Eat. Soak. Heal.

Eat. Soak. Heal. 

Nurturing mind, body and soul for creative people

Ideal for singles, couples or small groups.

Our Eat. Soak, Heal lunch + afternoon sessions are for busy people who are looking for mini-retreat, Look After Me type experience. 

FIRST WE EAT..... AND TALK ABOUT WELLNESS 

12.30 - 1.30 pm 

Moving into a quiet and thoughtful phase, we guide you into a Self-Healing frame of mind.We offer a selection of tasty, nutrious snacks and light meals, served from the Hindu Heritage Centre kitchen. 

We usually do this from the comfort of our Wellness Circle - where we inspire each other to think more about their own personal wellness journey. 

THEN WE SOAK.......2 - 3.30 PM

We leave the Hindu Heritage Centre meeting point and self-drive (or be driven) the 3 - 6 km to one of our recommended inner city Thermal Pool or Hot Tub experiences. 

To accentuate your healing experience - we've cherry-picked our Top 3 Spa options ranging from $40 - $300.

We encourage our guests to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of Rotorua - our geothermal paradise.

Please read carefully and choose the option that best suits your physical mobility, transport options and budget. 

Visit the webpages to help make your decision but please book with us so you get access to:

(1) FOREST BATHE-ING: With Spa Host Secret Spot Hot Tubs 

Your Hot Tub is nestled on the fringes of the stunning Whakarewarewa Forest (with its towering Redwoods)

• Relax in your own cedar hot tub surrounded by ferns
• Suits writers who are physically able to climb in and out of a hot tub (no rails)
• And yes! they have a call-bell service, to bring your drinks, right to the Hot Tub!
• Celebrate your Own Look After Me moment and have the Tub all to yourself
• Or be social and share (max 4 people per Hot Tub)
• Before or after your soak, enjoy drinks and nibbly things.... spend some journalling under the canopy, by the fire or canoodling in a Shinny Dip with your besties.
  
• Forest Bathing Package comes with local, handy maps and guides of places you can go go walking and/or Forest Bathe-ing on the nearby Te Ahi Ahi. This gorgeous river gorge is part of the NZ Cycle Trail Network) and is a refreshing sanctuary.

(2) LAKESIDE LUXURY: With our Spa Host -  The Polynesian Spa Deluxe Pools 

If a lakeside view fills you up, mesmerise and day dream the afternoon away at The Polynesian Spa. Yes, the world class one. Iconic Rotorua!

• Incredibly soothing sitting in waterside thermal pools - lots of pools with slightly varying temperatures
• Indulgent luxury and a worthwhile "look after me, myself and I" experience
• The Polynesian Spa offers a collection of rock pools, thermal bathing, cold plunge pool, hydrotherapy options
• Nestled right on the edges of the lake Rotorua - incredibly peaceful. Take as long as you like.
• After your soak, reconvene in the private lounge space or cafeteria for afternoon tea and journal writing and reflection.
• Before or after your refreshments, enjoy walking through the nearby sculpture gardens around the Arts Village or explore the new Art Installations and Yoga Jetties at the completely refurbished Rotorua Lakefont Development. 

(3)  REGENERATIVE WELLBEING EXPERIENCE at Wai Ariki Spa

• Take a deep dive into your own self-healing practice
• Bathe in mineral rich, deeply restorative waters overlooking Lake Rotorua, towards Mokoia Island 
• Our ultimate, restorative "look after Me" package, we invite you to take a Restorative Journey at a place called Chiefly Waters. Or Wai Ariki.
• The Restoration Journey is also known by our local Maori as ""Wai Whaka ora". Wai = water. Whaka ora = means to be well.
• Our Spa partner offers a deeply personal experience, soothing your mind, body and soul
• Follow a pathway of unforgettable spa and healing experiences that move you from heat to cool, mud to water and air to steam
• Unique, therapeutic, relaxing and multi-sensory - you'll restore with access to waterfalls, soaking, mud packs and hydrotherapy (jets)
  
• The healing and self-healing practices are drawn from the legacy of local Maori (Ngāti Whakaue) customs, culture and values about self-care, self-love and divinity.
  
• Maximise the wellbeing benefits of the natural environment, from the heavens to the waters, and the earth. 
• After your soak, reconvene in the beautiful cafe, for afternoon tea and journal writing.
  

This Eat. Soak. Heal Afternoon programme is an integral parts of the Thee Write Away Writer's Retreat. We personalise every retreat. 

LET'S HEAL...

Each of our healing sessions come with options to experiment with techniques and modalities like yoga, meditation and behavioral therapies or counselling etc. 

We personalise this part of the programme, for every guest.

MEET OUR LOOK AFTER ME TEAM....

introducing Dr Julia Anne

Dr Julia Anne, is an award-winning scientist, writer and entrepreneur. 

She’s also a performance poet and author of the creative non-fiction stories: Secret Diary of an Entrepreneur, Secret Diary of a Writer & Secret Diary of a Woman. 

Julia has nearly 30 years of experience writing across many genres and styles: mainly business, PR, literary tourism, the Shared Access Economy, plant molecular biology and creative. 

As Founder and Managing Director of the 'Look After Me' Accommodation Network, during Covid-19, Julia pivoted the company and has created retreats, live events and educational experiences for creative people as well as events for general wellness experiences. 

All events, but especially this Eat. Soak. Heal Event honour our 'look after me' philosophy around wellbeing.

As Facilitator, Julia will provide guests with access to the smorgesboard of tourism activities, healing practioners of all kinds of modalities.  

Passionate about looking after people, as a mindfulness and meditation practitioner for about 30 years, Julia shares her quick, practical and easy mindfulness, breathing and stretching techniques that are helpful for creative people. 

Julia will also offer a self-care group therapy session, aligning chakras (the 7 wheels of energy in the body), and connecting with your higher self as a way to approach difficult, painful, and highly charged experiences without re-traumatizing yourself. 

Talented Practioners, Gifted healers and Wellbeing advocates 

We offer a supportive, uplifting Wellness community, with talented Tutors, practioners and healers.

Our Community has been created by local, and national people - interested in healing the mind, body and soul.  

We welcome all people, from all cultures, of all ages, stages and gender. 

Some of our guests are children, others are grandmothers, aunties, Mums , Koros, Nephews, Grandads, our sisters and daughters who might be visiting Rotorua from overseas or other parts of New Zealand. 

We believe it's never too late to start on your own wellness journey.

This Eat. Soak. Heal sessions can be extended by attending the Wednesday morning programmes: 11 - 12 - Hatha Yoga with Nadine.... - if you wanted to add some stretching.  

Our Wednesday Writer's programme is part of our Thee Write Away Writer's Retreat Itinerary.

About Rotorua

Rotorua is New Zealand's most celebrated geothermal valley, so it's where writers come to soak, write, learn, eat, play, stay and heal.

It’s also the home of the Thee Write Away retreats which brings local, national and international writers to Rotorua to celebrate words, stories and ideas.

If you plan to stay a few days on either side of Eat. Write. Heal., we'll share our local secrets of the most stunning lakes, endearing wildlife, historical architecture, fantastic bookshops and mouth-watering restaurants.

Need a place to stay? 

No problem. Look After Me will look after you. 

We're both an events and accommodation network, so we know safe and comfortable places to stay in Rotorua. Make a note in the comments, and we'll send you separate information about bed and breakfasts, homestays, self-contained units, holiday houses or lodges suitable for writers coming to this event.  

Eat. Soak. Heal.

Our time together will be an immersive experience of eating, soaking and connection.

We'll nourish our deepest self, fill our inner well of inspiration and tap into creativity and joy. 

Create the time. 

Be Yourself

Heal yourself! 

Head over to our Thee Write Away information page to hear more about our multi-day writer's retreats.

Thanks to Our Supporters, Suppliers, Venues, Caterers, Tourism Family and Funding

We are grateful to all the Healers, practiioners, tutors, individuals, organisations and businesses who support this and our other wellness or writers events  with trusted customer service experience, funding, logistics, risk-management, catering, venues, photography, marketing, in-kind and cash contributions or sponsorship. 

Thank you!

Please note: Funding partners and preferred suppliers for our 2024-2027 events are still being finalised. Sponsorships and partnerships are being secured, so this may change slightly. 

For all our new writers and those discovering Look After Me for the first time - welcome to our community! 

We are healers, practioners, writers, authors, publishers, booksellers and tutors, private businesses, council owned organisations and national funding bodies, accommodation hosts and bespoke tourism operatores who have come together to support Wellness and Creative/Literary Tourism in New Zealand.  

The Look After Me team loves creating, hosting or being involved in memorable, enjoyable events, day trips, retreats and experiences for guests from all over the world. i

Click on Tickets to book you Eat. Write. Heal 1/2 Day trip.