The Sanctuary at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa

The Sanctuary at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa is a resort for couples who would rather trade a noisy hotel bar for warm water, a treatment and a proper meal. The mood is centred on thermal bathing and spa time, with gardens, a sun terrace and an outdoor fireplace giving you places to sit when you are not in the water.

The English-language website makes the property straightforward to explore before you travel. Inside, the practical comforts are well covered: air conditioning, free WiFi, a minibar, room service and private bathrooms. It is the sort of address that suits a slower few days, with the coast and the Mornington Peninsula available when you feel like leaving the bathrobe behind.

You will find the resort in Fingal, Australia, rather than in Rye itself. The setting is inland from the coast, so this is not a hotel where you step straight from your room onto the sand. Rye Ocean Beach is 3.1 miles away by car, while Rye Beach is 3.7 miles away; Rosebud Beach is also within reach at 3.4 miles by car.

The surrounding peninsula gives you a few sensible reasons to get back in the car. Moonah Links Golf Club is about 1.8 miles away, and Arthurs Seat Eagle is about 9.3 miles away. Greens Bush-Mornington Peninsula National Park is around 7 miles away, with Panorama Garden Estate closer at about 3.7 miles. The nearest listed airports are Moorabbin Airport, 39 miles away by car, and Avalon Airport, 50 miles away by car; Essendon Fields Airport is 67 miles away.

For two, the villas are the room choice to look at first. The Villa with Bath gives you a private bath as part of the room, while the Villa without Bath gives you the villa format without that particular piece of plumbing. If you want a simpler layout and a super-king bed, the King Room keeps things more compact without taking away the useful basics.

Every room has air conditioning, a minibar, a refrigerator and tea- and coffee-making facilities, which matters when you return warm, thirsty and not especially interested in hunting down a shop. Seating areas, a sofa and a dining area give you somewhere to sit properly rather than balancing a drink on the bedside table. There is also a flat-screen TV with a streaming service, free WiFi and a private bathroom with towels, slippers, bathrobe and toiletries.

Ground-floor accessible units are available, with features including a wheelchair-accessible layout, grab rails, a raised toilet and a lowered bathroom sink. Children of any age are welcome, and cots or extra beds can be requested. For a couple wanting the most restorative version of the stay, the bath villa is the obvious fit; for a room used mainly between the springs, meals and sleep, the King Room keeps the decision less complicated.

Springs Thyme is the resort restaurant, working across breakfast, lunch and dinner with Australian cuisine. That gives your day a clear rhythm: eat on site in the morning, return for lunch if the spa has absorbed the afternoon, then sit down for dinner without having to organise another outing.

The restaurant also serves brunch, high tea and cocktails, while a coffee house covers the less ambitious moments when you want caffeine rather than a full meal. Breakfast can be served in your room, and room service is available when the idea of putting on proper clothes has lost its appeal. Special-diet menus are available, and wine or champagne can be arranged with the meal.

Outdoor seating, picnic areas and outdoor furniture add alternatives to the main dining room. There is a dining table in the accommodation as well, along with a coffee machine, kettle and refrigerator, so you can keep a few essentials close at hand rather than making every drink a formal occasion.

The main non-diving activity here is not difficult to identify: Alba Spa combines a hot spring bath with a sauna, steam room, hammam and spa lounge. Treatments include massage and facials, with couples massage available when you both want the same appointment rather than negotiating two separate timetables. The spa also offers mud baths and body wraps, and treatments use Sodashi products.

There is a useful choice of pace. Yoga, meditation and Pilates are available for gentle movement, while the garden, patio and sun terrace give you room to sit outside without turning relaxation into a scheduled event. An outdoor fireplace adds a natural place to linger when the temperature drops.

For a quiet evening indoors, the rooms have seating areas, televisions with streaming services and board games or puzzles. The peninsula also gives you outings without making the resort purely activity-led: a golf club is nearby, and beaches, gardens and national-park landscapes are within driving distance. You can make the stay as busy or as gloriously uneventful as your legs require.

Check-in runs from 3pm to 11pm, and check-out from 7am to 11am. The minimum age for check-in is 18. Private check-in and check-out, concierge service and luggage storage are available, while daily housekeeping keeps the practical side of the stay under control.

Moorabbin Airport is about 39 miles away by car, and Avalon Airport about 50 miles. Essendon Fields Airport is 67 miles away. The property offers concierge support, which is useful when you are arranging the peninsula part of the trip; the surrounding beaches, restaurants and attractions are spread out rather than gathered at the gate.

Cash is not accepted, and payment is made by card. Pets are not allowed, parties and events are not permitted, and the accommodation is non-smoking. Laundry is available, and accessible facilities include ground-floor units and adapted bathroom features. Cancellation and prepayment conditions vary by accommodation type, so the room you choose matters beyond its view and bath.