Want to escape the city buzz or relax in exclusive inner city getaways? There’s plenty to experience in Victoria.
PURE LUXE
Spa de Marrakech
The place: A traditional Moroccan bathhouse in Victoria’s picturesque Yarra Valley. There’s a steam temple, and treatments include colour therapy sessions, aromatherapy massage, radiant facials and exquisite dining. At the centre, you’ll find a Roman bathhouse where guests can relax in hot mineral spring water. It’s the perfect setting for a girls’ getaway, romantic couples retreat or solo R ’n’ R.
The experience: After your aromatherapy massage or facial, indulge your tastebuds with a Moroccan feast comprising tagines, pastries, harira soup and Persian love cakes prepared by the in-house chef.
Details: 14 Mountain Crescent, Montrose, (03) 9737 0413
Lavanya Day Spa
The place: Whether you spend an hour or half a day at Lavanya Day Spa, your experience is sure to be second to none. Nestled inside the award-winning Captains Retreat B&B, Lavanya will have you feeling deeply relaxed the moment you walk through their door. With a penchant for premium quality and local ingredients, the treatments are good for the body, soul and planet.
The experience: Indulge with their signature Paprika Power facial and full body massage and escape for two hours into a haze. Paprika stimulates the natural circulation in the skin, working to detoxify, oxygenate and rejuvenate.
Details: 2 Ferguson St, Williamstown, (03) 9681 9587
WELLNESS
Peninsula Hot Springs
The place: Soak up the tranquil bushland surrounds and fresh air at Peninsula Hot Springs, Australia’s first natural geo-thermal springs. There are 20 different bathing experiences with both a social bathhouse area and secluded private area for chill-out time. Add on a luxurious treatment – from facials and salt scrubs to hot stone treatments and body wraps – inspired by traditional Aboriginal ingredients and techniques. You’ll quickly edge your way closer to inner zen.
The experience: The hour-long Mala Mapi treatment begins with an aromatic oil massage and desert salt exfoliation followed by a warm silky and mineral-rich Mapi mud mask and de-stressing scalp massage.
Details: Springs Lane, Fingal, (03) 5950 8777
Norbu Urban Retreat at The Olsen Hotel
The place: In the award-winning Olsen Hotel, Norbu Urban Retreat is a holistic wellness centre that integrates luxuriant treatments with an extensive range of health and wellness options. All treatments are designed to boost circulation, increase oxygenation to optimise organ function and remove toxins.
The experience: Try the signature Berry Refined Firming Peel by Eminence. The exfoliation aids greater penetration and absorption of the actives, with a yummy fruit cocktail of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries infusing the skin with antioxidants to tighten tissue. After one exfoliating treatment, your expression lines appear relaxed, skin is glowing, texture is smoother and skin is plumped.
Details: Mezzanine, The Olsen, 637 Chapel Street, South Yarra, (03) 9040 1199
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