Nicole Kidman’s Favourite Sydney Spa Went Viral — But is it Worth the Hype?

SYDNEY

When Nicole Kidman casually dropped the name of her favourite Sydney spa into a New York Times travel piece earlier this month, the internet did what it does best: it spiralled. “They just know how to take care of people,” she said of Venustus, a holistic day spa tucked along Oxford Street in Paddington. “Their treatments are amazing, especially after a long flight. A massage at Venustus will have you ready to go to take on the city," the award-winning actress, 57, is quoted as saying in the profile piece.

The quote was brief. But in a culture obsessed with celebrity routines — especially those that promise to ease the wreckage of intercontinental air travel — it didn’t take long for attention to turn to Venustus itself. What was this niche, almost mystical-sounding spa doing in one of Sydney’s most high-footfall neighbourhoods? Why did it charge upwards of AUD 1,000+ for a massage? And why were some of its followers speaking about it like a spiritual pilgrimage?

Venustus is not your average luxury spa. Founded by Jeannie Bourke, the space is deliberately anti-trend. There are no stark white walls or cucumber-infused water stations. Instead, the ritual begins before you’ve even arrived. The team performs a daily smudging ceremony to “call in the magic makers,” honour the traditional custodians of the land, and cleanse the energy of the space. Beneath the newly renovated structure is a buried crystal grid, while the treatment pods — egg-shaped, four metres high — are lined with reclaimed materials, polished metal, linen, and calm-inducing textures drawn from Sydney’s sandstone past.

The menu reads like a collision of East and West, ancient and contemporary: shiatsu, reflexology, lymphatic drainage, reiki, cryotherapy, sculpting facials, sound bowl healing, and the intriguing Six Hand Body Massage (yes, that means three practitioners at once). Treatments are tailored rather than transactional; product recommendations are offered only if requested. The experience is meant to be immersive, not prescriptive.

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Indeed, Venustus is perhaps best understood not as a beauty destination but as a recalibration zone — a kind of softly lit recovery chamber for those who view wellness as a discipline rather than a trend. You’re not here for a quick fix. You’re here to reset, to re-enter your body, to ground yourself after being flung across time zones.

And for Kidman, at least, it works. Her words were simple, but they lingered: “A massage at Venustus will have you ready to go to take on the city.” Whether that city is Sydney or life itself, Venustus offers a version of readiness not often found in your average hotel spa — one that asks you to slow down, lie still, and trust that three pairs of hands (and perhaps a few buried crystals) might know what to do next.

Location: 383 Oxford St, Paddington NSW 2021, Australia | Phone: +61 400 825 237 | Email: jeannie@venustus.com.au | Instagram: @venustus_australia | Website: venustus.com.au