Social Spas Are The Hottest Trend In Wellness Right Now

Day spas are moving away from “me time" to become social hubs in their own right, revealing a wider wellness trend that elevates connection to the ultimate act of self-care.

Spa with a bar

The reception desk at W Sydney’s Away Spa is decidedly different to most day spas – it’s a marble-topped bar shaped like a horseshoe with blue velvet stools inviting you to sit and unwind. This ‘Beauty Bar’ is a metaphor for what wellness is in 2024. It’s about treating your temple inside as well as out, while providing a platform for connection – much missing during the pandemic years.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, in the 2023 Global Wellness Trends Report: The Future of Wellness, social wellness was the leading trend, with a focus on nixing loneliness and offering experiences that serve as social icebreakers.

The bar inside AWAY Spa Bar — The marble-topped bar serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks a well as light bites.

With a menu of alcoholic and non-alcoholic tipples as well as light bites, at Away Spa you can mix manis with martinis, sitting in one of the curvaceous (and very Instagrammable) nail booths, or retire to the bar after a sauna, steam room and experience shower.

At The Spa at Salt on the Tweed coast in northern New South Wales, groups swap cafes catch ups for ‘Sip and Lounge’ sessions in their Elements lounge, enjoying an alcoholic beverage alongside the spa, sauna, LED light therapy, ice bath and zen room, where you can DIY yoga or breathwork.

SpaQ at QT Sydney is also seeing guests seeking a social sanctuary over solo treatments, which is why their Metamorphosis package includes lunch delivered from Parlour or Gowings to keep the wellness experience going all day.

SpaQT has crafted a Metamorphosis package that includes lunch to cater to the growing appetite for social spas that last all day.

Unknowingly pre-empting the trend, Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa introduced its Social Spa pre-pandemic in 2019. Designed for groups of up to four, the space allows you to reconnect over soothing stone therapy and massages.

Couple at Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa — Reconnect in groups of up to four at Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa.

Bathhouse vibes

Bathhouses are having a major moment in Australia, and these public soak and sweat sessions have become facilitators of moral support. Places for mum groups to unwind free of kids, or friends to treat someone dear to them going through difficult times. They’re also attracting more men – many who would have never considered going to a day spa.

Group gather for a spa at Sense of Self — Bathhouses are having a major moment in Australia right now.

“Bathhouses have existed for centuries and are a great means to go back to basics and embrace social well-being because it has never been more vital," says Melbourne’s Sense of Self owner and director, Freya Berwick, Freya Berwick.

Sense of Self co-founder Freya Berwick — Sense of Self owner and director, Freya Berwick, believes the desire for social well-being has seen bathhouses explode in popularity.

Whether visiting as a group or a solo bather seeking time-out with like-minded souls, guests at the calming Collingwood sanctuary can book a massage, opt for a self-led Sud & Mud kit to amplify the bathhouse experience, or simply enjoy two hours in the mineral bath, Finnish sauna, cold plunge and Hamman – all free of phones.

Sense of Self — The Collingwood bathhouse has a no-phone policy.

As well as providing an IRL social platform, bathhouses also make wellness more fun. At Tank Bathhouse in Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast, guests come as much for the sauna and plunge rotations as the river cruise, tapas and cocktails. At The Banya in Mullumbimby, a monthly book club combines a dose of self-care with novel dissections over pots of herbal tea.

Aerial view of a group at Tank Bathhouse on the Sunshine Coast — Tapas and cocktails are all part of the fun at Tank Bathhouse in Mooloolaba.

Sunrise swim community

Coffee, cards and an ocean dip at dawn is the recipe for wellness according to Generation SPF . The sunrise swim community, which gathers near Noosa every Wednesday, was founded with the pure purpose of connection. Feeling increasingly isolated while working from home and inspired by Perth’s Cold Nips , entrepreneur Lolita Daskalu-Glover and her partner, photographer Alex Van Kampen, started the group in search of “those everyday stranger interactions".

Members of Generation SPF in Noosa go for a sunrise swim — Generation SPF was founded with the pure purpose of fostering connection. (Image: Alex Van Kampen)

“It’s been two years now and each week we get around 50-100 people," says Lolita, adding that at least 80 per cent stick around for the coffee and card games afterwards. Once a month they team the swim with guided breathwork and another week they do yoga. It’s even drawing wellness seekers from Brisbane and travellers from interstate.

“So many people each week say they specifically plan their trip to Noosa to come to our swim," she says. “The common thread is they [participants] just want to meet new people and it’s such a nice way to start your morning."

Generation SPF T-Shirts — Coffee, cards and an ocean dip are all part of the morning routine.

Will run for food

During peak Covid, a new breed of running club emerged – social groups, less focused on PBs or training for a marathon. Great for those who have moved to a new town, they even offer up delicious incentives. In various parts of the country, you can run for rewards in the form of croissants , gelato, a beer, or even a steak at the pub .

Unfit Rub Club was founded in September 2020 by Cory Wittleton, who, as a boutique courier company owner, wanted to help his cafe clients who saw their businesses dry up. Now Unfit Run Clubs in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Sydney attract up to 900 people each week.

The Unfit Run Club rewards participants with delicious incentives. (Image: mbark)

“The beer runs are the most popular at the moment," says Cory who credits the relaxed nature of the events as their biggest drawcard. He admits fostering connections between runners was never his first goal but one that’s happened organically. “We see all these WhatsApp groups and people going to each other’s weddings and all sorts," he says. “It blows my mind."

Unfit Run Club in Noosa — Unfit Run Clubs have popped up all over Australia.

Given it’s been proven that positive relationships keep us happier and healthier, and even live longer, a run to the pub or a drink in a day spa could just be the best thing you do for yourself this year.

Discover the magic of a Sydney staycation in summer at The Fullerton Hotel Sydney.

Sydney City is magical in summer. Warm summer evenings beg to be spent sipping cool cocktails at one of many al fresco and rooftop bars. Ferries and buses are ready to transport travellers to the best nearby beaches for salty days on the sand. National parks and rainforests are waiting to be explored. And the city’s events calendar is packed, from live music to cultural attractions. All elements that call for a Sydney staycation.

Discover where to eat, stay and play for the perfect local getaway.

Where to stay

The Fullerton Hotel Sydney

Amid the bustle of the perfect Sydney staycation, one needs a place to escape to and recharge. Enter, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney . The hotel is an icon in its own right – nestled inside the 151-year-old building that was originally Sydney’s General Post Office, its heritage-listed sandstone walls and Victorian renaissance grandeur have been carefully preserved – providing a rare chance to sleep within Sydney’s history.

Despite its fascinating history, the hotel isn’t short on modern, luxurious comforts. Rooms and suites are available in both the modern high-rise with gorgeous views over the clock tower and lively city below, or inside the historical post office building itself.

the Fullerton Hotel Sydney Heritage Long Suite bathroom — Heritage rooms maintain their old-world style.

Either way, guests can enjoy sophisticated touches, including a deluxe bed and pillow menu, Harman Kardon Bluetooth speakers, a digital concierge, a Vittoria coffee machine and amenities from the Balmain bathroom collection.

The team at this five-star hotel provides excellence and a quality experience for all their guests, while amenities like a gym help with a well-rounded stay. For a peaceful moment with sweeping city views, enter The Fullerton Club Lounge on level 28. This private haven for dining and relaxation is available to any guests staying on the hotel’s club floors and suites.

Add to this a central location in the CBD’s Martin Place, with easy access to Sydney’s top attractions, and convenience meets style.

Where to drink & dine

1. The Bar

the Fullerton Hotel afternoon tea at the bar — Indulge in the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea.

Inside The Fullerton Hotel Sydney’s lobby, The Bar does more than sling a few delicious cocktails (although it certainly does that well). Its brown leather chairs and glass ceiling create the perfect, almost al fresco, setting for the Fullerton Signature Afternoon Tea .

Served daily from 12 to 4 pm, the afternoon tea is a nod to the cherished social occasion it once was during the Victorian Renaissance era. People like to dress up for this afternoon tea, and if you’re lucky, a pianist often sits down at the on-site grand piano, just adding to the elegance.

The afternoon tea is served high tea style, offering reimagined British flavours of the Victorian Renaissance era with a unique blend of Australia’s culinary heritage. A sweet layer offers delights like a Malted Milk Envelope (a milk mousse layered between two biscuits), Bakewell Pudding (a super tasty egg-based pudding), and Apple Charlotte.

On the savoury layer, expect finger sandwiches with fillings like cucumber, egg and smoked salmon. While classic pinwheels and stuffed eggs almost make the menu. And, of course, all finished off with traditional scones served with cream and mixed berry jam.

Can’t fit in a whole afternoon tea? Be sure to at least order a slice of the 32-layered chocolate cake, a decadent mix of dark chocolate crémeux, fresh whipped cream, and Valrhona Azélia chocolate sauce. ⁣

2. The Place

the Fullerton Hotel the place dining — Dine in the stunning GPO atrium.

On level one of The Fullerton Hotel Sydney lives The Place – the hotel’s restaurant, in an atrium overlooking the former GPO. Here, dine on Modern Australian cuisine – think fresh, local seafood and a Riverina steak sandwich – along with a touch of Singaporean signature dishes, like Thai-style green curry or chicken satay. All in the shadow of the GPO clock tower, enjoying the GPO atrium’s natural light.

3. Local gelato

Couple enjoying ice-creams at First Fleet Park, The Rocks — Enjoy ice cream in the sunshine. (Image: Destination NSW)

What is summer without ice cream and/or gelato? Luckily, there are plenty of options just a short walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, whether you’re craving a midday pick-me-up or an after-sun treat.

What to do/see

1. GPO Heritage Tour

the Fullerton Hotel Sydney lobby — Be awed by the building’s history.

Want to know more about the building you’re staying in? The Fullerton Hotel Sydney offers a complimentary 90-minute GPO Heritage Tour. Follow a knowledgeable tour guide to discover the stories, tales and legends of the former Sydney General Post Office building.

From the iconic clock tower (completed in 1891) to the black-and-white tiled staircase at 1 Martin Place, which was once the main entrance to the GPO and today serves as a prominent feature of the building to the 24 stone faces (mascarons) on the Martin Place side of the building. Part of the 1880s-era facade (designed by architect James Barnet), each represents different states, countries and continents.

2. Circular Quay

aerial of circular quay sydney — Catch a ferry from Circular Quay. (Image: Destination NSW)

An easy walk or light rail ride away from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, lies the bustling Circular Quay. Here, you can sit for a drink and nibbles at the Opera Bar, or head into the iconic house itself for a show. It’s also a major ferry port, becoming your gateway to Sydney’s beaches, Luna Park and even Sydney Zoo.

3. Royal Botanic Gardens

view of circular quay from Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden — Wander through Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. (Image: Destination NSW)

Just beyond Circular Quay, discover Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden. Wander through this 30-hectare, heritage-listed, botanical garden – exploring its differing sections, from Australian native botanicals to garden beds of vibrant flowers to towering groves of international trees.

It’s also the perfect place for a picnic, so pick up supplies before you come and enjoy a spot on the grassy meadow looking out into the harbour.

4. Theatre Royal

Just a one-minute walk from The Fullerton Hotel Sydney, take in a show at Theatre Royal. Built in 1976, the theatre has been offering a broad range of entertainment since the 1990s. Expect a show roster that ranges from the classics (like Cats) to the modern) like Pretty Woman: The Musical).

Start planning a summer stay in Sydney worth remembering at fullertonhotels.com/fullerton-hotel-sydney.

Social spas are the hottest trend in wellness right now, here’s why…