The best hot springs near Melbourne that are worth travelling to

Alba is the Rolls-Royce of bathing experiences. But the design is also understated. Understated elegance. The 22 thermal springs of differing temperatures wind up the hill, surrounded by Australian flora. And as you sit there bathing, you look down the hill over the main Alba building, which is both grand and minimalistic – all soft edges and raw concrete. There are pools of various shapes and sizes and views along the way, as well as saunas, cold plunge pools, sprinkling waterfall pools and enclosed cave-style pools. You’re meant to leave your phone in your locker – no spa selfies here – so all there is to do is spend time bathing. Then mosey back down the hill to Thyme Restaurant (led by none other than Karen Martini) for a meal and a glass of bubbles or local wine in your robe. Whether you take the time for a half- or full-day of bathing, time at Alba is the ultimate indulgent reset. You can bathe from $90 (cost is dependent on timing), and concessions and kids cost can enter for as little as $80. If you want to go all out, there are packages that include a dining experience, spa treatments and all that jazz.

Editor’s tip: Go mid-week. Alba is popular, and although it’s always divine, obviously the less people there, the higher the serenity factor (we bathed on a Monday and it was blissfully quiet). Top tip #2: Order Karen Martini’s fish sandwich at Thyme Restaurant. It alone is worth the trip to Victoria.

Peninsula Hot Springs is the Mornington Peninsula’s OG hot springs – right across the road from the newer Alba. It’s like a wonderland of thermal baths – more than 70 baths set over 42 acres (which makes it quite a lot bigger than Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens). Basically, take a compass to navigate the maze of springs and saunas and bushland and hill tracks, because it’s like a suburb in itself – with a restaurant, two cafés and a coffee hut, sun lounges and hammocks, relaxation domes, a food farm, areas where you cover yourself in clay, and incredible glamping… you name it, they have it. The vibe is more relaxed than Alba – the clientele are a mix of singles, couples, mates, families and overseas tourists, all here to enjoy a good soak. That said, there are plenty of baths and space, so you won’t feel cramped (especially mid-week). We booked in for a Fire & Ice experience (sauna followed by ice bath, repeat) – a good idea if you’re looking to push yourself outside your comfort zone (but maybe skip that part if you’re just here for a day of pure relaxation). Adults can bathe from $55 (with concessions from $45 and kids aged 3-15 from $40) – though if you want to experience all-of-site bathing, you’re looking at $130.

Editor’s tip: You don’t have to stay there – most people just come for the day – but we stayed overnight in a glamping tent, and if you ever get the opportunity to do the same for a special occasion, we highly recommend it. (More on this, below.)

Aurora is the lush companion to the divine Continental Sorrento hotel (“The Conti”), but it’s open to non-guests for bathing rituals and treatments. We tried the 11-step Bathhouse Ritual, which takes 1.5 hours and costs $95 (Mon-Thu) or $110 (Fri-Sun). You enter the luxe, cavernous space and find a range of steaming hot magnesium mineral pools as well as hot and cold thermal suite experiences. You take a self-led journey depending on your tastes and what you’re there to achieve, but there are guided instructions along the way, advising you to engage in a hot experience, followed by a cool experience, followed by a short period of rest – the way they bathe in Europe. The hot pools are diverse: some have massage experiences, one has stone-covered surfaces for foot reflexology, and there are waterfall jets you can stand under. Those who don’t enjoy cold plunges will also like that there are other types of cold experiences, too – including a cryotherapy-like room and showers that oscillate between cold, warm and hot water. You can add on spa treatments, but you really don’t need to – you’ll exit this subterranean bathing paradise feeling a million bucks.

Editor’s tip: Throw your cossie in the water extractor machine in the beautiful change rooms after bathing, so you don’t have to take them soaking wet back to your accommodation.