Bali without the plane trip

One night of quiet and luxury can do wonders for the frazzled city dweller, discovers Terri Jacobs.

We are living life at an increasingly hectic pace. No wonder more people are in retreat.

Not that most of us are escapists. But the "retreat", as in a few days out of the rat race - whether it be for health, yoga or religion; or just a bit of TLC - is becoming more popular as we rush to meet deadlines or just try to balance work-home lives.

Who hasn't wished they could add a few hours onto the day so they can put their feet up, or sit down and chat to the family?

This is where retreats come in. You may be looking for the kick-start to a new health regime, or need the impetus to stop smoking or help you onto a healthy eating plan; or, like us, you could just do with some time with your partner.

The gravel driveway crunches under the car's tyres. It is mid afternoon on a blustery day and I am ready to shake off the week's cares and retreat from the chaos that is daily life for most urban dwellers.

I'm retreating to a Thai and Balinese-inspired hideaway that is as far removed from the rat race as is possible while still being only 45 minutes from Melbourne.

I am tense, work is busy, traffic horrid with roadworks and restrictions, and then we have to find our way through an unfamiliar area. So I am more than ready to submerse myself in some "me" time, make that "us" time, as my husband and I are at the Balinese Retreat in Montrose for the Exotic Romance special.

This weeknight deal includes two 45-minute relaxation massages, a delicious Thai banquet for two and some remarkable down time with your significant other. No mobile phones, no bosses, no kids and no noise.

Not that it is only Victorians who venture off the bitumen road to this oasis. According to the retreat's website, LuxuryTravelMagazine.com named it "One of the top 10 ultimate honeymoons in the world" and I can see why. With no distractions, you can revel in being quiet, which is a bit more difficult than I first thought.

After we have been shown through our Balinese-style house - a stunning hand-carved king-sized bed dominates the bedroom, while a sunken jade mosaic-tiled spa bath is master of the bathroom - we prepare for our massages before we are given time to relax, have a spa or just take in the amazing scents of carved wood, the dried grass used in the buildings and fresh, unpolluted air.

The next 45 minutes pass blissfully, I even forget my poor nervous husband is "enduring" his first massage next to me, until, that is, I hear him snoring! I take it he is relaxed and is enjoying the experience.

After our therapists finish and have packed up the massage equipment they set the table for our Thai banquet, but assure us we have plenty of time for a soak before dinner is served.

While running the spa we reckon on having a snack to tide us over until dinner and are pleasantly surprised to find the kitchen well-stocked with biscuits, crackers, chocolates, cheeses, dips, soft drinks, orange juice, bottled water, coffees and teas. We grab some pate and crackers and submerge ourselves in the spa while admiring the tropical garden virtually within touching distance. As the sun sets, the garden before us disappears and with darkness our solitude feels complete.

Dinner is served in the Exotic Room, a beautiful space at the back of the house designed for relaxation. It has board games, plenty of room to lounge, soft lighting and a stunning view of the water garden and bale (Balinese thatched-roof pavilion), which are drenched in mood lighting, where you can enjoy your banquet on warm evenings.

The Thai banquet includes some of the most delicious food I have had in ages, made for the retreat by a Thai chef. There is far too much for the two of us after the pre-dinner nibbles, but I am sure it would have been beyond us to finish even if we were famished. Numerous dishes are served; rice, noodles, an entree of fish cakes and crab spring rolls, vegetables, stir-fried chicken, a delicious hot salad, satay beef and palate-cleansing dessert of lemon sorbet.

Dessert is placed in the freezer by our friendly hosts and we enjoy it later over Scrabble with delicious plunger coffee.

Between the tinkling of the waterfall outside the bedroom, the fresh air, the massage and the calm surrounds I find myself without a thing to do but relax. The luxurious surrounds certainly make that possible and if I didn't have work the following day I would be tempted to lie in and soak up as much of the ambience as I could before heading back to the real world.

As it is, however, we get up early, to prepare a breakfast of fresh bacon and eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes with scrumptious bread and orange juice before saying goodbye to what should be and returning to our real lives, traffic hell and all.

One weeknight Exotic Romance package at the Balinese Retreat costs $899 for two. Phone 9737 0413 or see www.balineseretreat.com.au.

Terri Jacobs stayed courtesy of Travel Victoria and the Balinese Retreat.