The 20 most luxurious day spas in Australia

There’s a reason why Nature’s Energy has been crowned Australia’s Best Day Spa for two 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.

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

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.

Hidden amongst 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.

The W hotel 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.

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 houses flaunt 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.

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.

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 to improve circulation, flexibility and muscle tone. The huge domed ceiling and butt busts give it a very Greco-Roman feeling. Finish your ascent to ultimate relaxation with a foot soak and scrub – your job is to inhale frankincense like the royal baby you are – followed by an aromatherapy massage.

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. 

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 surprise Ione Spa and Wellness is one of the best day spas in Adelaide.

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. 

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.

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.