Is there anything more rejuvenating than a good soak and steam session? Whether it’s spending so long in a spa you wind up looking like a prune or just a good old sweat out in the sauna, you and your achy muscles will be feeling in tip-top shape after visiting one of these Brisbane saunas and spas.
Cenote Casa Bathhouse
Woolloongabba
For a few hours of total relaxation, Cenote Casa Bathhouse is an utterly gorgeous and minimalistic retreat from everyday life. A $45 soak session gets you 2 whole hours to skip between the warm massaging bubbles of a hydrotherapy spa, an intoxicating essential oil infused steam room, refreshing dips in the outdoor magnesium plunge pool and the cedar dry sauna, before retreating to the sun loungers or just stretching out on the grass. Take it slowly through the facilities or soak, steam, plunge and repeat. The choice is yours.
Aquarius Health & Medispa
Brisbane CBD
For anyone who just wants to spend a few hours jumping from steam room to sauna to spa and back again, Aquarius is the place to go, with a casual visit pass at just $30. That gets you access to their Turkish style steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, Finnish dry spa AND indoor heated swimming pool. For as long as you want. Any time you want. You can even get a 10 visit pass for just $255. Consider us there.
Update: Bathhouse facilities are closed until September 7 for maintenance.
Away Spa At W Brisbane
Brisbane CBD
Away Spa is more than just a little bit luxe. It’s the in-house spa facility at W Brisbane in the city, but is also open to the public if you book in for one of their uber-luxurious treatments. It’s definitely a treat yourself kind of spot, but with facials, body scrubs and massages on the menu, why wouldn’t you? Pre or post-treatment you can make the most of the spa’s vitality pools, relaxation pods, rain showers, saunas and aromatherapy steam rooms—or hit the bar. We feel more relaxed just thinking about it.
Restoration Zone
Newstead
If you need regular sweat sessions, and not just the working out kind, unlimited access to Restoration Zone’s steam room, sauna, infra-red sauna and ice bath will set you back a mere $39 a week—that’s UNLIMITED access people. You’ll also get 24/7 gym access, unlimited yoga and as many group fitness training classes as you can fit in, but frankly, if a daily post-work steam session sounds like your jam, Restoration Zone is the place to do it.
Stephanie's
Brisbane CBD
Another day spa offering situated inside a hotel, Stephanie’s at the Sofitel is well worth a look in if you want to be pampered into sheer heaven. Their signature Opal Rasul Steam Temple experience is an hour of pure bliss, combining mud therapy, warm steam and tropical rain showers. Do it on your own or bliss out with a few friends, and afterwards, if you feel like you could take a bit more heat, you can make use of the pool and spa.
Bliss Float
Bulimba
It’s not your usual soak or steam session, but loyal regulars swear by the wellness benefits that flotation has to offer. Bliss Float offers sci-fi-esque looking pods that you may be hesitant to climb inside upon first inspection, but rest assured they’re only filled with skin temperature water and Epsom salts—the ultimate combo for a deeply relaxing float. Most people book in for an hour-long float, though the patient (or very stressed?) can opt for a two-hour session
City Cave
Fortitude Valley, Paddington and Mt Gravatt
With several locations in across Brisbane, City Cave’s state-of-the-art infrared saunas will have you melting into a puddle of pure relaxation without all that water-and-hot-stones situation. Pop into one of the private rooms and sweat your worries away while the heat seeps deep into your muscles, detoxifying, destressing and basically just unwinding you from head to toe.
Healing Stone
South Bank
The Japanese are really on to something with their steaming and soaking traditions, and it’s no wonder—the rituals have been around for over 1000 years. The Healing Stone at Emporium Hotel in South Bank offers ‘Ganbanyoku,’ a hot rock spa originating from Japan with special volcanic stone beds capped with Himalayan rock salt that infuse the air. Best of all, you don’t have to be a guest of the hotel to enjoy it—just book in for an hour long sesh and add a massage treatment to your visit if you’re feeling extra tense.
Want more relaxation? Check out Brisbane’s best massages.
Image credit: Sophie Spencer