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Tim’s Take: Cameron has been exploring Melbourne’s wellness scene for us since early 2026, and one thing is becoming clear: the city punches well above its weight when it comes to thoughtful, design-led recovery experiences. From intimate head spas to float therapy and modern bathhouses, Melbourne offers remarkable variety for a city without a natural hot spring culture.

It’s fair to say that many cities around the world have similar spa scenes. A conveniently-located supply of hot springs that can be used as a font for different venues, the right balance of traditional and modern facilities designed to draw in new and regular customers, and other factors too. 

What makes Melbourne’s spa scene unique is the overall context in which it operates. 

A recent global survey found a lot of Melburnian respondents agreed with the statements that ‘My city makes me happy’ and ‘I find joy in the everyday experiences where I live’. This would be in no small part caused by the sheer number of spas that are available around Melbourne. 

This guide of some of Melbourne’s top spas is for locals and tourists alike, whether they are just starting to get their feet wet with a spa experience, or if someone is a seasoned bather. 

The criteria that were used to select inclusions were: range of experience (the three listed below are among the best examples in their specific service category); price range, and timeframe (from around an hour to close to two hours).

I visited all the listed spas below. This guide will keep growing as I find the next one worth writing about.

Best spas in Melbourne, Australia

Here is a quick overview of the three spas reviewed in this guide, with pricing and the experience each does best.

1. Wellness Beauty and Head Spa — Best Head Spa in Melbourne CBD

A head spa and facial is for anyone looking for a little bit of luxury in areas that too often can be neglected in the humdrum of daily life. The website provides useful suggestions for people who are bald to consider the centre’s mini head spa treatment. 

I went at the end of my working day, and I am pleased to report that the head spa and facial refreshed me for the night ahead. I would attribute part of this to the delicious catering that was provided – a cup of dried rose, red dates, longan, and goji berries tea that welcomed me, along with more tea and a platter of fresh fruit after my treatment.  

It’s easy to feel like I was the only customer, not just in a literal sense but also in the sense that there was time to get to know Teresa and Lilly and learn about their professional backgrounds, and vice-versa. 

I would definitely like to come back to Wellness Beauty and Head Spa. If the premium quality of my experience is any indication, the range of other treatments that are on offer are well worth the investment.

2. Beyond Rest — Best Float Therapy in Melbourne

While vibes at the address are perhaps inconsistent with the grunge of surrounding industrial buildings and a hardware store, once you see the front garden beckoning you in, you begin to transition to the mood required to make the most of a one-hour float session, which is what I experienced.  

Everything about Beyond Rest’s facilities speaks to the high level of care that has been invested. The room with the float pod includes a shower to rinse before and after your session. 

On Beyond Rest’s website and in other marketing collateral, it’s emphasised that people will need more than one session to gain the full benefits of float therapy.

While that could be dismissed as a way to drive repeat bookings, I could see the merit after my session, which ended with the same gentle music to transition out. 

Once I showered and dried, I followed a path to a lounge area with complementary tea and reading material. Alas, the outside world beckoned me too quickly, but as I collected my shoes from the entrance, I thought how remarkably simple the entire experience was. 

3. Sense of Self — Best Bathhouse in Melbourne

You might think one of the hottest days since 2009 wouldn’t be ideal to experience a hammam, however, I am here to disagree. 

It was on the last Tuesday of January 2026 that I visited Sense of Self (SOS), a boujee bathhouse built inside one of a number of converted brick warehouses in Collingwood and Fitzroy, in the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. 

After my session, I felt relaxed and rejuvenated. Perhaps one potential downfall of the self-directed model is that beginners like me may feel a little dazed and confused – there is plenty of great introductory material on the website, but once the heat is on, I felt like I was making it up as I went along.

One way of possibly solving this would be to offer an additional guide or chaperone service for those who felt they wanted to get the most out of their time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tim’s Take: Five hours by car from Mildura. That’s how far some of Teresa’s regulars are traveling for a $299 head spa above a Chinatown restaurant strip. I’ve reviewed properties across twelve countries. The ones that earn that kind of loyalty don’t advertise it. Their clients do it for them.

On Monday, 30 March, 2026, I visited Wellness Beauty and Head Spa on Little Bourke St in Melbourne’s Central Business District for what was scheduled to be a 90-minute head spa and facial. 

This ended up taking closer to two hours, which was only a good thing. The hospitality and generosity that therapists Teresa and Lilly extended to me will be something I always remember. 

A head spa and facial is for anyone looking for a little bit of luxury in areas that too often can be neglected in the humdrum of daily life. The website provides useful suggestions for people who are bald to consider the centre’s mini head spa treatment. Unfortunately, the centre does not treat people with hair extensions, weaves, or wefts ‘to protect the integrity of extensions’. 

Clients who are pregnant should let the centre know in advance about any sensitivities or conditions so that the centre can prepare tailored treatment. 

I went at the end of my working day, and I am pleased to report that the head spa and facial refreshed me for the night ahead. I would attribute part of this to the delicious catering that was provided – a cup of dried rose, red dates, longan, and goji berries tea that welcomed me, along with more tea and a platter of fresh fruit after my treatment. 

When you arrive, you are invited to take off your shoes and socks and slip on some sandals, and you can also wear a robe to avoid getting your top wet during the treatment. 

This treatment really is can’t-miss: in Teresa’s words, ‘it involves a beautiful mini facial, soothing massage encompassing the entire face, neck, shoulder, and scalp area, and the highlight of it all, the stunning water therapy ring with sensory tools.’

A blow-dry by Teresa finished the session. She makes the point that ‘some head spas end the treatment on the bed and the customer will dry their own hair in the toilet room.’

Facilities throughout Wellness Beauty and Head Spa, from reception to the treatment room, were pristine. Both Teresa and Lilly were really good at communicating what they were doing, and their expertise shined through. 

Lilly holds a diploma in beauty therapy from the International Aesthetic and Cosmetology Committee (CIDESCO) and graduated from Monita Academy Beauty Hong Kong, where she studied beauty, skincare, and body spa treatments. 

Lilly served as a judge in the 2019 Miss World Australia Victoria finals after working in fashion and design for 20 years, while Teresa has studied courses in osteopathy and beauty and is passionate about the health and beauty industry. 

Given I had my treatment at the end of the day, there was no crowding to speak of, although you should not mistake this for a lack of interest.

Teresa told me that since opening in July last year, people are coming from as far as Mildura (five hours by car or eight hours by train) to be treated by her and her team. According to Teresa, notable guests at the spa have included Yuliia Starodubtseva, a Ukrainian tennis player, Tom Gay, an actor and model, and TV news reporters. 

People can book on multiple channels, but the online booking platform would appear to be the easiest. 

According to a frequently asked question on Wellness Beauty and Head Spa’s website, there is no need to wash your hair before getting a head spa; however, there is probably a psychological element at play in posing this question, similar to why people tidy up before a cleaner arrives to do the same thing. 

The head spa and facial I received costs $299. That seems a little pricey at first blush, but the quality of service that was provided easily matches or potentially exceeds that figure. From the moment you step out of the lift that takes you to Wellness Beauty and Head Spa, you are transported away from the din of Chinatown and into a place of serenity. 

It’s easy to feel like I was the only customer, not just in a literal sense but also in the sense that there was time to get to know Teresa and Lilly and learn about their professional backgrounds, and vice-versa. 

I would definitely like to come back to Wellness Beauty and Head Spa. If the premium quality of my experience is any indication, the range of other treatments that are on offer are well worth the investment.

Tim’s Take: Cameron’s take on Fresh Treatments lands where most first-timers land on vitamin boosters: the energy bump is real enough to notice but small enough to argue with. That’s consistent with what the science actually says about B12. If you’re genuinely deficient, a shot is useful. If your levels are fine, it’s a $50 placebo with a needle.

The more interesting signal in his review is the clinic itself. Fine needles, calm staff, a nurse who’s been there four years, a detailed intake form before you sit down. That’s the stuff that separates a legitimate wellness centre from a strip-mall drip bar, and it matters more than any single booster on the menu.

On Friday, 27 March, I visited Fresh Treatments on Sydney Rd, Brunswick (the longest shopping strip in the Southern Hemisphere) for a five-minute vitamin B12 booster injection. 

It goes without saying that a vitamin B12, or any similar, booster is for anyone who is OK with being jabbed with a needle; however, Fresh Treatments says it caters to people who are sensitive by taking ‘a gentle, supportive approach. Our team is experienced in working with nervous clients – we use fine needles, offer a calm environment, and take our time to ensure you feel comfortable throughout the process.’

Fresh Treatments offers a range of boosters, and it says the B12 booster can contribute to people’s ‘overall wellness routine’. According to the centre, the types of people who ask for this booster include individuals with low energy or fatigue, athletes looking for recovery and performance support, vegans and vegetarians (who may lack dietary B12), busy professionals needing an energy boost and people with known B12 deficiencies or absorption concerns. 

Vitamin boosters is just one of several services that Fresh Treatments offers. You can also partake in an IV infusion, cryotherapy, an infrared sauna session, oxygen therapy, normatec pants (designed to increase circulation), and a body analysis. 

From a quick glance before and after my booster, the rooms at Fresh Treatments looked modern and clean. The booster room was fairly cosy, with just enough room for the nurse and me.

The process itself is fairly straightforward, and you can choose to have the booster injected into your glute, where it will be absorbed more quickly, or into your arm. The nurse will then apply a sticker to the point of injection. 

I got my booster in the evening, after another day’s mental labour. For me (and, I suspect, many people), this is when I feel the most careworn, and my energy levels for the day and week have dropped most. 

Merve, the nurse who administered the booster, told me that I was going to feel the effect most the following morning. What’s interesting is that once I returned home, I definitely wasn’t as tired as I would have been (possibly not because of the booster but perhaps because of my expectations about my newfound energy), but as the evening wore on (nothing exciting apart from a session at the gym), the usual fatigue claimed its place.

Given I was suffering from the remnants of a self-inflicted stomach ache, it’s possible the booster alleviated my symptoms after 12 hours or so. 

Before getting a booster, Fresh Treatments will send you a detailed form that asks about your medical history. One reason for this is to ensure there aren’t any complications from the booster.  

Fresh Treatments recommends you speak with a doctor first if you are managing chronic health conditions, taking certain medications, or are unsure about your B12 levels or symptoms. 

The room where I received the booster appeared to double as an office and was a little cosy, perhaps, but more than enough room for the nurse and I. My squiz of other rooms before and after showed the usual level of cleanliness that you would expect at any modern wellness centre. 

Fresh Treatments says it ‘adhere(s) to medical-grade hygiene standards, including single-use sterile needles, proper skin preparation, clinical waste disposal protocols, and clean, controlled treatment environments.’

Merve was effective in her delivery of the booster. Having worked at Fresh Treatments for four years, she said it was a nice environment to work in, which reflects back in other reviews on Fresh Treatments’ website. Janice Ford wrote, “The staff were friendly” and the “(n)urse was very efficient at giving me vitamin B12 injection”. 

‘Most clients are pleasantly surprised by how quick and comfortable the process is, and often say they wish they had tried it sooner,’ Fresh Treatments says. 

Another common theme in reviews from customers found on the website was the ease with which bookings can be made. This is thanks to an online booking system that matches with the range of services that are available. 

The vitamin B12 booster I received costs $50. This is another one of those wellness services where the benefits are likely to accumulate over time after repeat treatments. Fresh Treatments says, ‘While many clients report increased energy and improved wellbeing, B12 is not a “magic fix”. Results vary depending on your baseline levels and overall health. It works best as part of a broader wellness approach.’

But this booster was still highly valuable in chasing away the remnants of some leftover lurgy. 

Tim’s Take: Cameron’s pick is a different kind of recovery review, a 50-minute somatic class in a Carlton studio for $55, no hotel spa attached. The question I ask of any recovery experience is whether you walk out more regulated than you walked in, and sound-led somatic work has a real case to make on that count.

The detail that stood out in Cameron’s write-up is the headphones. Piping Alan Watts directly into your ears while your body is in a grounded yin hold is smart design. It sidesteps the HVAC noise, the echo, the person breathing hard next to you. One class won’t shift your sleep or HRV. But as a standalone recovery hour in Melbourne, it’s a genuinely different proposition.

On Tuesday, 7 April, I visited Soluna Society, a holistic healing centre that offers 50-minute sessions incorporating yoga, breathwork, meditation, Pilates, cardio and somatic work – and the best of modern technology through provided ‘disco’ headphones that participants wear that not only quietened outside noise, but also heightened my connection with the instructor.

The Soluna Slow Experience: Elements of Healing

My session – Soluna Slow, one of five sessions on offer depending on your preference – combined ‘slow somatic movement and healing modalities’ to calm my body. The session is based around four natural elements: breathwork (air); grounding yin yoga and stretching (earth), fluid movements (water) and meditative practices (spirit).

In general terms, Soluna Society says it aims ‘to provide a class for every body’, and it tends to attract four types of people:

• Emotionally-aware individuals looking to advance their self-knowledge and add new coping skills to their toolkit.
• People with a passion for wellness, looking to connect with and belong to a like-minded community.
• Curious, open-minded people wanting a new way to move their body and tap into their inner world.
• Stressed out, time-poor, dysregulated people who are looking for a break from the hustle through a complete wellbeing solution.

(Readers can make their own judgments about which of these categories I fit into. I am happy to hedge my bets and say a little of columns A, B, C and D). 

Immersive Audio: Philosophers in Your Ears

Sessions can be booked through an online platform, but it does seem like the business would prefer to correspond over email or social media first as a way to get to know people who are interested. 

What is perhaps unique or at least a point of difference about Soluna Society is how it uses the headphones not just to provide a clearer and more accessible way of listening to the instructor that isn’t distorted by the outside world or even the echoes of the studio, but also to include soothing background music and grabs from philosophers. 

My session included an extract from ‘The Love of Wisdom’, Alan Watts’ radio series, where he compares faith to clinging on a rock.

Again, the novel part of Soluna Society’s session (at least to me), was being able to reflect as a group (including Gracie, the instructor) at the end about it. As I shared, if my university philosophy classes had combined Watts’ words with something similar to Soluna Slow, I might have absorbed lessons a bit more!

The Space: A Cozy Corner in Carlton

The facilities where Soluna Society is based – a wellness centre off Lygon St in Carlton (Melbourne’s little Italy) – were excellent. On the top floor of the centre, where Soluna Society holds classes, there is a shared locker room for people to store their belongings safely.

I don’t think I saw toilets or a private place to change anywhere in the building, so I would recommend arriving in exercise gear. The studio itself is cosy and is perfect for small groups of people.

With that said, there could be a potential crowding issue as more and more flock to the centre for different classes. The central locker room was also fairly cosy, so hopefully there are plans to ensure everyone’s comfort as things grow. 

The Founders: From Corporate Beauty to Somatic Sound

According to Soluna Society’s website, Gracie and fellow co-founder Anna met while working at L’Oreal Australia New Zealand. Gracie teaches meditation and yoga, and ‘specialises in nervous system regulation and contemplative practices, drawing from both personal exploration and professional training’.

Anna teaches yoga and pilates, is a human design coach, and facilitates teacher training; ‘her background bridges corporate wellness with evidence-based movement and mindfulness practices’. Together, they attended a somatic sound-led dance class in London before bringing it to Australia. 

While Gracie led my session, Anna participated and offered valuable insights during the reflection at the end of the session

Verdict: Is It Worth the $55 Investment?

A 50-minute session usually costs $55, although Soluna offers a sliding scale of prices to support customers through the dire straits we are currently navigating. I think this is well worth the cost.

I definitely felt inner peace while walking through the drizzle so typical of Melbourne’s autumn to the tram home. This could just have been endorphins after a usual workout or stretch routine, along with being able to walk through the wonderful Carlton Gardens, but I think it was more than that. 

I think Soluna Society’s class provided me with an opportunity to ‘be a better friend to myself’ – a quote ironically from the gangster TV show The Sopranos.

I reflected with other participants that my weekly sessions with my personal trainer feel more like a session with a drill sergeant (sorry, Jayden!), but Gracie encouraged us to follow her movements to the extent that our bodies were capable. 

A bit of flexibility, literally and metaphorically, goes a long way. 

Tim’s Take: While tim-kroeger.com usually focuses on destination wellness and clinical longevity, effective physical recovery has to be accessible wherever you are. What stands out about Ma Saj isn’t just the aesthetic, it’s the operational frictionlessness of their intake process.

By capturing a client’s physical state, emotional baseline, and pressure preferences before they enter the room, the therapist can immediately focus on down-regulating the nervous system and targeting myofascial tension without wasting time on verbal calibration.

For anyone integrating intense physical training blocks, such as sprint intervals or heavy athletic output, this kind of dialed-in, deeply customized bodywork is a non-negotiable tool for lactic acid flushing and HRV optimization. Below, Cameron Magusic shares his firsthand experience.

On a grey and cloudy Tuesday, 14 April, I visited Ma Saj in Melbourne’s inner northern suburbs. Ma Saj provides ‘deeply restorative, uncoiling massages and body’. It’s safe to say the one-hour deep remedy massage I experienced, which is meant to ‘remedy tension-filled bodies and muscles’, did what was expected. 

Targeted Therapies and High-Quality Ingredients

Ma Saj’s range of therapies are targeted to different groups of people – the deep remedy message is not only for anyone with tension, but for those looking for mindfulness, stillness and rest too.

The TMJ relief massage focuses specifically on jaw tension. The real remedial massage is for those ‘in need of some bodywork first aid’ and is claimable through health insurance.

Euphoria is for those who are ‘ready to just flop and melt’ while the lymph massage offers ‘light, rhythmic hands’ that ‘help flush built-up fluid, while gentle abdominal work frees the breath and softens tension through the hips and core.’

There is also a massage for people who are pregnant, with extra comfort provided through pillows, bolsters and other supports. Finally, a shared ritual experience is available for two people in separate rooms. This seems to be more of a bespoke experience to be discussed over email. 

In its therapies, Ma Saj says it uses Melrose H2O oil that contains sunflower oil, rice bran oil, caprylic/capric triglycerides, polysorbate 85, and natural vitamin E. Ma Saj also uses essential oils by Essential Scent.

The Experience: Tailored Bodywork and Expert Hands

Overall, the facilities were spotless. Not a speck of dust could be seen, and nothing was out of place. A glass of water offered on arrival soothed my slightly jangled nerves after another task caused me to leave home later than expected. 

In terms of my therapist, I am happy to report there is no false advertising when it comes to a description of Matthieu on Ma Saj’s website – his headline says he ‘bring(s) peace, one knot at a time’.

Matthieu is ‘passionate about sports and physical activities, always finding inspiration and balance through movement’, which was evident from the conversation we had at the start of our meeting when I mentioned some lingering soreness from constantly working out. This was all Matthieu needed to identify where he would focus his attention for the next hour. Inspiring!

I’m not the only one who feels this way, with a reviewer on Ma Saj’s website describing Matthieu as ‘incredible’ and ‘truly one of the most relaxing experiences I’ve ever had’.

When arriving at Ma Saj, the compact reception space may lead to a (false) perception about the rest of the venue. Disavow yourself of this as you will find multiple massage rooms and spacious bathrooms at the back.

I was the only guest there when I arrived for my mid-morning massage, and there would have been one other customer on my way out. Clearly, this isn’t an indication of demand based on Ma Saj’s Instagram following.

Frictionless Booking and Customization

Massages (apart from the shared ritual experience) can be booked on Ma Saj’s website. 

Once your date and time is locked in, you will be sent confirmation that includes a link to a new client form to fill in (if you are one). My only suggestion would be to highlight this a bit higher in the email as it’s easy to imagine how people might miss this once they know their booking is confirmed.

The form is actually important to go through because apart from sharing relevant details about physical health, it also asks new customers to provide their emotional state – and their preference about the strength of the hands that give you the massage. 

(In talking to people about my experience, this point is one that I find comes up repeatedly. Either the therapist uses not enough or too much force and it can be a pain, to pardon the pun, to speak up once the massage has started.)

In a similar vein, the form also asks people to choose one of four options that best describes what they are looking for in their session. Not every place does this, and it does help in setting further context with the therapist. 

Final Verdict

A one-hour deep remedy session, which is what I had, costs $135. For the exchange of being able to take the weight of the world off my shoulders for a little while, that seemed like a reasonable deal. I look forward to returning and sampling other Ma Saj options on the menu.