There are spa days, and then there are experiences that feel like a genuine reset – the kind where you leave feeling lighter, calmer and somehow more connected to yourself. My three hours at LAN Bathhouse in Surfers Paradise was exactly that. It wasn’t simply about a massage or a body treatment; it was about giving my mind, body and senses permission to slow down, breathe and completely switch off. For three blissful hours, there was nowhere to be and nothing to do except relax, restore and let my body finally exhale.

Those three blissful hours came in the shape of a Luna Haven Spa Package, and at $270, it delivered exactly what I had hoped for. My dreamy one-hour massage was facilitated by Zami, a dainty little fairy with a lovely, serene nature and a surprising firm touch.

And, I have to say, there’s something about lying down for an hour while someone expertly works away at all those tightly bound muscles, it really makes you wonder why you don’t do it more often. It truly does restore a positive mindset.

Zami was fantastic, and the massage was the perfect beginning to the Luna Haven experience. No rushing off afterwards, no jumping straight back into the real world, just more time to relax.

Next came a 30-minute body scrub, leaving my skin feeling wonderfully fresh and smooth followed by ninety minutes floating in warm magnesium pools. And yes, there are cold plunge pools to get your blood pumping – but let’s leave those for another visit when I’m feeling a bit braver.

Now, I’m not sure there is a more persuasive argument for slowing down than being submerged in warm water with absolutely nowhere else you need to be.

The pools were warm, calming and incredibly relaxing. After the massage and body scrub, it felt like my body had finally received the memo ‘we are closing shop for the day’.
And that, really, was the magic of the whole experience.
It wasn’t just a massage.
It wasn’t just a body scrub.
It wasn’t just floating around in a magnesium pool.

It was three hours where the only thing I had to think about was what I wanted to do next, and, for once, the answer was absolutely nothing.

If you’re in Brisbane and you are thinking there is nothing that would entice you to hit the M1 heading south (and let’s face it, who could blame you) I have some wonderful news: The LAN Bathhouse is opening a new multi-million-dollar bathhouse in Fortitude Valley at the end of this month.
Like the LAN Bathhouse in Surfers Paradise, the new Fortitude Valley space is all about luxury and will offer hot and cold magnesium pools, ice baths, saunas, giving you plenty of opportunities to embrace the whole hot-cold-hot routine. There’s also an array of massages and spa treatments to revive a flagging spirit.
One of the most popular treatments at the moment is the Japanese head spa – if you haven’t experienced one, do yourself a favour, it is an absolutely devine experience.
And, you will certainly want to experience the the spa’s unique Jade Sanctuary wellness suite, it’s said to be the first in Australia. This luxurious space utilises infrared technology with Jade stone and Himalayan salt crystals to create a warm tranquil environment which helps supports healthy circulation while easing muscular tension, encouraging deep calmness and relaxation. Rich in natural texture and renowned for its heat-retaining qualities, jade lends the space, an elegant, grounding atmosphere which immerses guests into the depth of stillness allowing them to tap into their inner healing.

My Luna Haven experience at Surfers Paradise reminded me how rare that feeling can be.
We are very good at filling our calendars. Less good, perhaps, at leaving blank spaces in them.
A bathhouse gives you permission to do precisely that.
To put the phone away.
To stop checking the time.
To breathe.
To sit.
To float.
To let your shoulders drop somewhere around your ears, where they seem to have been permanently residing.
And if LAN’s new Fortitude Valley destination delivers anything like the experience I had at Surfers Paradise, Brisbane could be getting a very good reason to press pause.
So, Brisbane, consider this your heads-up.
And if you’ve been waiting for somewhere to disappear for a few hours, soak, sweat, float, relax and generally pretend your responsibilities don’t exist, this could be the place.
As for me?
I’ll be keeping a very close eye on that opening date.
Because after three hours at LAN Bathhouse, I have decided that “just what the body ordered” might actually be a medically sound excuse for booking another spa day.