Registered nurse Wendy Morel will open a fortnightly cosmetic surgery clinic at the Fairmont Resort MGallery in Leura in mid-March.
The Fairmont Resort MGallery in Leura will soon be an accommodation option not only for romantic escapes or family vacations, but also for short stays after a bit of botox, filler or anti-wrinkle treatment.
The iconic MGallery Collection hotel is continuing apace with a $10 million upgrade under new owner Dr Jerry Schwarz which will see it open the largest hotel day spa in the Blue Mountains early next year, but one component of that — an aesthetic surgery clinic — will begin to operate on a two-day per fortnight basis from mid-March, bringing a taste of ‘cosmetic tourism’ to the region.
Registered nurse Wendy Morel, who works at Dr Schwarz’s aesthetic surgery practice in Matraville, will operate the clinic temporarily in a private room at the resort and later in part of the new two-storey day spa facility to be built next to the existing gymnasium and indoor pool.
“It was an idea I had after I asked a Blue Mountains client at the Matraville clinic where she goes locally for cosmetic treatments and she replied that [at the time] there was nowhere to go for that in the Blue Mountains,” Ms Morel said.
“It can benefit the hotel because people like to come here for the Mountains air and to relax, so it can be the perfect place to recover in comfort and privacy for a day or two after getting a treatment.
“It is not invasive surgery, it’s a bit of maintenance and I think it’s got fantastic potential.”
General manager Geoff York said “my term for it is soft surgery and it’s an extension of the whole day spa experience that hotels in Asia, particularly in Singapore, are already offering now”.
“It is a bit of a new concept in Australia and up here — we talked about it a year ago and he [Dr Schwartz] has grown to the idea.
“Our [the Fairmont’s] traditional market is families and couples and this could be [appealing] not just to individuals but to couples and even groups, for example for girls’ night outs.
“In terms of the day spa I can’t reveal too many details yet but it will be earthy, large [with 10 to 12 rooms], very unique and different from anything in the region and have a connection to the Blue Mountains in terms of treatments and products used.”
The development application for the day spa and the construction of a cabana style bar next to the Fairmont’s outdoor pool was due to be determined at last night’s council meeting.
Other development applications — for 20 new rooms as part of an extension to the resort’s Megalong Wing and for a major upgrade of Leura golf courses’ clubhouse — were granted development consent by council last year.
Mr York said the latest completed components of the $10 million refurbishment project were the opening of an outdoor terrace extension to Jamison’s Restaurant and Embers Bar last week and the December launch of a 130-seat auditorium fitted with the latest audio-visual equipment.
For details about the mid-March opening of the aesthetic clinic, phone 8347-4488 or visit www.aestheticsurgery.com.au.