a resort for the new century: an unspoiled, environmentally sensitive five-star luxury retreat without the stuffiness. A short boat ride away from Queensland's Gold Coast, Couran Cove has established itself on an island that has every type of Australian bushland (except desert) represented within its boundaries.
The resort combines wonderful natural playgrounds, like 20 kilometres of shell-covered surf beach, mature native bushland and tropical rainforest, with activities from rock-climbing to hydrocycling to Olympic-standard athletic facilities.
The Spa building is recognisably Queensland, incorporating corrugated iron, timber, batten sunshades and painted weather-board. Inside, fresh air and natural light predominate. The high-angled ceilings, large sun decks, polished floorboards and plantation louvre panels contribute to the beach holiday atmosphere. As part of the island's Total Living Centre, the aim of which is to help you "live better longer," the spa offers treatments and massages, naturopathic and lifestyle consultations, yoga and tai chi classes and three-or five-day resident lifestyle programmes.
A blissful hydrotherapy treatment can be experienced in the open, tiled flotation pool. Another spa specialty is a full body exfoliation and massage in the steam room, followed by a detoxifying thalassotherapy treatment in the hydrotherapy bath. Two waterside massage huts opposite the main spa have floor-to-ceiling blinds that open, so it seems there is nothing between you and nature.
The resort's founder, the former Australian Olympian Ron Clarke, has succeeded in his aim of bringing people and nature together in a relaxed family environment. The extent to which the resort goes in its commitment to adopt the motto "as nature would have it" is astounding, and includes worm farms, solar power and televisions that tell you how much energy your unit has used.
Pedal or foot power is the best way to explore Couran Cove's 161 hectares and to enjoy the huge range of sporting and leisure activities. Participate in as much or as little as you choose and when the day is done, a selection of restaurants offer delicious spa cuisine or other higher-calorie options. The choice is yours. Relax and enjoy.
Suspended above a tidal lagoon, close to the resort's harbourside epicentre, the well-equipped spa is modern and smart in design and opertaion.
THE DOME RETREAT'S PHILOSOPHY IS BASED ON AYURVEDA, AN ANCIENT METHOD OF HEALING PRACTISED THROUGHOUT INDIA FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS
The Dome Retreat, Marriott Hotel, Brisbane
Agentle atmosphere welcomes guests as they open the front door of this inner-city sanctuary. Peaceful music, hushed voices and calm staff in earth-coloured, natural-fibre uniforms can have the worries of the world slipping from your shoulders faster than you can say "replenish me."
The spa's creator, Meaghan South, wanted to provide a place where people could "escape for a day that's pure" and leave feeling rejuvenated, revitalised and renewed. The Dome Retreat's philosophy is based on Ayurveda, an ancient method of healing practised throughout India for thousands of years. Emphasizing preventative and healing therapies, along with various methods of purification and rejuvenation, Ayurvedic treatments aim to balance, harmonise and nurture the body and soul.
Attentive, individual nurturing and pampering is high on the agenda at The Dome Retreat and the experienced therapists are aware of the importance of touch and the fact that many people don't get enough of it.
Frangipani, other tropical blooms and Southeast Asian furniture are hallmarks of this spa. Six attractive and well-equipped treatment or massage rooms and two wet rooms are decorated with an eclectic mix of Buddhist relics and Indian artefacts collected by Meaghan on her travels.
Situated on the fourth floor of the five-star Marriott Hotel, The Dome Retreat's relaxation lounge and balcony overlooks the Brisbane River. Weather permitting, tall wooden doors are thrown open, allowing sunshine and fresh air to warm your toes and fill your lungs as you relax on the comfy cane lounges sipping herbal tea.
The nourishing organic products used are made from essential flower and plant essences and bestow the potent benefits of aromatherapy.
Besides offering a wide range of face and body treatments, hydrotherapy baths, Vichy showers and massages, The Dome Retreat encourages and supports clients to achieve health and wellbeing goals. Naturopath and lifestyle consultations, coaching or fitness assessments, yoga, macro-biotic and astrological guidance can be arranged.
Guests are encouraged to linger at the Retreat before and after treatments. The hotel sauna and pool are open to spa visitors and there are many pleasant settings for a healthy spa cuisine lunch.
The decor is colourful and upbeat and the therapists are hand picked for their skill and experience.
'WELCOME TO OUR WORLD OF PARADISE'
Paradise Spa and Bath House, Surfers Paradise, Queensland
Queensland's Gold Coast is home to many exciting theme park worlds-Sea World, Movie World and now a spa which could become known as Spa World. A true spa in that a dazzling variety of water therapies are available, Paradise Spa is also fun, in a great Surfers Paradise kind of way. You can even leave with a spray-on tan and blow-dry to rival any local.
Located in downtown Surfers Paradise, one of the first things you notice is the dramatic lighting. Opulent purple surfaces reflect a slowly changing, rainbow-coloured glow, the light and colour contributing to the celebratory atmosphere of this below-ground spa.
Treatments offered in the eleven culturally themed therapy rooms touch on a combination of exotic cultures and include Thai massage, Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi, Chinese Tui-Na, Indian Ayurvedic, Japanese Shiatsu, reflexology and Middle Eastern massage. It's no surpriSE; that the menu also offers an eight hour treatment of ultimate indulgence called "Around the world in a day."
Guests begin their journey through Paradise with a brief full body exfoliation. This prepares the skin to reap the benefits of the hydrotherapy treatments. Within a spacious unisex area the hot ginseng pool bestows a revitalizing and regulating effect, while the non-chlorinated (ozone) "spirit" pool contains 400 strategically placed water massage jets and several submerged "spa lounges."
Male and female domains each have a sauna, hot salt bath, cold plunge pool, steam and exfoliation rooms and a mosaic-tiled Rasul steam temple where guests are exfoliated with a cinnamon-vanilla body scrub and painted with a chakra mud while inhaling herb-infused steam. A cleansing warm rain which falls from the starlit ceiling completes this heavenly experience. This spa may be quirky, but it was impossible to wipe the smile off my face in this little piece of paradise.
Water therapies are an integral component of this spa.
