Explore the Golden Door Elysia Health Retreat and Spa, NSW

Located in the beautiful NSW Hunter Valley, the Golden Door Elysia Health Retreat and Spa is a sanctuary from day-to-day life. Guest accommodation is surrounded by picturesque views of the Hunter Valley wine country, Brokenback and Barrington Tops mountain ranges, with villas facing North and South over wineries and vineyards giving guests the opportunity to breathe fresh country air each day.

The experience

Golden Door Elysia Health Retreat and Spa is a place for you to take time to reset your mind and body and gain a wealth of knowledge to create a healthier, happier and more motivated you. Their all-inclusive health and wellness programs have been developed to motivate change and give you the tools you need for lasting results. Your stay will include everything from informative seminars, a huge range of activities, spa indulgences, relaxation and nutritious, healthy meals.

Featuring 74 stylish villas with one, two or three bedrooms, this exceptional property is the only purpose-built Destination Health Retreat in Australia.

Nutrition, exercise and relaxation are the cornerstones of the Golden Door philosophy and these combined, deliver a holistic approach to health and nutrition.

Evenings are spent at your leisure, with some choosing to read by the open fire in winter, play board games, solve puzzles or borrow a DVD from the library.

Guests return to their rooms each night after a nutritious dinner to Golden Door’s signature turndown. All villas and suites provide a sanctuary in which guests can completely relax in the peace.

The treatments

Golden Door’s world-class retreat facilities include: gymnasium, indoor and outdoor pools, indoor activity centre, tennis courts, three yoga and fitness studios, male and female steam rooms and spas, meditation hill, wellness centre, relaxation lounges, theatrette, library and more. It is a place, where you can connect mind, body and spirit, try new activities or treatments and discover a balanced life for yourself. It is a great place to learn about health and wellness and its benefits, kick start a fitness and healthy eating program and relax in the tranquillity of a world class spa.

On offer are Golden Door’s signature, three-, five- or seven-night all-inclusive programs or you can try a two-night weekend program for a ‘taste’ of Golden Door.

If you have goals relating to Weight Management or Corporate Wellbeing there are specialised programs available

Each day there is a full program of activities such as empowering workshops, low, medium and high intensity fitness activities, cooking demonstrations and mindfulness classes that guests can choose to participate in. Guests also have the option to book one-on-one wellness sessions with some of Australia’s most skilled practitioners, including naturopathy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, hypnotherapy and Feldenkrais.

If your stay is more about relaxation and winding down, you can choose to restore in the Elysia Day Spa, a haven of relaxation, beauty and healing located within the health retreat. Within the Day Spa you can experience massages, facial treatments, indulgent body treatments or the signature Watsu water treatment.

The food

At Golden Door, you will be eating sensibly portioned, healthy, nutritious wholefoods at well-spaced mealtimes. A stay at Golden Door gives your body a rest from red meat, alcohol, caffeine, sugar and saturated fat. Guests are less likely to go back to their usual excessive levels of food consumption once they have had the opportunity to have a break from these foods and will then reintroduce them sensibly and in moderation. All retreat stays include three meals and two snacks daily.

Some examples of the food served at Golden Door are available in their cookbook or via their blog.

By sharing meals with fellow guests without the distractions of technology and day to day life, mealtimes are a chance to enjoy the simplicity of food and life.

Things to remember

Golden Door is a smoke-free and alcohol-free environment. Only guests over the age of 16 are accommodated. With the exception of the two-day weekend taster program, all programs start on a Sunday.

Getting there

The Golden Door Elysia Health Retreat and Spa is located in the beautiful landscape of the Hunter Valley, just two and a half hours drive from Sydney, or only one hour from Newcastle airport. There is car parking available for guests on the grounds.

Golden Door also offers a shuttle from Newcastle airport, Sydney airport and Chatswood train station on Sunday. For your arrival on Sunday, ensure when booking flights that you allow adequate time to meet the shuttle prior to departure. Shuttle times on a Sunday are:

Newcastle Airport: departing time varies by day (please confirm with reservations before booking flights)

Sydney Domestic Airport: departing at 9.30am

Chatswood Train Station: departing at 10.15am

For departure on Friday or Sunday:

Newcastle Airport: departing Golden Door at 11.45am Schedule domestic flights from 2.00pm

Sydney Domestic Airport: departing Golden Door at 12.30pm Schedule domestic flights from 5.30pm & international flights from 6.30pm

Chatswood Train Station: departing Golden Door at 12.30pm approximate arrival at Chatswood 3.30pm

Transfers are complimentary for seven-day-program guests. At the time of publishing transfers are $50pp one way to/from Newcastle airport and $75pp one way to/from Newcastle. Private transfers can also be arranged by the retreat.