The Australian Spa Hotels on Our Wellness Travel Wishlist

The golden age of travel when people dressed up just to catch flights, without the pinch of sardine seating, and breezed into grand hotels for a month of pampering, feels long gone. Travel today is often frantic. But there are ways to reclaim a glimmer of that former glory without a time machine…or your entire savings and annual leave.

Put on your slippers and cinch your robe because spa hotels in Australia are booming. The term means exactly what you think, hotels that have an in-house day spa and are flatteringly-lit portals to the halcyon days of travel. From desert oases to tropical havens, city skylines to rolling vineyards, we’re sharing our favourite spa hotels in Australia.

Spa type: Combines elements of traditional Indigenous botanical extracts and desert minerals with modern massage and treatments.

Why we love it: Almost everything to do with being near Uluru is a tonic to modern life, but spending an hour (or two) at Red Ochre Spa can take things next level zen. We recommend the Sacred Journey full body massage, full body exfoliation and hydration cocoon and flash facial. Top it off with a crisp glass of something bubbly with a view of the outback’s dramatic beauty.

Address: Ayers Rock Resort Sails in the Desert, Yulara Drive, Yulara NT

Spa type: A mix of steam rooms, infrared saunas, hot tubs, and a comprehensive menu of wellness therapies.

Why we love it: Mount Lofty House is definitely a hotel where you can picture wealthy women of yesteryear recuperating. While it’s actually only 15 minutes from Adelaide, it feels light years away. Head to the Gatekeeper’s Day Spa for a plunge in the cedar hot tub or a session in the infrared sauna, then book a dry body brush followed by a Swedish massage and finish with an express facial. Gatekeepers is a Jurlique-approved day spa and the iconic skincare line grows all of their ingredients in nearby Mount Barker.

Address: Mount Lofty House, 1 Mawson Drive, Crafers, SA

Spa type: Tension-release massages that target jet lag, plus quick foot rubs for those with a flight to catch.

Why we love it: Novotel Melbourne Airport proves that you don’t need to settle for mediocre when you’re stuck on a layover. Their spa menu is a cure to the fatigue of long-haul flights. Massage therapy has been shown to help the body recover from flights by increasing blood flow and, unsurprisingly, encouraging muscles to relax. Opt for the customisable Muscle Focus Massage, a medium to firm full body massage that teases out every knot you earned from attempting to sleep upright in economy.

Address: Novotel Melbourne Airport, Arrival Drive, Melbourne Airport, VIC

Spa type: A classic spa offering a variety of massages, facials, and a large Finnish-style sauna.

Why we love it: Majestic cliffs, misty valleys, and enough fresh mountain air to reboot your lungs, is there any place more suited to a hotel spa than the Blue Mountains? Spread over two stories - that’s how serious this place is - UBIKA Spa has a real focus on holistic treatments. Combine the Moroccan Rose Melt body wrap with a focus massage, tailored to your specific pain points. They even have their own state-of-the-art flotation tank and magically glowing salt room.

Address: Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, 1 Sublime Point Road, Leura NSW

Spa t: Swiss-inspired wellness treatments, featuring massages and facials.

Why we love it: A true oasis in the middle of Sydney’s CBD, Swissôtel manages to cocoon you from the city bustle in a swirl of European-style luxury. This is very golden age, with Switzerland being the original home of restorative spas. Spa and Sport’s signature massage, Pürovel, is a concept created by Swissotel that combines remedial massage with their house-blended aromatherapy and essential oils from alpine flowers and herbs.

Address: Swissôtel Sydney, 68 Market Street, Sydney, NSW

Spa Type: Tropical-themed massages, body scrubs, and facial treatments.

Why we love it: Pullman Cairns International's Vie Spa has strong White Lotus season one vibes: coconut-scented serenity, exotic oils and a sea breeze. Their ten lush spa suites include private rooms, a couple’s retreat, a group treatments space, and a vichy shower. We recommend the Queen Vie, which is three and a half hours of the royal treatment - a facial, exfoliating body polish, waterlily body wrap, massage and a mini mani/pedi. It includes a bottle of nail colour to take home and delicious Australian sparkling wine.

Address: Pullman Cairns International, 17 Abbott Street, Cairns, QLD

Spa Type: Vinotherapy (wine-based scrubs), detoxifying wraps, and massages against a panoramic mountain backdrop.

Why we love it: Vineyards, sweeping views of Lake Samsonvale, and a hydrotherapy suite. Surrounded by the hum of local wildlife, this is definitely not one of those day spas you go in for a massage and leave right after; it’s a place to linger over several treatments and a fruit platter. Honestly, they had us at vinotherapy. Bliss, bottled and poured.

Address: Mercure Clear Mountain Lodge Spa and Vineyard, 564 Clear Mountain Road, Clear Mountain, QLD

Spa Type: Specialty massages, aromatherapy, and beauty treatments using native botanicals.

Why we love it: Margaret River is quickly gaining attention for its spa scene. At Pullman Bunker Bay Resort’s location of Vie Spa we recommend some hot rock healing, which uses hot basalt stones and geranium and clementine oils. The resort’s beachfront location means that any treatment you choose is accompanied by the lapping Indian Ocean and its slinky, salty sea breeze.

Address: Pullman Bunker Bay Resort Margaret River, 42 Bunker Bay Road, Naturaliste WA

Maybe the golden age of pleasure travel isn’t gone, maybe it’s just more about slipping between five-star sheets after a long massage? So make the Vinotherapy booking. Try the flotation tank. Upgrade your layover. Life’s short, and holidays are even shorter, so you might as well do it in comfort.