TIME TO ESCAPE AND GIVE BACK TO YOUR HEALTH - ARTICLE

After an overly indulgent Easter period and a long summer of fun nights and all those naughty things we love, now is the perfect time to do something good for your body. There’s no better place for a healthy holiday than the Golden Door in the stunning Hunter Valley. Here are five reasons to get there now…

Give back to your body

If you’re like most you’ve probably come out of the summer period a slightly unhealthier version of yourself making now a great time for a re-boot before winter. The Hunter Valley’s Golden Door is renowned as one of Australia’s best health retreats and your body will thank you for booking in some time. Set in a unique vantage point high above the valley your days will start with a sunrise tai chi class and a healthy breakfast. Before you know it you will have done a stretching class, a hike and maybe a pool or spa session before lunch. Your afternoons will be busy with either yoga, high intensity exercise or a massage and a nap – the choice is yours, but whatever you choose you’re guaranteed to wake up feeling so much better the next day and the longer you stay the better it gets.

The Spa

No retreat is ever complete without a spa session or two and they can often be the difference between returning or not. The Spa Elysia at the Golden Door will have you booking your next healthy break before you leave! Their facials, using the luxurious Babor products, are a must. There’s a great 50 minute Men’s facial too which should definitely be tried. The practitioners are experts and if you have any troublesome areas they will fix it before you leave the room.

Kick start or improve you fitness regime

The great thing about the Golden Door is it’s not just about the detox, meditation and yoga. It places a strong focus on fitness and there’s an abundance of classes every day ranging for low to high intensity. This makes it the perfect holiday for couples as there are plenty of activities for the guys who have no interest in Pilates. Fitball is an awesome example as is the underwater running class. The classes are back to back all day and it will be dinner time before you have even thought about having a coffee or piece of chocolate… both are on the contraband list by the way!

Get back to nature

There’s nothing better than that first breath of country air when you head off for a rural escape and the Hunter Valley has it in spades. The Golden Door is situated on top of a hill offering gorgeous views over the world famous wine region, which will have you relaxing instantly. It’s a place you’ll never forget from the sunrise tai chi sessions to sitting on your balcony at sunset watching the kangaroos forage for food. It is literally impossible to be stressed in this placed!

The Food

The thought of a health retreat usually conjures up images of bland, cardboard-like food, but you will be pleasantly surprised at the Golden Door. The chefs are geniuses in turning nutritious ingredients into beautiful meals without any saturated fats, refined sugar, caffeine or alcohol. They will also cater for any specific dietary requirements you may have. The packages are all inclusive so you don’t have to worry about what to order and there is plenty of food on offer all day.