Sip, soak, soothe and stimulate is the all-senses system at The Spa at Salt. Wrapped in a robe and white socks, guests shuffle between the pampering stations: infrared saunas, a magnesium hot tub and a salt room.
I patter to the latter, where the floor is covered in salt that has been ground into tiny particles to produce a therapeutic microclimate. The idea is to meditate for 40 minutes while inhaling the cleansing air.
Halotherapy, or salt therapy, is like spending time in the sea breeze but with amplified health effects for the skin, lungs and mind. More than calming, it's meant to reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and breathing, and help conditions such as eczema.
After 15 minutes, my restlessness pushes me to try something else, so I move to a one-person sauna with adjustable heated lights. Pinned on the wall is a list of ailments with corresponding colours, so you can switch the light to match your health issue. On this rainy day, I'm happy to simply lie down and absorb the warmth.
The best experience is the magnesium hydrotherapy, submerged in a mineral-rich bath for a total bliss-out. Finally, feeling more relaxed, I try the salt meditation again before retiring to the lounge with a complimentary cup of Aveda tea.
These luxury facilities are within the grounds of Kingscliff's iconic accommodation, Peppers Salt Resort Spa, on the NSW Tweed Coast. Access is allowed for up to three hours before your massage, facial or body wrap. But be sure to book early or you might end up like me, squeezing in a half-hour Swedish massage ($100) at 4pm. By turning up at 1pm, however, I make the most of the amenities, creating the ultimate affordable spa day.
Another thrifty indulgence is offered on weekday evenings at the Sip Lounge happy hour (Monday to Thursday, 5pm-7pm). Non-hotel guests can also attend for $49, receiving two glasses of champagne and use of the facilities.
Peppers is a popular holiday spot, about 100 metres from spectacular Salt Beach. The resort's centrepiece is a huge lagoon-style swimming pool, fringed with white sand, sun lounges and cabanas. As beachy as a pool can get, it's big enough to be shared among families, couples and pampered guests taking a dip between spa treatments.
And that's not the end of the features for water lovers. All of the rooms, suites and apartments have a spa bath, while some have private plunge pools. In a separate wing of the resort is a smaller lap pool, nearer guests in the more spacious Peppers Bale Rooms. This retreat within the retreat is often quieter, as kids tend to prefer the lagoon pool.
A poolside bar is set up for alfresco lunch and drinks until 9pm. Aside from Australian wines and beers, there are locally crafted cocktails made with spirits from Husk Distillers in the nearby village of Tumbulgum. Choose one of the Ink Gin concoctions, a sugarcane mojito, or the botanic daiquiri with fresh lime juice.
The in-house Season Restaurant serves an excellent buffet breakfast and dinner. For a meal outside the hotel, head down the street to Salt Village, which has Indian, Mexican, Thai, Italian, fish and chips, and a French patisserie. To self-cater, a local park has barbecues, picnic benches and a playground. For a fun afternoon, the pub presents live music on Sundays.
Don't miss a coastal walk in this beautiful area. Ideal in the morning or at sunset, Salt Beach is an unspoiled 1.2-kilometre stretch of white sand, or take a 40-minute stroll along the path to the lovely town centre of Kingscliff. Bikes, surfboards, kayaks, paddleboards and snorkels can be hired from Watersports Guru.
Kingscliff is surrounded by national parks, hiking tracks, surf clubs, wineries and distilleries offering tastings. Among other attractions are Fingal Head Lighthouse, Hastings Point and the Cabarita lookout, especially during whale-watching season. In the distance, Mount Warning is the best preserved and largest extinct shield volcano in the world.
For a short break, you might find no reason to go further than within walking distance. I don't touch a car for my whole long weekend. My suite has a big balcony, kitchen and
laundry, and the king bed is perfect for a sleep-in. I laze around with a book, have bubble baths and watch movies. I discover the contemplation garden in a quiet zone out the back. There's a gym, tennis court, helpful staff and good wi-fi.
A few of the apartments are for sale to the public, and I find myself pondering a sea-change to the Peppers' life. Peppers Salt Resort Spa, just south of the Queensland border, is a 20-minute drive (16 kilometres) from Coolangatta Airport.
Explore more: peppers.com.au/kingscliff; thespaatsalt.com.au
