Australia’s first round-the-clock sanctuary redefines how and when one can restore both mind and body.
Reverie , Australia’s first self-guided 24/7 wellness sanctuary, opened its doors in Canberra in August. And according to co-founder Cassandra Smith, it’s been receiving glowing reports from locals looking to optimise their physical health and wellbeing around the clock.
“For Reverie to be alive and moving and breathing is really validating. And to see how the community has embraced it is very gratifying," says Smith, who comes from a background in beauty and medical aesthetics.
Smith says she conceptualised the rejuvenation escape when she was in beauty school more than two decades ago.
“I was in beauty school in 2004, and my assignment was to create a dream business. I dreamt up the name ‘Dusk’ and a concept for a beauty salon that opened from 6 pm to 5 am. I was convinced it was going to work because it was the kind of business I was dreaming of for myself. Two decades on, Reverie is just the elegant execution of that idea," Smith tells Australian Traveller.
Smith says her business partner Lexi Bannister, a leading hair stylist “with a keen eye for aesthetics and meticulous attention to detail and design," helped transition the business vision from dream to reality.
“Reverie is redefining what lifestyle health looks like in 2025. It’s the ultimate in wellness for those who don’t want to interact with anyone after a long day. The fact that it’s self-guided means it’s very grounding for a lot of people who value their privacy and a bit of downtime," she says.
Smith says offering 24-hour access to tech-enabled private suites means clients can experience a self-guided wellness journey that includes everything from premium cedar ice baths to an infrared sauna and a dry float (like a magnesium float bath but without the water). There is even a self-tanning booth, and an LED device that uses multiple wavelengths at once, tapping into photonic energy to “energise your cells to do their job a bit better".
Precision-led restoration
Smith, with business partner Lexi, says the business appeals to clients who want to access premium wellness facilities without having to make small talk with other customers or a receptionist. “It’s completely private," she says. Smith adds that the real beauty of the business is that it offers the flexibility to fit in with clients’ busy work-life schedules.
She says Reverie was designed to help their clients achieve great restorative rest and a reset that reflects how more people live and work.
“We have one client who is a shift worker who has a very busy, demanding job. The feedback we have received is that she loves that she can pop in whenever it suits her and is grateful to be able to access treatments as and when it suits."
In addition to the diverse range of premium services, which also includes red light therapy, contrast therapy and LED light therapy, Reverie will invite leading wellness and beauty practitioners to offer their services in the space.
Clients wanting to book a session at Reverie can do so via the website, with access to the facility and their private suite enabled via their smartphone. In addition to standalone treatments, memberships are available for those who want to commit to being regulars. Those who are unsure about the technology can also book a walk-through to get a feel for the self-guided treatments.
“It really is a choose-your-own-adventure kind of sanctuary. Our very first customer was a guy who came in at 5 am to use the facilities. There are others who book spray tans at the end of the day as they have an event the following evening. And shift workers who want to book a dry float at midnight. It’s about experiencing Reverie as a new kind of wellness. Wellness your way," says Smith. Memberships range from $49 per week to $109 for unlimited sessions with the Reverie Foundation Membership.
