ESTE opens at Wategos

A NEW luxury wellness retreat at Wategos Beach has opened for bookings, featuring two residences with rooftop terraces and glass-bottom pools.

Spread across three levels, ESTE can sleep up to 12 guests when the two residences – which are separated by a light well – are booked together. Prices start at $5000 per night.

Entrepreneur Chris Bissiotis and emergency doctor George Bilios, who met when their children attended the same school in Sydney, enlisted Shaun Lockyer Architects to bring their dream to fruition.

The design draws on the blue-green space theory, which recognises that water and greenery can improve mental health and wellbeing.

Features include two Nordic flowing ice showers as well as two outdoor showers, two elevators, four dishwashers (including one on the rooftop) and an EV charger.

Guests will have access to a dedicated driver and a concierge who can arrange such things as gourmet meals prepared by a private chef, yoga and Pilates classes, surf lessons and massages.

Bissiotis and Bilios decided to create the retreat after they both suffered heart attacks within 12 months of each other.

When Bissiotis, who is a former director of merchandise company Pacific Optics, told Bilios about the property after seeing it for sale, he came on board straight away.

The pair hope it will give other people with demanding careers like theirs the opportunity to recharge.

“It’s been a major build that’s required all of my time, energy and 35 years’ experience dealing with people,” Bissiotis said.

“Finally completed George and I feel humbled having built ESTE, just knowing the joy and magical moments it will bring to so many people, including our own families, is overwhelming.

“Inquiries have been very encouraging and the feedback on ESTE has been extremely positive.”

The property was furnished by Mark Tuckey and Jardan and features bespoke interiors curated by Fiona Dunin from Melbourne firm FMD Architects.