Blue Mountains, AustraliaBowen Mountain
Spicers Sangoma Retreat
Modernist bushland safari lodge
Bowen Mountain Blue Mountains, Australia
Renovated
2016
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Design Luxe WellnessOutside the door
The house
Spicers RetreatsModernist bushland safari lodge
With animal-hide furnishings, African artwork, and crackling fireplaces, the lodge feels like an intimate safari sanctuary high above the trees.
“The casual open-plan Guest Lounge, variously styled with high-end furniture, Australian art, lavish fur throws, and African accessories, is an ideal backdrop.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Safari-inspired timber suites open onto private bushland decks with freestanding Philippe Starck baths.
Remarkable
Staff memorize daily coffee orders and preferences across eight all-inclusive bushland suites.
Notable
Botanical massages inside a canvas safari tent, beside a valley-edge pool and sauna.
What they say
Two Michelin Keys
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
That faraway feeling is accentuated by the forest views, and by the African-inspired interiors...
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Set on the quiet slopes of Bowen Mountain, the grounds border national park trails eighty minutes northwest of central Sydney.
The rooms
Suites feature timber viewing decks over the forest gorge, wood-burning fireplaces, and deep soaking tubs sized for two beneath high ceilings.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The solar-heated infinity lap pool is cantilevered over the valley ridge, bordered by timber decking and native eucalypts.
The spa
Restaurant Amara
Multi-course degustations highlight organic produce from Hawkesbury growers, served behind floor-to-ceiling windows looking out across the bushland.
At the table
Evenings begin with drinks beside the bluestone lounge fireplace and wind down around the outdoor fire pit.
How it began
Named after the Zulu word for healer, the retreat pairs African safari-lodge design with quiet immersion in native Blue Mountains bushland.
Good to know
Stay here
Spicers Sangoma Retreat
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.