Destination to Thermal Luxury

Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is a world class luxury wellness sanctuary located in the heart of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, with an expansive 15-hectare space, overflowing with luxury bathing experiences, spa treatments and wellness rituals.

Taking its cue from the region’s iconic thermal springs, the new Alba Thermal Springs and Spa boasts a selection of indoor, open-air, and outdoor treatment rooms and bathing pools to offer a uniquely modern bathing experience like no other.

Positioned in beautifully landscaped gardens, Alba offers contemporary bathing including a rain pool, botanical pools, forest pools, a sunset pool, and private pools on the rooftop and The Terrace. Luxurious full-day self-care packages, half-day rituals and treatments are available in the spa.

Arriving at the Alba Thermal Springs and Spa, you’ll be greeted by a curved concrete, almost otherworldly building, which stands tall amid Fingal’s lush green wilderness. The recently completely project is home to 31 different bathing pools, 22 elegant spa treatment rooms and a restaurant curated by celebrity chef Karen Martini. A destination in and of itself, it’s deserving of a dedicated day trip.

Here’s what it’s like to spend a day at Alba.

The Springs

If bathing is on the agenda, you’ll find 31 idyllic pools to hop between, each one built for a different purpose and carefully integrated into its own immediate landscape, right down to the choice of native flora surrounding it.

You will be escorted to the spacious change rooms and given a locker – where your phone will remain during your visit. There, find slippers, Vanessa Megan skincare products, and a robe so fluffy you’ll want to live in it.

The private, bookable bathing experiences include a rooftop geothermal or salt pool (where you can float weightless), as well as secluded springs throughout the property. There’s also an invigorating “rain” pool, where you’ll walk through a circular wall of water to access the pool.

Forming a trail down the hill known as The Hemisphere, they range from the secluded to the more social; with everything from botanical-infused baths to icy plunge pools. One might feel like you’re stepping into an Ancient Roman bath, while another envelops you with high walls carving out your own private view of the skies above. A steam room and sauna sit up here, too.

100% geothermal water is used. This water contains naturally occurring minerals including sulphur, calcium, magnesium, and potassium and is classified as a ‘sodium chloride bicarbonate spring’.

The therapeutic benefits of these waters are said to include the alleviation of neuralgia, bruising, articular rheumatism, stiffness of the shoulders, recovery from fatigue and muscular complaints.

The Spa

Back down in the main building, the onsite spa is a serene and oh-so-stylish escape, complete with 22 treatment rooms and a zen relaxation lounge where you can kick back on a daybed in that post-pamper glow.

The spa offers a hefty range of facial and body treatments, built around both Vanessa Megan’s award-winning Aussie-made nutraceutical products and Aika Wellness Ayurvedic skincare. There’s also a Vichy shower, a steam room, and a dedicated manicure and pedicure suite.

Heading inside, make your way up the dramatic spiral staircase to the spa lounge, where you can take a seat among concrete pillars on a cushy oversized daybed overlooking the expanse. Sipping on herbal tea, served in a gorgeous ceramic cup made by a local ceramist – you fill in the pre-treatment form, including a questionnaire to find out your primary doshas (an Ayurvedic term that refers to “that which can cause problems”).

More than 35 treatments are available at Alba, including indulgent full- and halfday experiences and a variety of facials, massages, scrubs, wraps and even scalp therapy.

The Restaurant

Only building on how good you’re guaranteed to feel after a bathing session or massage here, is the onsite 120-seat restaurant ‘Thyme’ helmed by well-known Melbourne Chef restaurateur, cookbook author and television presenter, Karen Martini.

A lofty indoor-outdoor space overlooking the pools, it’s an all-day affair, championing local produce via a menu filled with plates designed to both satisfy and nourish.

Expect bites like house-cured ocean trout gravlax teamed with an egg, creme fraiche and caviar pearls; Skull Island prawn toasts done with wasabi mayo and yuzu; and a red rice bowl loaded with cured tuna, kimchi, and a shiitake wakame pickle. Meanwhile, the crumbed fish sandwich with nori tartare and shiso is a nod to a Martini favourite.

The property’s kitchen garden that brings the focus to fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and lean meats. Alongside the culinary offering is top-tier coffee, local tea blends, brewed and fermented beverages. Naturally, the wellcurated wine list looks to the Peninsula’s many local vineyards.

And the best part… Since Thyme is currently only open to bathing and spa guests, you can totally wander in wearing your fluffy white robe and no one will blink an eye.

Thyme offers both indoor and outdoor seating, featuring an expansive rooftop terrace with views of the property.

“The all-day menu features fresh, wholesome dishes with modern Mediterranean influences,” says Martini. “We also support local growers and suppliers, seeking out seasonal produce from sustainable farming practices, and choose organically-grown wherever possible.”

As you approach Alba and the dramatic 15-hectare hot springs and spa, a number of reflection pools and water features outside will command your attention. And they’ll likely lead you to get snapping.

Get it out of your system while you can, because once you’ve moved into the reception area, there’ll be a cease and desist on any photography (and phone use) from then on.

From the glimpses we have seen what lies beyond Alba’s entrance is undeniably Instagrammable. But you’ll have to leave your phone, plus smart watches, and laptops in a complimentary locker before you head into the springs, spa, or restaurant.

It’s what general manager Craig Dodd calls a “digital-detox requirement”.

“Alba is a place of tranquillity,” he says. “If you’re a guest wanting to relax and unwind –heading into nature, listening to beautiful birds, and looking at local foliage – someone sitting next to you using their phone … will impact your enjoyment of the space.

That policy also includes making the phone signal intentionally bad throughout the whole main building. So, “Even if they had [their phone] they wouldn’t be able to use it.”

The springs, spa and restaurant are all part of Alba’s first phase of construction. Phase two will see the addition of accommodation, likely to be completed in this year in 2023.