Gaia Retreat & Spa
Style Eco-chic retreat
Setting Rolling hills and rainforest
Set in lush subtropical valleys and rolling hills in the Byron Bay hinterland near Bangalow, Gaia Retreat & Spa is a luxurious and soothing sanctuary where you can revive your body, mind and spirit. Founded by Olivia Newton-John, this boutique retreat offers a choice of holistic therapies, massage, yoga, art and local organic cuisine guaranteed to boost your well-being.
Need to know
- Rooms 18, including two suites. Rooms rise in price from the Layana and Sura Terrace Rooms to the one- or two-bedroom Acala Suites.
-
Rates
Double rooms from $830.88 (AU$854), excluding tax at 10 per cent.
Prices have been converted from the hotel's local currency (AU$854), via XE.com, using today's exchange rate.
- More details Rates include all meals and snacks, a one-hour massage a person, spa gift on arrival, morning yoga and an afternoon activity. A two-night minimum stay applies; additional treatments cost extra. A range of two- to seven-night packages are also available.
- Facilities DVD, CD and book library, board games, free WiFi, spa, gym, tennis courts, bikes, walking tracks, day-beds, meditation decks. In rooms: CD player, bottled water.
- Poolside An outdoor heated salt-water swimming pool makes a tempting oasis.
- Check-out 11am. Earliest check-in, 2pm.
- Children This hotel is an adults-only escape – take a partner or a pal.
- Eco-friendly Gaia uses safe eco-friendly cleaning products, energy-efficient lighting and windows, recycles and places cards in rooms to let guests request that linen is not changed every day. Smoking isn't allowed.
- Also The retreat’s award-winning Gaia Day Spa offers over 40 revitalising treatments including facials, reiki and spiritual healing, with options tailored to men and couples. We love the Hawaiian kahuna massage and stress-relieving yoga.
Food and drink at Gaia Retreat & Spa
- Hotel restaurant Meals are also served in Kukura, a Samoan-style longhouse with floor-to-ceiling silk curtains. Interiors blend eastern and western influences, as does chef Dereck Cooper’s organic cuisine. Dinner is a gourmet three-course menu emphasising a balanced, locally sourced diet. Options are chosen by the chef daily, but advise Gaia of any dietary needs before your arrival. Breakfast is a buffet, including gluten-free cereals; light lunches feature salads, soups and pastas.
- Dress code Casual, although designer exercise gear won’t go amiss. The gift shop does a mean line in kaftans and the latest yoga kit.
- Top table Dine out on the spacious Tevana deck, with tables decorated with flowers and lanterns, and sweeping views.
- Last orders Buffet breakfast is served from 8am to 9am; lunch from 12.30 to 1.30pm and dinner from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. In the dining area, guests can help themselves to coffee or tea 24-hours a day.
- Room service Available from 8am to 8pm for AU$20 a day in the Layana Rooms and Sura Terrace; free in the Acala Suites. Help yourself to a range of tea, snacks and organic fruit all day in Kukura House, which doubles as a communal space for reading and playing games.
- Hotel bar Gaia doesn’t have a bar but organic Australian wines are available after 6pm in modern-ethnic dining area Kukura House. Sip them to the sound of world music.
Also worth knowing
- Weddings This property is suitable for weddings. More...
Gaia Retreat & Spa 933 Fernleigh Road, Byron Bay, 2479
Join us – it's free!
Sign up now for exclusive hotel offers, money back on every booking, and Smith extras (like the one below) whenever you book with us. more
Smith extra at Gaia Retreat & Spa
A copy of Grace, the Gaia cookbook
Offers at Gaia Retreat & Spa
- Seven-night restore package
- Two-night revive package
- Three-night renew package
more
In the know
Our favourite rooms
The one- or two-bedroom Acala Suites are our top tip if you want to combine mod cons with serenity. On the highest part of the grounds with views to match, they include a separate living area, kitchenette, spacious bathroom and deck (with heated spa), and are the only rooms with a flatscreen TV, DVD player and internet access. Our second choice would be the Sura Terrace Rooms, which have slightly bigger bedrooms and bathrooms as they don’t offer a living room. Number 16 enjoys the highest vantage point. Co-owner Olivia Newton-John describes Gaia as ‘Barefoot meets Armani’, which sums up the understated, elegant interiors, where earth tones chime in with the foliage outside.
Packing tips
Yoga gear, swimming costume, flip flops and a journal for jotting down any self-discovery revelations. Staff suggest leaving your mobile phone at home to test yourself.
Also
Gaia’s 25-acre subtropical grounds offer lofty views of rolling hills and valleys – a bonus if you book an alfresco massage or yoga session. We recommend the day-bed behind the property for watching the sunrise or sunset.
