3 wellness weekends away to consider

It’s no stretch to picture yourself indulging in pilates and good food at a luxury Blue Mountains resort.

Pilates in Wolgan Valley

Sydney Pilates guru Kirsten King will head to Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley for an exclusive wellness weekend at the luxury Blue Mountains resort on November 20. King, who owns Fluidform Pilates, will lead a series of bespoke classes over the three-day retreat and also join guests for brunch. The experience will include a Fluidform at Home equipment package so guests can get an extra workout at their villas if they decide against lazing by their private pool, checking out the state-of-the-art gym or having a spa treatment. One-on-one lessons are also available on request.

King – one of the loveliest and most effective Pilates instructors WISH has come across – says she is thrilled to be hosting the weekend, which is aimed at all levels from beginners to advanced. “At Fluidform, our focus is to make a meaningful impact on both mind and body,” she says. “I’m lookingforward to being immersed in nature and sharing my passion for Pilates and wellness with everyone in a unique setting, helping them feel a true sense of wellness.”

Guests at the conservation-based resort can also sample food prepared by newly appointed executive chef James Viles. The NSW-born chef grew up in the Southern Highlands and trained and worked all over the world. He then opened Biota Dining in Bowral in 2011, focusing on using locally produced food long before it was cool. Viles and his team grew a lot of fruit and vegetables onsite, and also foraged ingredients from the local area. Biota closed in June his year.

“I’m overjoyed to be doing what I love, which is creating beautiful, authentic food and exciting dining experiences for guests,” Viles says. “The resort’s passion for sustainability is something I share, and I am looking forward to working with some of Australia’s best regional producers and artisans.”

Ace Hotel, Kyoto

EAST MEETS WEST: JAPANESE ACCENTS, AMERICAN COFFEE

Ace Hotel is celebrating the opening of its newest venue in Kyoto. The 213-room hotel was designed in partnership with Japanese architect Kengo Kumo and Los Angeles-based studio Commune Design. It features three restaurants, a garden courtyard, a dedicated gallery, and Japan’s first Stumptown Coffee (a US chain and one of the only decent places to get good coffee in New York). The design centres around an East meets West look, and incorporates art by both Japanese artists and those from the US West Coast. The eateries include an Italian-American osteria with a rooftop bar and a taco lounge/cocktail bar overlooking the hotel lobby.

QT Auckland

TRAWLING FOR IDEAS: A HOTEL INSPIRED BY OYSTERS

For when we are allowed to travel to the other side of the ditch again, QT Hotels & Resorts has revealed its newest property in Auckland. Located in Viaduct Harbour, it is the third QT after Queenstown and Wellington. The 150-room hotel has been designed by long-time QT collaborator Nic Graham and is inspired by an oyster and oyster trawler. “The idea was sparked by my first visit to Auckland and a dozen oysters – the salty sweet is a metaphor for the design,” Graham says. “We have elevated the bold use of colour and created a cocooning interior that uses interesting local materials and suppliers, adding to the harbour-based neighbourhood narrative.” It opens November 1.