Sleeping in, long lazy brunches and one on one time with your significant other...this is what a babymoon is made for! Taking a babymoon is the perfect way to recharge; from romance to sleep to selfcare. You’ll be told a million times that once your baby arrives your life will change forever, and ain’t that the truth, so take this opportunity to get away from your mile long “to-do” list and we guarantee you’ll come back rejuvenated and refreshed for what lies ahead. Even in the current climate, a babymoon is still completely doable, in fact, a staycation or a getaway with a short drive (or flight) time is ideal, because no one wants to be hauled up in a car for 8 hours when you’re pregnant and need to pee every 10 minutes right!? The best time to go? Usually towards the end of your second trimester (bearing in mind there are restrictions about flying later in your third trimester), generally you’ll be feeling your best (you’ve hopefully said goodbye to first trimester morning sickness and not yet entered the final trimester where your feet are swollen and you feel more like a beached whale than a beach babe, or maybe that was just us…) Where to go? Here’s our picks for the best staycations and Aussie getaways for your last hoorah before the baby arrives.
At the end of the Great Ocean Road you’ll be treated to couture coastal at Drift House, more luxury apartment than hotel, this adults only six suite boutique hotel is exactly what you need for the perfect babymoon. With the beach a short walk away and a solar heated pool on site (and depending which suite you book a glorious tub to soak in), you’ll wash away any pregnancy stress after a few nights at Drift House. Quiet, calm and more than a little luxe, this is definitely one to put on your list.
Just 90 minutes up the coast from Sydney you’d be forgiven in thinking you’ve arrived at an English country estate, aside from the sea air and sunshine ;) Bells at Killcare will have you feeling very grown up (an adults only hotel) and very relaxed! If you’re anything like us, food is high on the priority list when pregnant, and with the chefs hatted restaurant on site, you will not be disappointed. When bellies are full, there’s a glorious swimming pool, your own private suite (which is more like a complete cottage) and a luxurious day spa on site with a selection of pregnancy massages to choose from.
Prime location on Belongil Beach in Byron Bay, Elements of Byron is the ideal place to babymoon with a balance of adventure and unwind. Whilst the hotel is ‘family friendly’, there’s an adults only pool with private cabanas and a whisper quiet day spa on site. If you’re a beach lover and outdoors lover, this is the perfect base for a babymoon, with beach and rainforest, and an array of delectable food options both onsite and in Byron Bay, when you want to take a much deserved afternoon snooze, the suites are perfection (and a long soak in the tub is a babymoon rite of passage).
The only beach front resort in the Margaret River, Smiths Beach Resort is one of those best kept secret kind of places! Pure heaven for beach lovers, perfectly positioned on the white sands of Smiths Beach and within easy access of many wonderful wineries (which are equally beautiful to visit whilst your hubby can enjoy sampling the wines) and restaurants the region is popular for. There’s nothing quite like waking up to the view of the ocean, definitely the spot for long lazy mornings enjoying room service and robe time on your private balcony. Whilst it could be tempting to not leave the resort (with all the food options, pool, spa and more), there’s still plenty of exploring you can do without exerting your pregnant self too much!
Perched on top of Mount Lofty, with the grandest views in all of Adelaide, including across the Piccadilly Valley and the Mt Lofty Botanical Gardens, is Mount Lofty House. Old world glamour at its finest, in a Gatesby-esque setting you’ll be treated to luxurious accommodation minus the stuffiness. Hardy's Verandah Restaurant on site (with to die for views AND food) is a location unto itself (a perk of pregnancy, you can wear your stretchiest dress and eat for 2, and the down side being you’ll have to leave the Adelaide Hills wine indulgence to your husband). With a grand pool on site, and a luxurious day spa in the original 1851 stables it would be easy to forget to explore the rest of the Adelaide Hills, but you really must not!
A grand old Regency house, Islington Hotel sits above Hobart with views of Mount Wellington. Adults only, and when you see the world-class art collection in the hotel you’ll understand why! Views from the suites are amazing and gigantic bathtubs in marble bathrooms will certainly have you feeling like a queen. The whole focus of Islington Hotel is on tranquility and rest, which is really the ideal recipe for a babymoon. A magic little staycation in the middle of Hobart this feels more like an elegant retreat than a hotel.
