There are wellness destinations that help you unwind and then there are places that bring you back to yourself. Alba Thermal Springs & Spa, set among the coastal dunes and Moonah trees of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, feels like a sanctuary purpose-built for slowing down. From the architecture to the landscape to the ritual of bathing, everything here invites deep rest, ease and stillness.
The Sanctuary: A Retreat Designed for Deep Exhale
Resting on the elevated curve of Alba’s 15-hectare property, The Sanctuary is the newest immersive wellness stay within the thermal springs. Five villas and two studio suites sit quietly within native bushland, almost camouflaged by the natural contours around them. Interior design by local studio KWD in Mt Martha brings together warm timber, textured fabric, soft stone, and a neutral palette that immediately settles the nervous system.
Each villa feels like a cocoon of calm – a freestanding bath, a slow-burning fireplace, large windows framing the Peninsula’s rolling landscape, and small touches that make the experience feel personal. The locally sourced minibar, the generous sense of space, even the stillness around the property… it all creates the feeling of stepping into a private retreat rather than a hotel.
Returning to my villa after soaking in the mineral pools (fire lit, wine poured) was one of those quietly perfect travel moments that stays with you.
The Thermal Springs: Nature, Element, and Immersion
Since opening in 2022, Alba Thermal Springs has become one of Victoria’s most talked-about hot springs – and with good reason. Across 34 pools (25 public and 9 private), the bathing experience meanders through sculpted gardens, native vegetation and smooth stone pathways. No two pools feel the same. Some are warm and enveloping, others cool and invigorating – all designed to help you move slowly, breathe deeply, and reconnect with nature.
Bathing while gentle rain fell created a moment of pure presence: each raindrop meeting thermal water with a soft sizzle, the landscape misty and ethereal, and then a rainbow arching overhead as the sky cleared. It’s the kind of elemental experience that makes thermal bathing so restorative.
For those wanting privacy, Alba’s newest geothermal spaces – The Salts, The Clouds and The Terrace – offer secluded bathing framed by beautifully landscaped gardens. Each feels intimate, grounding and intentionally peaceful.
The Jewel Treatment: A Ritual Worth Travelling For
If the springs are Alba’s heartbeat, The Spa is where the transformation happens. Treatments here blend ancient ritual with modern skincare, delivered in softly lit suites that feel like sanctuaries in their own right.
The signature experience, The Jewel, deserves every bit of its reputation. From the herbal tea on arrival to the final moments in the relaxation lounge, the ritual is immersive and deeply sensory. I was fortunate to experience it with Stacey Pagliarulo, co-creator of the treatment, whose intuitive touch and thoughtful guidance shaped the entire journey.
The ritual unfolds in layered phases using Vanessa Megan botanical skincare – massage, scent, warmth, gentle exfoliation, and mindful breathing woven into a beautifully choreographed sequence. You emerge renewed, glowing, and strangely lighter.
Finishing with Champagne and Bulega Caviar in the expansive relaxation lounge (even at 11.30am) – felt like the perfect ending to an experience that’s as luxurious as it is grounding.
Thyme Restaurant: Nourishment That Celebrates the Peninsula
On the upper level of the complex, Thyme Restaurant blends wellness with flavour in a way that feels effortless. The menu highlights seasonal produce, sustainability, and fresh, balanced dishes that still feel indulgent.
The standout? The Alba Bowl – tuna, cucumber kimchi, shiitake, and avocado in a beautiful harmony of textures and taste. The fried fish sandwich with nori tartare is another favourite, proving that comfort food and wellness cuisine can happily coexist.
Soft lighting, an open kitchen, attentive service, and a wine list showcasing the best of the Mornington Peninsula make Thyme the kind of place you linger.
A Vision of Contemporary Australian Wellness
What sets Alba Thermal Springs & Spa apart is its holistic philosophy. It’s not just a destination with thermal pools or luxury villas – it’s a carefully considered wellness ecosystem grounded in sustainability, sensory immersion and connection to nature.
The architecture by Hayball and landscape design by MALA Studio work seamlessly with the environment, creating spaces that feel refined yet organic. Alba has been carbon neutral since opening, offsetting operations through Trace and continuing to evolve its sustainability practices.
There’s something deeply human about being submerged in warm mineral water as cool rain falls and the landscape breathes around you. Alba captures that feeling – the harmony of comfort and simplicity, the beauty of stillness, and the reminder that presence is one of life’s true luxuries.
Whether you come for the bathing, the spa rituals, the dining, or the chance to pause, Alba Thermal Springs & Spa will likely leave you feeling enriched, grounded, and softly transformed.
Reviewed by Kris Abbey – follow her wellness travel adventures HERE.
Travelling to the Mornington Peninsula? Check out our Destination Guide HERE.
