An Insider’s Guide To Sydney’s Hottest Day Spa

A two-storey sandstone, timber and marble sanctuary is home to highly trained therapists providing effective (and relaxing) skin treatments.

Sofitel SPA Darling Harbour features a traditional Finnish sauna, a relaxation lounge and sweeping views of the sparkling water. “The concept is to address the pillars of movement, care, nutrition and rest for our guests to experience true wellness,” says Cecilia Ferreyra, Sofitel’s director of spa and wellness.

While it’s the only spa in Sydney to carry the cult skin-care brand, Biologique Recherche line, Sofitel SPA also uses Australian aromatherapy-based Waterlily products. “They complement each other so beautifully,” says Ferreyra. Here, she describes her three favourite spa experiences.

Wellness Journey

You’ll need to put aside a full half-day for this signature five-hour experience. “It’s our interpretation of the current season," says Ferreyra. “In spring, it’s all about re-energising, blooming and embracing a rebirth after the period of natural rest in winter.”

The first step is movement – a swim in the harbourside pool or a session at Sofitel Fitness. 

Next, a three-hour full-body treatment beginning with a papaya cream body polish, a French clay wrap perfumed with rose, geranium and orange blossom petals followed by a massage. In spring it’s an aromatherapy blend of roses, orange blossom and French lavender, made exclusively for Sofitel Spa by Waterlily. 

Wrapped in a silky robe, guests then sit down to a seasonal lunch curated by chef Sam Moore before returning to the treatment room for a deeply hydrating rose peptide facial. 

Then, it’s time to ease back into the real world with a guided meditation or a mandala colouring session. 

Bespoke Biologique Recherche Facial Treatment

Each facial treatment is bespoke – there are more than 120 products in Sofitel Spa’s arsenal to mix and match. But it’s not just about the products used in facials, says Ferreyra. 

Sofitel Spa’s dermal therapists are trained in French draining and lifting massage techniques, an approach created by a physiotherapist to sculpt facial contours. 

“It’s like a manual facelift. It gives me this beautiful, immediately visible, actual facelift that lasts about two weeks.” 

The facial itself is designed according to the results from your Skin Instant Lab consultation and the expert advice of the spa’s therapists. 

“We’ll identify the barrier function, hydration, sebum output and any pigmentation. Based on that, we can tailor the treatment.” 

The facial addresses a range of concerns, from lines and wrinkles to sensitivity and redness or enlarged pores and dryness. 

“It depends on what the concern was in the first place, but the effect will be deeply moisturised, hydrated, balanced skin.”

Lime Caviar Sugar Smoother

Wellness means different things to different people, says Ferreyra. “Sometimes, someone might be feeling that they just need a sensorial facial or body treatment where it's all about the scents and the textures on the skin. The effect it can have on someone's mental state and overall sense of wellbeing is quite significant.”

“I have a preference for body treatments; I really love having soft skin. My favourite is the Lime Caviar Sugar Smoother where we do a double exfoliation of the skin of the body, first with a dry skin brush and then with a sugar-and-oil mix. ”

The soothing treatment takes 90 minutes. After the full-body brushing and sugar-scrub is applied to the upper back and feet, therapists rub a warm, fragrant body balm into the skin through a light-pressure massage.