Confessions of a Wellness Traveller: Melbourne Edition

The rise of the secondary wellness traveller

Confession: I didn’t go to Melbourne for wellness.

I went for basketball — an NBA x NBL game with my son.

But by the time I boarded the plane, I’d already packed Sodii hydration salts, a Sodashi Calming Rose Mist, and researched every bathhouse, yoga studio, and spa near my hotel. I wasn’t travelling for wellness — but wellness was absolutely the goal.

That’s the quiet power of the secondary wellness traveller.

✈️ Before the Flight: The Pre-Trip Mindset

Flying is dehydrating on every level, so my wellness mindset began before take-off. Hydration salts for balance. A calming face mist for the skin. A curated list of self-care options bookmarked on my phone.

These micro-rituals reflect a growing reality: wellness starts well before check-in. Travellers today are investing in products and experiences that help them feel good throughout their journey — not just at the destination.

According to the Global Wellness Institute 2025 Australia Report, secondary wellness travellers, those who travel for another purpose but intentionally seek wellness experiences, now account for over 90% of global wellness trips and 85% of total spend.

In short: they’re not a niche ... they’re the majority.

🏨 The Stay: 1 Hotels Melbourne – Where Design Meets Wellbeing

When I searched for a hotel with a sauna, I discovered 1 Hotel Melbourne, a new eco-luxury property in Docklands where sustainability and self-care are seamlessly intertwined. Every detail. From its biophilic interiors and filtered air systems to the feeling of calm as soon as you step inside, is designed to restore.

What stood out:

• Wellness facilities: Sauna, steam room, pool, and an exceptional gym, complimentary for guests. In fact, it’s arguably the best hotel gym in Australia, featuring Technogym equipment for both weight training and cardio.
• Sound healing session: A complimentary wellness experience offered to guests, a thoughtful way to integrate mindfulness into a business-luxury environment.
• Sustainable activewear: Available to purchase, turning the hotel’s ethos into something you can wear home.
• Water-conscious design: A small timer in the shower encourages mindful water use, a subtle but powerful reminder that sustainability is part of wellbeing.
• “1 Less Thing” initiative: Guests are invited to leave behind clothing they no longer need, which the hotel donates on their behalf, lightening both luggage and conscience.
• Not your average kids’ breakfast: Even the children’s menu reflects the hotel’s wellness philosophy — healthy, beautifully presented, and aligned with conscious dining values.

Room rates ranged from $426–$512 per night (the joy of new hotel rates), and I stayed for three. But what I paid for wasn’t just a room... it was a feeling of lighter travel, a transformative stay.

This is wellness by design: when wellbeing isn’t sold as an upgrade, but built into every element of the experience.

“It’s a great example of how wellness can be designed into the experience — not sold as a package, but felt in every detail."

💆 The Experiences: Urban Wellness in Motion

Even on a short trip, I made time for wellness discovery. Whilst I didn't really need to leave my hotel for wellness, it was worth exploring other options in the precinct.

M Kami Japanese Head Spa – Docklands My first-ever head spa: a 60-minute ritual of scalp massage, aromatherapy, and Japanese precision ($157.50). It was quiet luxury personified. Proof that profound wellness can come from the simplest sensory experiences.

Hotel Wellness Access Morning sauna. Evening steam. Optional yoga. All included. The kind of seamless integration that turns “free amenities” into genuine wellbeing.

Dining at From Here by Mike & Crane Bar Breakfasts that balanced nourishment and design.

💰 The Spend Snapshot

• Accommodation $1,450 1 Hotel Melbourne (3 nights incl. sauna, steam, pool, gym)
• Dining $345 Crane Bar & From Here by Mike
• Spa Treatment $157.50 M Kami Japanese Head Spa – Deluxe scalp and aromatherapy session
• Retail – Sustainable Apparel $300 1 Hotel boutique activewear
• Retail – Wellness Products $149.90 Sodashi Skincare Calming Rose Mist ($81) + Sodii Hydration Hydration Salts ($68.90)
• Total Estimated Wellness Spend ≈$2,402.40

And that's just the wellness-related spend, not to mention our lunch and dinners on our way to the basketball activities, nor the game tickets themselves. As well as the tourist activities, like visits to Melbourne Skydeck and SEA LIFE. Even though this trip was planned around sport, I would estimate more than half of my total spend went toward wellness-related experiences and products.

This pattern mirrors GWI’s data showing that secondary wellness travellers spend 35% more per trip than average travellers, driven by accommodation, food, and retail choices that enhance wellbeing.

🌏 The Bigger Picture: What This Says About Today’s Traveller

Wellness tourism in Australia reached US$18.96 billion in 2023, up 33% year-on-year. Domestic wellness trips made up the majority, with travellers like me choosing experiences that fit rather than define our itineraries.

Melbourne proved that wellness isn’t just found in retreats or coastal sanctuaries, it’s embedded in urban rhythm. When hotels, spas, and local experiences design with wellbeing in mind, they attract travellers who didn’t come seeking wellness… but wouldn’t leave without it.

💡 The Takeaway for Tourism Operators

The secondary wellness traveller represents a powerful opportunity:

• They are purposeful but flexible, integrating wellness wherever it’s available.
• They book premium when they perceive alignment with wellbeing values.
• They are loyal to brands that help them feel well, not just look well.

In short: they’re the traveller who makes wellness everybody’s business.

🌿 Reflection

I went to Melbourne to watch basketball with my son — and left with a deeper sense of balance.

Wellness doesn’t always mean stillness. Sometimes, it’s found in the hum of a city, the warmth of a sauna, or the quiet pause between a game and a meeting.

That’s the beauty of the secondary wellness traveller — we bring wellness wherever we go.