The Good Index Visits: Eden Health Retreat
The Good Index team visited Eden Health Retreat located in Currumbin Valley, Queensland. We have put together a visit recap which breaks down our week into certain areas, includes real photos and a detailed overview of our day to day experience at Eden without spoiling anything for when you attend yourself.
Good For
Holistic health experience for those that want to disconnect from the modern world, relinquish control of their schedule and leave it to the experts.
Overview
From the moment you cross Eden’s threshold, your mind and body relax, connection to the outside world ceases, and you sink gratefully into ‘Eden time’. From the perfect silence offered by Eden’s serene grounds to the expert spa team, the retreat offers everything you need to turn off your brain and re-centre. The only decision required is whether to join in the day’s activity or return to your cabin for a well-deserved nap.
Staff/Service
Eden’s team’s motto is ‘we care’ and it’s clear to see that it’s not just lip service. From a warm welcome on arrival, individual greetings from the head chef and personalised recommendations from the retreat’s spa team, entering Eden feels like you’ve joined a friendly and caring community. Eden’s guest coordinator, Briana, is sunshine personified and went above and beyond to ensure all our needs were met throughout our week. This included providing top tips on Eden’s best walks, joining in the fun at Club Mud and delivering a toothbrush and toiletries items to the room in minutes when we discovered a toiletries bag had accidentally been left at home.
Accommodation
We were lucky enough to stay in Eden’s newly built state-of-the-art cabins, featuring cloud-like beds, standalone bath, stunning forest view balconies and fireplaces (in the larger cabins). Handy additions to the cabins are washer dryers allowing you to pack light, a great heating/air con system and a choice of 4 different pillow variants for all types of sleepers. Fresh towels and room clean each day were a delight, particularly after some of the muddier outdoor activities. We were also lucky enough to get a look at the existing cabins higher up the property which were equally charming, with a quaint alpine feel, homey vibe and stunning views down the valley or onto the creek. Rave reviews of these rooms from our fellow retreaters suggest you really can’t go wrong with accommodation at Eden.
Food
Mealtimes at Eden aren’t just about refuelling – delivered on long communal tables in the beautiful dining room, we found they were the perfect time to relax and share stories from the day with other retreaters. The culinary team, headed by Masterchef’s Georgia Barnes, serve three delicious, gluten free and nutrient packed meals a day (plus morning and afternoon tea) with a focus on providing wholesome, nurturing food that doesn’t skimp on flavour. Whilst this approach may not be for calorie counters, the team happily cater for all dietary requirements or individual requests. Indeed, when a hungry Good Index team member asked for an extra helping of the delicious Laksa on night one, the request was remembered and a larger portion provided at each meal going forward.
Offerings & Activities
Eden’s activity and treatment offering is vast and can confidently cater to all personality types. The activity schedule for each day is provided at dinner the night before, meaning that you are forced to be present in the moment and relinquish control (a rare change to everyday life). You’re in safe hands, as each day is perfectly curated with a mix of 5-8 offerings, including physical activity, creativity, self-development, and relaxation. Without spoiling the magic of the full schedule, a few of our personal favourites were the famous ‘flying fox’ to help conquer altitude fears, an educational cooking class from Georgia and aqua aerobics for more than a few giggles with Head of PE, Kane. The activity schedule is a great starting place for those looking to learn new physical skills or try something different in a supportive environment, with classes catered to all abilities in the room. The treatments at Eden are an unequivocal delight – we loved the Reflexology session and Deep Tissue Massage and our fellow retreaters raved about the Kahuna massage.
Facilities
Eden’s 400-acre grounds, nestled between mountains and rainforest provide everything you need for a week of relaxation and restoration. Alongside the abundant nature to explore via guided morning walks, the grounds host a fully equipped health suite including sauna, steam room, treatment rooms and gym. We found the stunning fresh water pool and jacuzzi located just outside to be the perfect spot for a post workout wind down. For a slightly messier spot of R&R, Eden’s infamous Club Mud provides a unique experience where guests can enjoy the benefits of covering your body from head to toe in New Zealand’s finest rejuvenating mud in a secluded sun spot on the property (and take some amazing selfies!). Finally, Eden’s light filled pavilion is the perfect place to welcome the day with a spot of Yoga or QiGong or wind down with a Sound Healing.
Attendees
Eden brings people from all walks of life together and is perfect for solo travellers who want to still be able to enjoy some social interaction with other guests. couples, friends, family and groups. There’s a large emphasis on community at Eden, encouraged via shared dining arrangements, the group activities and shared facilities for all guests to enjoy throughout their stay. A perfect place for you to be involved as little or as much as you like with other guests depending on the purpose of your trip.
Extra’s
One of the joys of Eden is no mobile phone reception or WIFI on the grounds, meaning that you can completely relax without fear of interruption. For those needing to keep in touch with loved ones or in cases of emergency, the retreat has a landline available for use at any time in the dining room.
Not convinced on a week without signal? Have a read of the following article written by the Eden team to convince you of the benefits: ‘How a digital detox can help unlock a calmer and more productive you’. After a week cold-turkey from technology, we can confidently share that we have felt the benefits first hand.
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