As we make our way towards December and the festive season, many of us are deep in Christmas planning and shopping mode. The silly season brings with it a great deal of fun and holiday fare — but it can also bring a feeling of being frazzled before December 25 even comes along.

Taking some time to pause and restore body and mind helps us approach the end of the year feeling grounded, balanced and rested.

We’ve compiled our favourite reasons to enjoy some restorative time to yourself at Peninsula Hot Springs over the next few weeks.

time in nature

Nature has a way of slowing us down and reminding us of the natural rhythm of things, which is especially calming when the world around us feels busy and chaotic. Our geothermal mineral pools are situated in the open air and among native tea-trees, moonahs and sheoaks, from where you can see birds fly overhead and feel the sunshine or breeze on your skin.

The biophilia hypothesis tells us humans yearn for more time in nature, and studies of shinrin-yoku (‘forest bathing’) reveal that trees actually emit essential oils that can help reduce stress hormones and boost our immune systems.

book time in nature.

digital detox

It’s rare that we find ourselves in situations these days where we can escape emails and notifications and properly switch off. Many guests choose to leave their phones in their lockers and immerse themselves in our geothermal pools and the variety of other bathing experiences we have on offer. Stepping away from our devices can help us to be truly present with both our internal and external environments — and to connect with the deep well of our being.

book time off screen.

dining in your robe

Many guests are delighted to discover, when visiting with us, that it’s completely appropriate to dine in your robe while here. There is something deliciously cosy about emerging from a mineral pool, cloaking yourself in a luxurious robe and sitting down to a cup of coffee and snack in our Bath House cafe — or maybe even a nourishing breakfast or lunch in our Spa Dreaming Centre dining room (depending on availability).

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midweek wellness

Until December 22, we’re offering our signature wellness sessions free with Revitalise bookings when you visit between Monday and Friday. Choose from our deeply relaxing Bathing Barrels experience, invigorating Fire and Ice workshop and playful, grounding Body Clay Ritual. Our Weekday Wellness and Bathe package is a beautiful way to elevate and enhance your bathing journey with us. Bookings essential.

book mid-week wellness experience.

reading in a hammock

Many visitors are not aware that beyond the Amphitheatre cafe area is an array of hammocks hanging between a forest of sheoaks. This makes the perfect tranquil, shady spot to lie back and read a book or simply rest your eyes and enjoy being suspended beneath some very special trees.

book bath house bathing.

give yourself a mini spa day

While we offer a beautiful selection of treatments in our Spa Dreaming Centre, there are plenty of rejuvenating rituals you can practise in our Bath House. Bring an exfoliating mitt and soap (or purchase a kese from our reception) and give yourself a scrub in the Turkish Hamam before using the bowls supplied to cleanse yourself with water. You could also traipse across the Reflexology Walk, stand under a massaging mineral shower, sweat it out in the traditional saunas and detoxify with a dip in the cold plunge pool for skin that feels refreshed and a body that feels renewed.

explore spa dreaming centre options.

explore the food bowl

Our stunning three-acre Food Bowl, which opened earlier this year, is a sight to behold. Bathing guests can wander the paths in our tiered gardens and marvel at our colourful flowers and fresh produce, which we use in our on-site eateries. The Food Bowl is the perfect place to walk barefoot in the fresh air and connect with the earthy abundance of summertime.

explore food bowl.