If your New Year's Resolution includes focusing on self-care, wellbeing and generally looking after yourself more, then you need to know about a new health & wellness venue on the Gold Coast. Soak Bathhouse in Mermaid Beach opened its doors at the end of 2020. Their mission is to help people feel great every day. Their goal is to give the benefits of a health retreat in 90 minutes.
Offering a place to relax, indulge and treat yourself, comes in the form of light, airy, indoor and outdoor spaces. Communal facilities include hot tubs, mineral spa, cold plunge pool, sauna, steam room, indoor and outdoor lounge areas, along with private change rooms, showers and toilets. There are also massage rooms, infrared sauna and LED facial, available as pre-booked private experiences. During a self-guided soak session, you are free to choose what to enjoy, in what order and for how long.
It's hard to pick our favourite part of the bathhouse. Was it the rejuvenating mineral pool? Or perhaps lying on a lounger overlooking the pool - with a whole wall behind that opens out to the outside deck areas, framing a beautiful blue sky. There is a wonderful sense of space with welcoming free airflow. The gentle billowing of soft fabric curtains in the cooling breeze instantly sets a relaxed and restful tone to the area. The cedar wood sauna is comfortably large and was also a hit. Personally, I found the combination of the steam room followed by the outside shower then a plunge in the cold pool very refreshing and left my skin glowing. Plus a range of teas and a comfortable couch are always a winner for me.
The origin of bathhouse culture takes on various forms and their physical remains have been discovered around the world. It is believed the tradition of the public bath started as early as the Neolithic Age. The Romans took their bathing rituals with them when they invaded England. They built baths and established a thermal spa in what is now the city of Bath. After Japan imported Buddhist culture, many temples had saunas, which were available for anyone to use for free. A rich history of social connection was born too and modern societies are no less interested in the idea of wellness spaces, which care for the body and the mind.
So, if you are looking for a place where you can stop, indulge and press the wellness reset button, this is definitely somewhere you will want to visit.
