Images: Heidi Who, Supplied
As winter slowly draws to a close and warmer days approach, there’s no better time to start planning a spring getaway. And if your idea of the perfect escape involves a private sauna, sunset views and a couple of friendly horses, there’s a new reason to add Marion Bay to your weekend getaway list.
Bayside’s The Sanctuary has unveiled a brand-new outdoor infrared sauna, adding another layer of wellness and relaxation to the luxe couples retreat.
The sauna sits overlooking the property’s paddock and neighbouring farmland. It’s a pretty idyllic setting, one that founder Tiffany Falzon says was carefully chosen to make the most of the surrounding landscape.
“We really wanted to find the perfect spot outside, so you could be next to the horses and have the sunset behind the Sanctuary,” shared Tiffany.
The sauna itself also has a distinctly Bayside feel, with Tiffany’s dad and partner Luke building the structure using reclaimed materials, including a door and windows gifted by friends.
“We wanted to put our own spin on it,” said Tiffany.
The result is a one-of-a-kind little sauna room that Tiffany says guests won’t find anywhere else.
“We really wanted to go more into the wellness space because that’s what we’re about, slowing down. We want people to immerse themselves in the stay.”
The idea for the sauna came after guests suggested it would be a welcome addition to The Sanctuary, which opened in April 2025.
Tiffany had never been a huge fan of traditional saunas, but after discovering infrared saunas, she was sold.
“I’d never even heard of them,” she said. “But they’re much more manageable, and they’re great for beginner sauna users, because you can pick your temperature.”
The first guest to put the new sauna to the test was AFL player Jordan Dawson, who was staying at The Sanctuary when it launched.
“I don’t follow footy,” Tiffany laughed, not initially realising who her first sauna guest was. “So I was messaging him beginner instructions for it.”
The sauna is now part of the broader experience at The Sanctuary, where guests can slow down, switch off and enjoy the property without needing to leave. There are also private yoga sessions and an outdoor shower at The Sanctuary. Tiffany said Jordan Dawson loved using the outdoor shower as recovery after the sauna too. No ice bath needed.
Adding to all the fun are two new four-legged additions. The Sanctuary’s horses, Inky and Dandy, arrived last year and have quickly become a hit with guests, who can feed them carrots and oats and give them a pat.
The horses come from Tiffany’s partner Luke’s family farm at Cooney Point, with the family’s connection to horses making them a natural addition to the property.
“Luke knows how to look after them and they’re just really good companion animals,” Tiffany said. “And it probably adds to the wellness, like almost that equine therapy, where they just love a good pat.”
The new sauna and horses are just some of the ways The Sanctuary has evolved in the last year.
Bayside has now been operating for around eight-and-a-half years, beginning with its original glamping tent before adding its Tiny House around six years ago and, most recently, The Sanctuary.
Each of the three accommodations offers a different experience around Marion Bay, from sleeping to the sound of the ocean in the glamping tent to the completely off-grid Tiny House on a 50-acre property.
The Sanctuary takes things up a notch, with its luxury design, expansive acreage and focus on creating an immersive experience for couples.
Just three hours from Adelaide, Marion Bay offers the chance to properly escape without needing to catch a flight, while the nearby Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park provides plenty of rugged coastline, beaches and secluded spots to explore.
“You can be the only person on the beach or at a lookout,” shared Tiffany. “And you’ve just got these rugged cliffs that are all part of it. You’re surrounded by nature, and it is just good for the soul, and it just honestly helps you immediately switch off.”
If you’re heading down for a stay, Tiffany recommends stopping at Marion Bay Tavern for wood-fired pizza, the Dalrymple Hotel in Stansbury for a meal and Lost Tide Spirit Co for local gin tastings.
There’s also Barley Stacks Wines, where Bayside guests can receive a discount and sample the region’s local produce.
So with the warmer months approaching, it’s hard to imagine a better excuse for a Yorke Peninsula road trip, especially when your itinerary can end with a sunset sauna, a fluffy robe and two horses grazing just outside.
The Sanctuary
Where: Marion Bay, Yorke Peninsula
For more information, click here.
