In the midst of the applause for the arrival of the slick Hotel Chadstone Melbourne and the rush upstairs to the rooftop blue-tiled pool and its views of the Chadstone neighbourhood, the skyscrapers of Melbourne’s city centre, and the fabled Mount Dandenong Ranges, passing almost unnoticed was the unveiling of its mezzanine level spa.
The work of local interior architectural practice Studio Tate, the Holism Retreat is anchored by a suite of nine treatment rooms flanked by an LED light therapy treatment lounge, yoga studio and showers. The ensemble is a textbook example of a perfectly proportioned spa that is spacious but still possesses a sense of intimacy.
It certainly helps the cause that there are no hard notes here, the designers deploying a tranquil palette of desert and wheat shades, and diffused lighting throughout its 400sqm space. Geometric shapes of circles, squares and rectangles dominate. The bijou foyer features two circular plinths of pink granite with brass trim. Curved walls are reflected in arched doorways, globe lamps and circular mirrors.
The treatments are equally considered. The yoga studio is heated to 27 degrees with infra-red panels, whilst facials and massages feature fruit acids or enzyme peels, coconut oil, and alginate minerals.§
