Soak Bathhouse - South Yarra — Local services in Melbourne

A True Urban Oasis — South Yarra Soak Bathhouse

I had the pleasure of visiting the brand new Soak Bathhouse in South Yarra just two weeks after they opened — and what a serene, thoughtfully designed space it is.

I used all the facilities during my 90-minute session: the cold plunge, warm and hot pools, steam room, and dry sauna. Every area was immaculately clean and beautifully curated. The green tones throughout the bathhouse were a perfect choice — calming, earthy, and evoking a sense of peace and connection to nature. At times, I honestly felt like I had stepped into a magical jungle — surrounded by lush design elements, soothing water, and a peaceful atmosphere that transported me far from the busy city.

The locker rooms were stylish and functional, with dedicated shoe compartments, compact lockers (which still fit my parka and backpack), and very sleek showers. I hired a padlock for $2.50, which was convenient. They also provide great little touches like a swimsuit dryer, high-quality toner and moisturizer, drinkable water stations, and a selection of teas — all of which made the experience feel thoughtful and elevated.

The ambiance was everything I hoped for — tranquil and relaxed. There’s soft music playing in the background, and while it's a communal space where people do chat, I found that added to the warm, social atmosphere. For a quieter experience, the steam and sauna rooms offered that cocoon-like solitude I enjoy. I even spotted a few people reading books, which says a lot about the vibe.

The staff were welcoming from the moment I walked in. I was greeted with a friendly smile and offered a brief tour to get oriented. Jasper was especially lovely, offering an additional walkthrough of the facilities. I even had the chance to speak with the owner, and I let him know how stunning the spa is — you can feel the care and thought put into every detail, from the shower heads and tiling to the layout and flow of the space. It’s not just beautiful — it’s intentional and harmonious.

Despite arriving a little late (wrong train direction — I’m visiting from California!), it was absolutely worth the money. I recommend arriving early to take full advantage of the time, and trust me, you'll want every minute.

This is the kind of place that melts away stress. Highly recommend — especially if you need a reset or a mindful moment in the middle...

I came here for my birthday today, and it was such a letdown from start to finish.

Booking experience – horrible. Their online app barely works. I couldn’t log in or book, so I had to call instead.

No free parking – at all. I was there from 2:30–6:30 pm and could not find a single parking spot. For a wellness centre, you’d expect parking options. They told me to park at Woolies and I had to pay $22.

LED Facial – unprofessional setup. My facial was booked for 2:30 pm but started at 2:50 pm because the staff member couldn’t get the LED machine working. He then handed me the eye mask and headphones and told me I had to sanitise the mask, put on the headphones, play the music, and set myself up under the machine — all while blindfolded. I had no idea if it was positioned correctly, and the headphones weren’t noise-cancelling so I could hear people talking the whole time.

Massage – no consent given for a male therapist. This was the most disappointing and concerning part. No one asked me if I was okay with a male massage therapist before sending him in. As a female client, this is a basic and important consent step for a wellness business. I booked a deep tissue massage, but it had zero pressure and felt nothing like what I paid for. It started at 3:17 pm and ended at 3:53 pm — just 36 minutes instead of my 50min massage. When I asked, they told me massages are 50 minutes, and because I was “late” (which was due to their facial delay), it ended up shorter.

Bathhouse – the only decent part. The tea, vibe, hot stones sauna, and steam room were enjoyable.

Infrared sauna – poorly prepared. It wasn’t preheated, so we sat in a cold room for most of the time. It only reached the target temperature in the last 5 minutes.

Overall, the time and money would have been better spent elsewhere. A terrible way to spend my birthday — and the lack of consent for my massage was unacceptable.

Updated: Contacted Soak. Was hoping for some sort of apology for bad experience but no, I got a $20 voucher that seriously wouldn't cover anything. You can see, no one really reads the reviews & actually help their customers, they just give a $20 voucher for the inconvenience. That voucher couldn't even cover the parking i had to pay yesterday lol....

Sadly i generally don't write bad reviews, but i did feel the review rating doesn't reflect what we experienced. A few things ruined our experience:

Staff/booking disorganisation Booked for my husband and I anniversary, and was called earlier in the day to move my booking later as a masseuse was sick. That was fine, was told i'd get a complementary facial as well so i'd be beside my husband while he was getting his massage. Got there, my husband was directed to his massage and i was asked to wait. Had to ask about my facial and was told no therapist was available. was given a complimentary sauna instead which took time to set up at it was then 4:15 - 15mins before my massage. Was also told that i needed to come to the front myself at 4:30, so i had to walk out awkwardly and wait at the front of desk in my bathers.

Massage - Deep tissue massage My masseuse (Jill) was great! My husbands, he didn't feel much pressure, was almost a light shiatsu with oil. Disappointing. It seems masseuse are there as contractors which is fine, but there was a clear disconnect from front of house to the massage area. Also wasn't a consistent massage experience.

Front of desk again my husband was out earlier, given his pass for a soak but nothing else. Was waiting for me for 30mins. I had to ask front desk for my pass in which the lady that served us finally gave us the experience we had hoped for at the very start! Explained our package, the additions (drinks, snacks, robe, towel, locker key) where to go and what to expect!

Soak itself was good, nice water, hot sauna and steam.

Unfortunately a combination of the above just ruined it for us. Would we pay again to go? No. Would we go again just for the soak? No. There are other places in Melbourne we'd rather travel a bit further and pay a little more for a better experience and actually feel relaxed. I didn't read any of the negative comments till after our experience and seems we aren't the only ones that have felt the same. Hopefully there is improvement for...