After visiting the Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs in Warrnambool, I wished that I lived in Victoria, Australia. To stay at the hotel and enjoy the amazingly relaxing hot springs would be a regular reward.
Their promo reads "Harnessing the natural geothermal waters, the Deep Blue Hot Springs Warrnambool is a self-guided journey in an open-air sanctuary of enhanced geothermal bathing experiences." After trying out this journey for myself, I can say, "Yes, it is a definite WOW!"
Greeted by smiling and friendly staff who explained the whole experience, I was given a robe, slippers and a water bottle before heading into the changing areas to get down to appropriate bathing attire. (Depending on what state in Australia you are from, these can be called swimmers, bathers, togs, cozzies or cossies. For men, they can be any of these and also boardies, trunks and speedos.)
As I walked through the footspa area I could feel the bubbled jets on my feet and be amazed at both the sight and sound of the central water feature in this area. The stones around the footspa are heated in cool months and cushioned in warmer ones. Guests can sit and soak their feet as well as walking through the water.
There are numerous caves and waterfalls, aromatherapy pools, colour therapy pools and even a rainforest cave pool. The pools varied in temperature and theraputic benefits, and all were signposted with relevant information.
With a choice of 15 bathing experiences to enjoy, I did enjoy trying each and every one of them. Well, maybe not so much the cold plunge pools. It was good to know the reason why I was submitting my body to the 15-20C water - to activate the bodies healing power.
My favourite was the hottest pool - the rock pool. With a temperature range of 40-41C it was perfect to both sit in and move through this shallow pool. The sound of water cascading down over the rock faces surrounding the pool is a pleasure to hear. Soft relaxing music is played through hidden speakers in the sanctuary, also enhancing the auditory experience.
Guests all chatted with each other as they bathed. One of the pools is a silent cave experience. I entered from the right hand side, passed behind the rock wall and exited through the waterfall on the left. It was wondrous.
The basalt basking stones located in the gardens are ideal for relaxing on when you want a break from the waters. I sat here and reflected on how wonderful this experience was. It was very medative.
At twilight the enchanting gardens were subtley and gently lit up. The pools glowed with different coloured lights. It looked delightful.
The reflection bay became a popular pool as night fell. The shallow inclining design allows you to stare up at the starry sky while enjoying the bathing.
The Nourish dome cafe is situated in the sanctuary. Drinks and food can be purchased and eaten here. It is great that you don't need to leave and go back into the hotel for refreshments.
The changing areas were very clean, modern and stylish. Storage cubicals and personal lockers were also available to store your gear in while bathing.
After several hours of indulging myself in the various theraputic pools it was time to relax in my ocean view room at the Deep Blue Hotel. Similar to the sanctuary, my room was very modern and stylish, with an extremely comfortable bed. The wall between the bathroom and bedroom can be folded back for privacy, or opened and allowing you to look out over the gorgeous Lady Bay.
That night I had a peaceful and amazingly restful sleep. The next day I felt energetic and enthusiastic, both physically and mentally.
As mentioned at the start of this article, I loved the whole experience offered at Deep Blue Hotel and Hot Springs. I highly recommend it to to others and will definitely make it a repeated experience.
Happy Travels!
What an incredible place Helen. I visited Warnambool years ago & now it looks like I have a fabulous reason to return.
By the way, my list of places to visit grows pretty much every time I read one of your posts. 😀