Minor Hotels will open Australia’s largest integrated wellness resort in New South Wales’ Hunter Valley, combining a 340-acre property with existing facilities and new luxury additions.
Avani Cypress Lakes Resort to launch in late 2026
The Avani Cypress Lakes Resort will debut in phases starting October 2026, merging the current Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort and Elysia Wellness Retreat. When complete, it will be the largest Avani property in Australasia, with 204 rooms and suites split across two distinct accommodation styles.
Planned amenities include an 18-hole golf course, a spa and wellness center called AvaniWell, 24 meeting and event spaces, two restaurants, a pool bar, and all-day dining. The resort will also introduce three pickleball courts, an outdoor cinema, Pilates reformers, and cold-plunge pools. The full transformation is expected to finish by the third quarter of 2027.
One of the new dining concepts, Chakraya, will serve Sri Lankan-inspired cuisine. The resort’s design emphasizes flexibility, allowing guests to blend wellness activities with family trips, corporate retreats, or weekend getaways.
Wellness retreat expands with local access
The existing Elysia Wellness Retreat will be rebranded as AvaniWell, marking the first time the AvaniWell concept has been introduced in Australia. The facility will be open to both resort guests and local visitors, offering 70 wellness suites, a magnesium pool, and 26 treatment rooms.
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Additional features include 10 Pilates reformers, infrared saunas, outdoor cold-plunge pools, and spaces for seminars and group sessions. AvaniWell will provide multi-day wellness programs alongside individual treatments and day-spa experiences.
Craig Hooley, Minor Hotels Australasia’s chief operating officer, said the Hunter Valley has the potential to become Australia’s wellness hub. “From winery visits and long-table lunches to Pilates classes and cold plunges, modern wellness is personal and integrated into everyday travel,” he said. “Avani Cypress Lakes Resort reflects our confidence in the growth of wellness-led travel, especially in regional destinations.”
The project follows the recent opening of Avani Mooloolaba Beach in May 2026 and the upcoming launch of Avani Queenstown in September 2026. The Hunter Valley development suggests Minor Hotels is betting on a shift toward experiential stays outside major cities.
If the model succeeds, it could encourage similar expansions in other wine regions, though the scale of this project makes it a test case for how much demand exists for high-end wellness tourism in Australia’s countryside.
The first guests will arrive in just over two years, but the resort’s long-term impact may depend on whether travelers see it as a destination in itself or a complement to the Hunter Valley’s existing attractions.