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

AU$912–AU$1,385, including all meals and snacks. A two-night minimum stay applies. Gaia prefers to offer two- to seven-night packages, which also include yoga and selected daily activities, a spa gift and extra treatments depending how long you stay.

Check-out

11am. Earliest check-in, 2pm.

Facilities

Gardens, spa, gym, tennis courts, bikes, walking tracks, day beds, meditation decks, DVD/CD and book library, free WiFi. In rooms: CD player, free bottled water, air-conditioning (flatscreen TV and DVD player and broadband in Acala Suites only).

Poolside

An outdoor heated salt-water swimming pool make a tempting oasis.

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 a soothing spa menu from facials to Reiki and spiritual healing. Try the Hawaiian Kahuna masage. Or destress with yoga, meditation, tai chi or other alt therapies.

In the know

Our favourite rooms

Co-owner and former pop singer Olivia Newton-John describes Gaia as 'Barefoot meets Armani', which sums up the understated, elegant yet luxurious bedroom interiors, where soothing earth tones chime in with the natural flora and foliage outside. Co-founder Gregg Cave is an interior designer and used to deal in art, so you'll find his style influence throughout the retreat. 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 large deck (with heated spa), and are the only rooms with a TV, DVD and CD player, and free internet access and room service. Our second choice would be the Sura Terrace rooms, which have slightly bigger bedrooms and bathrooms as they don't offer a living room. Nubmer 16 enjoys the highest vantage point, although 13, 14 and 15 are also nice.

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

There is a two-night minimum stay at the retreat. Gaia's packages, which feature all the services listed above, include the two-night Revive (plus a one-hour massage, but excluding airport transfers), from AU$1,660–AU$2,520; three-night Renew (plus a half-hour naturopathic assessment and a one and a half-hour massage), from AU$2,770–AU$4,120; five-night Refresh (plus a one and a half-hour massage, one-hour naturopathic consultancy and one-hour body polish), from AU$4,400–AU$6,570; and seven-night Restore (also includes a one and a half hour-massage, one-hour eye iridology and live blood analysis, one-hour naturopathic consultancy and one-hour body polish), from AU$5,700–AU$8,550. Free airport transfers are from nearby Ballina and Coolangatta airports (within specified times), plus guests get full use of retreat facilities. Extra charges apply to drinks, additional spa treatments or shop items. Laundry costs are included in your room rate in the Acala Suites, but cost AU$10 a bag in the Layana or Sura Terrace Rooms.

Food & drink

Hotel restaurant

Meals are served in the gorgeous modern-ethnic Kukura House dining room, where sweeping floor-to-ceiling silk curtains in warm hand-dyed shades from burnt-orange to fuchsia hang from the high roof. Interiors blends eastern and western influences (think Buddha statues, paintings and brass gongs with sleek sofas and flickering lamps), as does chef Todd Cameron's healthy, organic cuisine (we love his lemongrass, coconut and sweetcorn soup). Much of the food is sourced from local markets and farmers, including fresh tropical fruit and juices, eggs, warm breads, gluten-free cereals and muesli. Breakfast is a buffet. Light lunches major on organic salads, soups and pastas. Dinner is a fresh, three-course gourmet menu, ranging from fish to chicken and vegetarian options, with the emphasis on a balanced diet. Meals are all-inclusive and chosen by the chef daily, so you won't have your pick of an extensive menu (which might frustate fussy eaters), but you can email Gaia any dietary needs before your arrival and staff are happy to discuss the health benefits of the dishes with you. Kakura is only open to hotel patrons, so the atmosphere's friendly and it doubles as an inviting communal space/lobby for hanging out, reading a book or magazine, playing board games, picking out a DVD for the evening or gathering with other guests.

Dress code

Casual and comfortable, although a little 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, relaxing Tevana deck, with sweeping views of Byron Bay. All tables are decorated with small vases of fresh flowers and Asian-inspired lanterns.

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

Room service is available from 9am to 5pm for an extra charge of AU$20 a day in the Layana and Sura Terrace Rooms; it's free in the Acala Suites.

Hotel bar

Gaia doesn't have a bar as such but organic wines are available at Kukura House. Sip them to the sound of world music, a bit of Duffy or perhaps some tracks by co-founder Olivia Newton-John.

Smith card offer Bottle of Champagne on arrival

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Book this hotel

To book this hotel please click here, or contact our travel team on 1 866 610 3867.

Gaia Retreat & Spa

933 Fernleigh Road, Brooklet