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The Hunter Valley is already pretty good at the whole long-lunch, wine-tasting and weekend-away thing – but soon, you’ll be able to add cold plunges, reformer Pilates and pickleball to the itinerary. A major new resort is set to transform 340 acres of the region into Australia’s largest integrated resort wellness precinct, with the first new facilities opening from October 2026. Keen? Us too. Here’s what we know so far.
Avani Cypress Lakes Resort is the latest project from global hotel operator Minor Hotels, which is giving the existing Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort and adjoining Elysia Wellness Retreat a pretty impressive makeover. Once complete, the sprawling resort will become the largest Avani property in Australasia, with 204 rooms and suites. And while you can absolutely still spend your weekend doing nothing more strenuous than moving between the cellar door and the restaurant, there’ll be plenty of options for those who like their holidays with a side of self-improvement.
The revamped resort will still feature its signature 18-hole golf course, plus two restaurants and 24 meeting and events spaces. But the new additions are where things get particularly interesting: expect three pickleball courts, an outdoor cinema, a pool bar complete with DJ booth, ten Pilates reformer beds and outdoor cold-plunge pools.
The big drawcard is AvaniWell, which will make its Australian debut at Cypress Lakes. Rather than asking guests to disappear into a remote retreat and survive exclusively on green juice for a week, the concept is designed to fit wellness into a regular holiday. The existing Elysia Wellness Retreat will be transformed into AvaniWell at Cypress Lakes, with 70 wellness suites, a magnesium pool and 26 treatment rooms. There’ll also be infrared saunas, Pilates reformer beds, outdoor cold plunges and spaces for seminars and group sessions. According to the team, guests can choose how deep they want to dive into wellness: there will be individual treatments on offer, classes and day-spa experiences, as well as multi-day wellness programmes if you’re ready to fully commit to the reset. And you won’t necessarily need to book a room to get involved. AvaniWell will be open to resort guests, day visitors and members of the local community, with a special program (AvaniKids) designed to get kids active and creative in the great outdoors.
According to the Minor Hotels team, the transformation will happen in stages – with the first new facilities scheduled to open in October 2026 and the full redevelopment expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2027. Rates and packages will be available from October 1, 2026. You can keep tabs on updates over here.