Minor Hotels have announced plans to create Australia’s largest integrated resort wellness precinct.
The 137-hectare Avani Cypress Lakes property in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales will combine flexible wellness, golf, family experiences and major meetings and events facilities.
Launching in phases from October, the development will bring together the existing Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort and adjoining Elysia Wellness Retreat.
Avani Cypress Lakes Resort will be the largest Avani property in Australasia, offering 204 rooms and suites across two distinct accommodation experiences.
Facilities will include an 18-hole golf course, AvaniWell spa and wellness centre, 24 meetings and events spaces, two concept-led restaurants, a pool bar and all-day dining.
The resort’s phased transformation will introduce three pickleball courts, an outdoor cinema, a pool bar with a DJ booth, Pilates reformers and outdoor cold-plunge pools.
New dining concepts will include Chakraya, a restaurant inspired by the flavours and culinary traditions of Sri Lanka.
The resort will also offer a range of flexible packages for hotel guests and Hunter Valley residents, bringing together AvaniWell programmes, AvaniKids activities, golf, hot-air balloon experiences and resort accommodation.
“We believe the Hunter Valley has all the hallmarks necessary to establish itself as Australia’s home of wellness,” said Craig Hooley, Chief Operating Officer of Minor Hotels Australasia.
“From winery visits and long-table lunches to Pilates classes, cold plunges and educational seminars, modern wellness is personal, flexible and increasingly integrated into everyday travel.
“Avani Cypress Lakes Resort has been designed around this shift, allowing guests to incorporate wellness into a family holiday, corporate retreat, golf escape or weekend break.
“The launch reflects Minor Hotels’ confidence in the continued growth of wellness-led and experiential travel across Australia, particularly in regional destinations.”
The resort will also introduce AvaniWell to Australia, following the concept’s launch at Avani+ Hua Hin Resort in Thailand in 2024.
Designed as a flexible alternative to the traditional wellness retreat, AvaniWell enables guests to incorporate wellness into a wider resort stay or take part in a more structured programme.
The existing Elysia Wellness Retreat will be transformed into AvaniWell at Cypress Lakes Resort, integrating 70 wellness suites, a magnesium pool and 26 treatment rooms with 10 Pilates reformers, infrared saunas, outdoor cold-plunge pools and spaces for seminars and group sessions.
The facility will offer multi-day wellness programmes alongside individual treatments, classes and day-spa experiences. It will be accessible to resort guests, day visitors and members of the local community.
Rates and packages for Avani Cypress Lakes Resort will be available from October 1.
