The best spas and bath houses in Melbourne

If you’re seeking a complete escape into opulence and luxury, then look no further than the Spa at Crown Towers. 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 ($400), which begins with a foot ritual and meditation, before exotic ingredients such as tulasi, wild turmeric and Indian lime are applied via an invigorating body scrub, mud wrap and massage. Every treatment over 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.

Part wholefoods café and part mindfulness space with spa treatments and wellness services, Willow is a tranquil oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of Armadale. A few spa menu highlights include the Blissful Marma massage (from $170), which soothes tension and aligns vital energy centres, while the Signature Rose Quartz facial (from $170) uses aromatic actives, rollers and gua sha tools to lift, plump and soften the complexion. And if you’re called to a little mystic magic, try the Intuitive Energy Healing (from $170) – it may be just the thing to harmonise your body, mind and soul.

Holism Retreat is all about radical self-kindness and unifying mind, body and breath. So much so that you’ll feel relaxed just reading the menu. Here, it’s all about personalisation and creating the journey you want and need. Upon the advice of Pauline, the owner, we joined the 9am yoga class, followed by breakfast and a refreshing swim in the hotel’s rooftop pool. Then we were treated to the Reset Ritual ($420, and includes an hour massage and an hour facial) and added some extra time in the Wellness Light Lounge.

Tucked away in Hawksburn Village on Malvern Road is the very pretty Blanc Spa. While this is not a day spa with extensive facilities, the luxury touch points have certainly been considered. Blanc Spa has a lovely team of skin and body experts, and a spa menu that is surprisingly extensive. The venue offers performance facial treatments (including an AlpPure Facial for $180), bespoke massage, deluxe body and bathing experiences, alongside premium beauty services. If short on time you can enjoy a 30-minute rhassoul ritual or make a day of it and indulge in the five-hour Mont Blanc for $800 (it includes a hydro soak, alpine herb exfoliation, detox body wrap, swedish massage, facial, pedicure, manicure and a drink).

Awarded the world’s Best Beauty Salon at the World Spa Awards in 2019, Miss Fox was designed with glamourous intentions in mind. This Hollywood-esque day spa and beauty salon is located in the hustle and bustle of Melbourne’s CBD on Little Collins Street. We choose the Wander Within Ritual, a package that includes a foot bath and exfoliation, a warm full body massage with custom-blended aromatherapy oils, a facial and a glass of Champagne to top it off ($388 for two hours). Added enhancements included a private change area and 1000-thread count sheets on heated massage beds. When you’re wrapped up in a plush robe, it makes relaxing in the Emerald lounge pre and post treatment that much more magical.

While the Little Company doesn’t quite qualify for day spa status (the speciality here is facials) it still deserves to be on this list. Fair warning though – the wait list for a service at Little Co is over six weeks. While you won’t receive soft fluffy robes and slippers, you will be wrapped up under a duvet while your face is attended to. The reception area has refreshments and a casual lounge, and there is also the option to bask under a LED Light whilst listening to a recorded meditation by A Space. At the end of your treatment you’ll receive expert guidance and personalised product recommendations to help your skin. Facial treatment prices start at $149.  

Aurora Spa has been a long time favourite with many Melbourne locals, and what you can expect here is well-trained staff that will deliver high-quality massages, facials and spa treatments. The space is a little dated, but Aurora is easy to relax into. Packages range from two to six hours so you can escape and retreat for a good part of the day. The Signature Kitya Karnu massage ($225) is done in your own private steam room and includes a walnut and wattleseed body scrub, with a nourishing hair mask, facial cleanse and facial mask to boot. 

The dark moody tones of the Chuan Spa invite a sense of relaxation the moment you enter. Try the Chuan Harmony or Chuan Balancing Massage (both start at $110), which targets traditional Chinese medicine acupressure points during the treatment. You can also try the Muddy Elements (from $279), a wrap treatment that combines a salt scrub and mud wrap – it’s the complete opposite to Tough Mudder as all you’ll need to do is lie back and let someone else do the dirty work. The Tri-Bathing Ritual is complementary with another treatment and you can sit out on a deck that overlooks the Melbourne skyline while you jump between the salt water pool to the jacuzzi, heated sauna and river stone snail shower.  

Despite being in the heart of the city, this spa is quiet and calm, with soft lighting and timber finishes. Make use of the spa’s staff, as they know their stuff. If you’re getting a facial or body treatment, they’ll ask you what you want and suss out any problem areas to work on. Got a few issues you need kneaded out of you? The spa will soothe your aching body from head to toe. The massage technique is inspired by Swedish, Balinese and Polynesian styles, and there’s a choice of aromatherapy or certified organic oils.

HÜD is the brainchild of Norwegian beauty Gry Tømte – an émigré who has devoted herself to effective skincare and treatments after suffering the torment of acne in her twenties. As for the treatments – don't expect anything fluffy, they purely focus on clinical skin treatments here. Their specialty is within correcting skin dysfunction and especially treating acne, pigmentation and age management; boasting an on site cosmetic doctor, nurse and naturopath in addition to the team of skin and dermal clinicians.

Fitzroy Street is hiding one of the most relaxing spots in the bayside area. The day spa offers the complete pampering experience, from mani-pedis (bubbles optional), waxing and specialised facials to massages, spray tanning, IPL treatments and pamper packages like the Sensory Escape package ($185). On entering a dimly lit treatment room, you'll be asked to jump into a fluffy bathrobe and soak your feet to prepare for a foot scrub. Next is a full body exfoliation with a dry body brushing. The main event is the super relaxing full body massage using a fragrant essential oil of your choosing. It's a totally luxurious experience.

You had us at natural mineral springs! No only that, but Lon Retreat also boasts soaking tubs, steam rooms and breathtaking views to the ocean, lighthouse and coastal landscape. Even though the spa menu is succinct, there are enough enticing therapies to make you want to return again and again. We chose the Mukha Chikitsa Holistic Facial ($175) which is a customised facial that releases muscle tension and leaves your skin feeling very smooth. We topped it off with a Deep Tissue Massage (from $180).

The One Spa at RACV Torquay is everything a day spa should be – a beautifully appointed space of generous proportions with additional facilities to enhance your chosen spa experience. Upon entering the gorgeous reception area, you will be ushered into the changerooms which connect through to a spacious relaxation lounge and hammam that overlook green rolling hills. You’ll be spoiled for choice with One Spa’s extensive spa menu. We chose the Escape Ritual ($450 or $410 for RACV members) which is a total top-to-toe relaxation experience, paired with some time to soak, steam and dream in the hammam.

Wine and wellness is always a good idea in our books so if you are headed to the Gippsland area, schedule a stop at the day spa at Brandy Creek Estate. The spa sits on the top of the ridge and takes in the scenic surrounds of the vineyard. First, take some time to chill out at the hammam before donning your bathrobe and relax in the lounge with herbal tea. We opted for the Tension Tamer (from $125) which pinpoints specific areas on your body that are causing you discomfort or added tension. The spa also offers express treatments (30 minutes or so) for those short on time, as well as therapies targeting just feet and hands.  

For years the idyllic Mornington Peninsula has provided refuge for Melburnians looking for an accessible and relaxing weekend away. Of course, a trip out here without a stopover at the Peninsula Hot Springs would be sacrilege. Peninsula Hot Springs is Victoria’s first geothermal mineral springs and day spa. It’s here you’ll find more than 50 bathing experiences, including shared thermal mineral pools, wet and dry saunas, a hydrotherapy pool, Turkish and Moroccan hammams and the frequently Instagrammed hilltop pool, which boasts 360-degree views over the farmlands of Fingal. The tranquil Spa Dreaming Centre also offers communal bathing in a variety of thermal pools, including a barrel bath, grotto pool and an indoor pool that overlooks the lake. Pampering options at the in-house spa include massages, facials and body treatments. You can also book private bathing pavilions for a more secluded experience, and there’s also yoga classes, body clay workshops, mindful walks and warm water exercises to get amongst. A good two decades after opening, the Hot Springs continue to expand. In 2018, the spa underwent a $13 million expansion which included an ice cave and a deep freeze chamber, a food garden that services the onsite café, as well as nine new pools. The ice cave is the first of its kind in Australia, and hot/cold therapy is a well-regarded method to reduce inflammation, stress and soreness in the body (think footy players jumping into the sea or having crazy cold ice bath

To get to this place you’ll find yourself weaving through a countryside road, over rolling hills that look out over the ocean. Just getting to this resort is part of the experience. Upon arrival you are guided through to the luxurious changing rooms and through a door into the contemporary Hammam bathing space. After some time soaking, steaming and showering you are invited to refresh in the zen lounge before your treatment. We opted for the Mornington Melt ($265 or $240 for RACV members) which is a two-hour treatment that includes a full-body exfoliation, body wrap, full-body massage and a scalp massage.

If you’re heading out to horse country, otherwise known as the Goulburn Valley, then you shouldn’t miss a stop at Mitchelton Winery, which is now home to a hotel and day spa. The moment you step into the day spa you’ll be greeted by the signature scents of USPA, a locally made skin and spa range, before wrapping yourself in a cosy bathrobe to enjoy the view from the relaxation lounge. We opted for the two-hour Escape Ritual ($225) which included a customised massage, a nourishing facial and a hair and scalp mask and massage. Post-relaxation you can head to the winery for lunch and a tour of the cellar and art gallery.

Flying under most spa-seeker radars is the One Spa at the Healesville Country Club. The staff are dedicated to pampering guests to the highest degree. The spa offers a similar menu to the other One Spa venues on this list, but also offers some private bathing options like the hydrotherapy tub and waterfall steam shower. We tried an Aromasoul Scrub ($110 or $99 for RACV members), a Monticelli Mud Wrap ($150 or $135 for members) and a Sacred Nature Facial ($140 or $125 for RACV members). You can then spend your time sitting in the zen lounge and taking in the scenic views.  

There are two different areas for soaking at this bathhouse. The main bathhouse has two different heated pools. The Sanctuary is a larger space and includes a magnesium salt bath under a gorgeous skylight; a spa couch bath (you can lie on one of several underwater beds and let the bubbles work their magic); a rainfall shower in three different temperatures; two saunas; and an outdoor spa on the deck, which overlooks the beautiful Hepburn Mineral Springs Reserve. There is also a cold plunge pool on the deck, so you can zip between the hot and cold water for maximum skin-tingling effect. 

The Mansion Spa is a classic hotel day spa with a wide array of spa treatments. Plus – driving into the grounds of this historic mansion and seeing the beautiful gardens is all part of the experience. We opted for the private Hammam ($40 for 30 minutes) which also comes with a DIY scrub and mud application. Another highlight was the Tension Relief massage ($75), the seasonal botanical facial (from $165) and an orange cream hair treatment ($25). Treatments over an hour include use of the swimming pool, steam room and gym (though exercise might be the furthest thing from your mind).

We all need a little TLC every now and then. Leave your worries at the door and check yourself into the city's best massage parlours.