormous property spanning 25 acres, this is one of the most awarded retreats in the country, albeit a flight away.
Gaia offers a huge range of services, from massages and facials, to full-body scrubs and steam therapy. Massages include a one-hour shiatsu ($200) or Ayurvedic ($145) session. Full-body spa treatments also start at $145, and the retreat’s signature package comes in at $235 for a two-hour session.
Commencing with a ceremonial foot ritual, the signature service includes a heat-infused back treatment and a hand-and-arm massage and exfoliation. Before the ritual misting and heavy moisturising, though, there’s a face, neck and decolletage massage.
