Melbourne is jam-packed full of things to do, places to eat, and spots to drink. But where should you head when you’re looking for a little R&R? We recently visited The Langham Melbourne to try their Chuan Spa Treatment and Afternoon Tea, the perfect antidote to big city life.

Why this experience was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We review the Chuan Spa Treatment and Afternoon Tea at The Langham Melbourne

Sometimes, you just need a breather. Such was the case on a Monday afternoon in May when I walked into The Langham Melbourne. I’d just come off four days at Albert Park Circuit – being buffeted by scorching sun and humidity one day and freezing rain and gale-like winds the next – where I’d been watching the opening race weekend for the 2025 Formula One season. I was sorely in need of some recovery.

The Langham Melbourne had just the thing. The Chuan Spa Treatment and Afternoon Tea package promises a few hours’ respite combining rejuvenation and indulgence. And so, on a perfect Melbourne summer day, the traditionally styled hotel – centrally located on the riverside Southbank – beckoned.

A moment of wellness

Chuan Spa Langham Melbourne

A Langham signature, Chuan Spa is an Asian-inspired wellness haven offering a range of indulgent treatments. The Melbourne outpost doesn’t depart from the hallmarks of this spa brand. The whole place is rendered in earthy shades of creams and deep browns, accented by textures like wood and marble. After a quick check-in at the reception, I slip into a cosy white bathrobe and sip a Chocolate Coconut Chai Tea in a waiting area framed by gauzy curtains and displays of the spa’s products.

I’m scheduled for a 60-minute Harmony massage (a Harmony facial is available, too, if your skin needs some pampering). Within minutes of arriving, I’m face-down on the table in the treatment room, having the knots of stress in my shoulders slowly unravelled with pointed kneading (the race, which had no less than four crashes amid the uncooperative weather, had me on the edge of my seat). An hour later, my therapist gently recalls me back to awareness – I’m still in a harmonious daze as I slowly come back to life in the deserted relaxation lounge.

Teatime treats

Afternoon Tea Langham Melbourne

Snapping out of the spa-induced reverie, it’s time to head to Aria Bar & Lounge, the setting for The Langham Melbourne’s afternoon tea experience. The mezzanine restaurant is surprisingly empty on arrival, though that just means a bit of quiet while enjoying the service anchored by a traditional tiered stand. A pour of Tattinger Cuvée Champagne to start and we’re off.

There’s an array of sweet and savoury snacks on offer with the Langham Summer Afternoon Tea (note, the menu changes regularly) – the menu is beautifully presented with an illustration by local artist Kerrie Hess. This doubles as a late lunch so I quickly dig into the savouries – the contrasting flavours of the tomato, buffalo mozzarella, and homemade black olive tapenade on sourdough, and the satisfyingly flavourful pumpkin arancini with orange and curry mayonnaise – along with the other bites – immediately appease any hunger.

Pastries by chef Markus Bohm follow. Admittedly, I’m not a sweet tooth but the miso cheesecake with cherry blossom jelly and honey sesame crisp and mikan mandarin and yuzu curd meringue tart were well-balanced treats. The real showstopper, though, was the surprisingly large rhubarb pavlova with white chocolate – it’s designed to be shared and is as visually impressive as it is palate-pleasing.

In confirmation that sometimes the simplest pleasures are life’s best, it was the service’s final touch that ended up being my favourite. Vanilla sconces – plain or with raisins – are served with clotted cream, and macerated strawberry and rose preserve, and accompanied by a delightfully bergamot-forward Special Early Grey tea by Ronnefeldt, a 200-year-old tea company from Frankfurt.

Appetite sated – and feeling more relaxed and loose-limbed than I have in days – I eventually head back onto the sun-dappled Southbank, enjoying the later afternoon sun and thoroughly at peace. The Langham Melbourne has worked its magic.

Chuan Spa Treatment & Afternoon Tea
Monday-Thursday
AU$560 for two

Find out more about the Chuan Spa Treatment and Afternoon Tea at The Langham Melbourne

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