The People of Hopewood - Meet Marilyn

Meet Marilyn

Marilyn helps out Chef John in the kitchen. As a long-time employee of Hopewood, she loves seeing guests return and enjoys chatting with them in the dining room. 

How long have you been working at Hopewood?

6 years

Tell us a little bit about your role/job at Hopewood?

I help to prepare food and set up meals for our guests.  I also make juices and help to serve the guests in the dining room.

What do you enjoy most about working at Hopewood?

I love the family atmosphere.

What is your best piece of advice for healthy living?

Stay active, exercise often, take care of yourself, and eat healthy.

The People of Hopewood - Meet Sarah

Meet Sarah

Sarah is one of the friendly and helpful receptionists at Hopewood’s reservations desk.  She takes reservations, makes therapy bookings, and helps out with the day-to-day office duties. If you’re calling Hopewood or emailing us, Sarah may be the one on the other end answering your question.

How long have you been working at Hopewood?

11 months

Tell us a little bit about your role at Hopewood.

As a receptionist, it is my job to help ensure that guests have a relaxing and enjoyable visit. The reception team is the first port of call and so that first impression is the most important.

What do you enjoy most about working at Hopewood?

When I come to work it doesn’t feel like work, the staff and guests are so friendly and I enjoy meeting new people and listening to their stories! This would be the first time I have been part of a workplace which actually work as a team regardless of which department they are from, everyone is always willing to help. Work is no longer a thing I have to do it is something I enjoy doing!

Do you have any tips for how you take care of your own personal health and wellbeing?

Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced healthy diet.

What is your best piece of advice for healthy living?

Come to Hopewood! J  

Keep your immune system healthy this winter

Winter wellbeing

Your immune system is your body’s first line of defence against illness. Its function is to find and kill organisms that are foreign to the body. There are many positive lifestyle choices you can make to strengthen your immune system, particularly during winter when you’re more vulnerable to getting sick. 


Cold weather tends to cause us to stay indoors and avoid physical activity. It also brings us in closer contact with other people. All of these, particularly the lack of exercise, induces a stress effect on our bodies and increases the production of cortisol.

This increase in cortisol affects the ability of our white blood cells- the ‘killer cells’ of our immune system- to respond to possible threats to our bodies.
So, it’s important that we keep our stress levels low to keep our immune systems functioning. This means keeping up a decent level of physical activity and ensuring we get enough rest and relaxation- particularly when it comes to sleep.

What you eat can also go a long way to maintaining a well functioning immune system. Your diet needs to be well balanced and incorporate foods rich in vitamins B12 and B6, E and A as well as be provide you with sufficient iron and zinc.

Remember that the best cure is prevention- by making positive lifestyle choices you can make it through the winter months in good health.

The importance of relaxation

The mantra of too much work and not enough play is becoming more and more apparent in our busy lives. Practicing the art of relaxation is essential to achieving work/life balance. Relaxation is not a discipline or a chore; it is simply taking time out to focus on you.

Relaxation has many benefits. It helps keep stress levels down, improving overall mental health and giving the brain time to repair. Not enough relaxation can lead to serious problems, such as memory failure, mood swings, and even a heart attack.

There are many small ways relaxation can fit into our lifestyles. A little bit of down time each day can make a difference to your whole outlook on life. Taking 10 minutes each day to take a stroll outdoors, sit quietly before going to sleep, or listening to soothing music are some ways relaxation can be incorporated into our routines.

At Hopewood, we provide the ideal setting for relaxation and rejuvenation. All packages include a range of relaxation activities to suit every taste, such as:

-          Meditation and Breathing

-          Yoga

-          Tai Chi

-          Light Aerobics

-          Stretching

-          Dancing

-          Bush walks

Learning relaxation techniques at Hopewood can give you the start you need to make relaxation a regular part of daily life. Many of our guests find they leave Hopewood feeling physically, emotionally and mentally refreshed and ready to make positive life changes.