A weekend of glamping at Peninsula Hot Springs turned out to be the perfect way to bond with loved ones.

We sit out the front of our Peninsula Hot Springs glamping tent, each with a glass of wine in hand and a cheese platter before us. Only the frogs chatter as much as we do as the sun goes down. Soon, we’ll head back into the famous geothermal pools of Peninsula Hot Springs, but for now, we’re just enjoying each other’s company. It’s so rare to maintain close friendships from high school well into your 30s. It’s even rarer to find opportunities to make new memories together, rather than rehashing old ones over dinners that inevitably are missing one or more of you. And it turns out a long weekend at the Peninsula Hot Springs forms the perfect background to this special celebration.

Over three days, we wander all over the hills of Peninsula Hot Springs – continuing on like Goldilocks until we find the geothermal pool temperature that is just right. When we want quiet relaxation, we head into the Spa Dreaming Centre for a more private bathing experience. When we want to be loud and laughing, we head back out into the main (and largest) area. When we’re hungry, we head back to the glamping tents to snack on cheese and wine purchased from the surrounding Mornington Peninsula area (Main Ridge Dairy and Foxeys Hangout are along the drive from Melbourne airport, and worth the stop), or order room service from the onsite restaurants and cafes. When we really feel indulgent, we split up for a massage at the spa.

It’s honestly the ultimate getaway for bonding and rejuvenating. But let me break it down.

Peninsula Hot Springs glamping

We split four friends into two glamping tents (there are 10 in total on site). We’re in the garden view tents, though lake view and a secluded pavilion options are available for those wanting to feel a little more private. We’re requested twin beds in each, but they are still surprisingly spacious.

We have a walk-in wardrobe and separate bathrooms, one housing a shower and the other a toilet (why have I never seen this in a hotel before? I hope more catch on). The main area comfortably fit a large cane armchair, the beds, a mini bar and other amenities like a kettle and tea. There was even space for a large rug and two round cushions to meditate on, if the mood took us. Everything feels very earthy, like we’re part of the elements around us. And while you may think canvas walls aren’t great for containing sound, the soothing yet voluminous chorus of frogs in the lake outside provided a private ambience.

From the glamping tents to the furthest part of the hot springs, it’s still only a 10-minute walk. Although reception staff are on call in case you’d prefer to be ferried from stop to stop on a buggy.

It’s absolutely perfect, but those wanting to up the luxury also have the option of Eco Lodges.

The Spa Dreaming Centre

The Spa Dreaming Centre is aptly named, and hands down my favourite place in the hot springs. Included in the price of a stay and only offered to guests 16 and over, this calming retreat offers a place to escape the daytime crowds (particularly if your stay falls over a weekend) without giving up your bathing journey.

Here you’ll find the spa, geothermal bathing, an infrared sauna (the only type of sauna I’ll enter thanks to my asthma), a Moroccan hammam and even zen chi massage machines. It. Is. Heaven. Guests can take advantage of private bathing options (for an extra cost) and a Moonlit Bathing experience. Head into the reception area to purchase a wide range of natural beauty and bathing products, from sun creams to bath salts to serums.

As my friends and I were all celebrating a semi-milestone birthday, it was the perfect excuse to indulge in one of the spa treatments. I booked in for a relaxation massage, and boy, did it work. Entering the waiting room before my massage, I poured myself a herbal tea and chose to sit in a swinging egg chair (though there are regular couches for those without a sense of fun). When my masseuse came to get me, the first thing I noticed about the room was that the massage table was actually long enough to fit my six-foot length, and then some. It also featured armrests under the headrest, so you didn’t have to have them by your side. It was supremely comfortable.

With magic hands, my masseuse managed to remove any knots and tension the hot springs hadn’t already calmed, and I left after 75 minutes feeling like a whole new person. One who had never experienced stress.

Peninsula Hot Springs dining

The Spa Dreaming Centre is also home to a dining room, where a healthy buffet breakfast is provided each morning. Think freshly made smoothies and juices, a variety of breads, bagels and pastries, a mixture of fruits, yoghurts and muesli and a selection of hot food. Even the scrambled eggs taste good here, a huge coup for hotel buffet breakfasts everywhere.

The dining room stays open all day, offering lunch and dinner menus that also focus on seasonal produce harvested from Peninsula Hot Springs’ own food bowl, designed to boost immunity and overall well-being. As much as there is a focus on health, no need to panic; it’s still a licensed venue. And my favourite part? No matter what time of day you sit down, it’s completely normal and expected to be wearing your white bathing robe.

Elsewhere on the property, try the Bath House cafe and bar or Amphitheatre Cafe, both of which offer more relaxed, open-air dining experiences. As a glamping guest, I can 100 per cent recommend ordering the tasty wood-fired pizzas to your room for dinner.

Peninsula Hot Springs workshops

I think the most surprising aspect of our stay here was the workshops provided. Some are free, some incur a $20 fee, but every single one we tried was delightful and worth the money.

We painted ourselves with four different body clays of different colours, following our leader’s directions to apply the different colours on different parts of our body, depending on whether it needed moisture, cleansing or detoxing. It might sound intimidating, or even romantic, but in reality, it’s a fun excuse to get a bit goofy. And oh my goodness, my skin has never felt softer than after we washed the clays off.

On another day, we tried the Cacao Circle. A dry activity, we entered a tented dome and sat at a low wooden table, laid with cups. Similar to a tea ceremony, our guide talked us through mindfulness questions while we sipped raw cacao with honey. Meditation isn’t for me, but this was a perfect way to relax the brain and body. It is only offered during the winter season, though.

Finally, we woke up for the daily 9 am hot spring yoga classes. There’s regular yoga too, but truly, the aim of a stay here is to spend as much time as possible in a hot spring. The classes are held in the amphitheatre, with a teacher on stage while participants fill the many pools surrounding it.

Out-of-hours geothermal pool access

If you think your bathing journey is done after the sun goes down, think again. An adults-only moonlit bathing experience means guests can soak under the starry sky every Friday and Saturday from 10 pm until 2 am in the Spa Dreaming Centre.

Though perhaps my favourite thing was being able to get into all the pools from the moment they open at 5 am. We followed the staff suggestion to head up to the iconic Hilltop Pool with sweeping views over the entire hot springs and beyond. While the line can get long at sunset, and time in the pool is limited to accommodate the large numbers, for sunrise, there is plenty of room. A hidden gem all glampers should try to wake up for.