The best day spas in Canberra

It may be in Canberra’s CBD, but Endota is somewhat of a wellness retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday city life. If you’re around Canberra Centre, where Endota is located, you can pop by for something as short as a half-hour facial, or make your stay a lengthy one as you settle in for massage therapy or a skin renewal facial treatment. Ball out with body wraps and scrubs or prepare for big events with spray tans and mani-pedis.

Address: Canberra Centre, Shop DG20, Petrie Plaza, Canberra

Price: One-hour massage from $155; 50-minute facial from $155

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more peaceful place to pamper yourself than the serene surrounds of the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Inspired by the native flora in the lush rainforest, Jindii EcoSpa offers a garden sanctuary to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Treatments are performed by a team of six highly skilled therapists, using locally sourced botanical ingredients and drawing on Indigenous healing traditions. Think Australian oils, heated stones and mulga brushwood to melt away tension, boost circulation and nurture overall wellbeing. A range of holistic wellness experiences is also on offer, including Reiki and sound bowl healing sessions.

Address: Australian National Botanic Gardens, Clunies Ross St, Acton

Price: One-hour massage from $170; one-hour facial from $185

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.

Address: Brassey Hotel, 10-14 Macquarie St, Barton

Price: One-hour massage from $165; one-hour facial from $215

Whether you’re flying solo or opting for a couples room, Mudd the Spa has more than enough room to take care of you in their five relaxation suites. For the athletic, Mudd specialises in performance treatments, like Swedish and deep tissue massages, but if it’s intense relaxation that you’re searching for (I mean, aren’t we all?), you might want to try out the Vichy shower that shoots water out of massage jets all down the body. Mudd clients score access to the hydro-areas of Evo Health Club, which includes a 25-metre lap pool, sauna and steam room.

Address: Hotel Realm, 18 National Circuit, Barton

Price: One-hour massage from $160; one-hour facial from $180

The ethos at La Terre is bringing spa experiences worthy of overseas trips to our Australian capital’s backyard. Just like the spa’s name, many of the indulgent experiences have French titles, like Le Fleuve, the river to sea experience with full-body exfoliation. Or just screw it and go for La Totale, which is, you guessed it, the total package. La Terre uses Sothys products for their facials so you can rest assured in your comfortable-as-can-be treatment chair that your skin will be getting nothing but royal treatment.

Address:

Price: One-hour massage from $109; one-hour facial from $159

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.

Address: Nesuto Canberra Apartment Hotel, Shop 6/2 Akuna St, Canberra

Price: One-hour massage from $140; one-hour facial from $120