Meghan Markle’s long-awaited “Her Best Life Retreat” in Sydney has gotten off to a rocky start.
Despite the setback at the seaside venue, a spokesman has confirmed that the Duchess of Sussex will still be making an appearance, keeping hundreds of attendees hopeful of a great weekend.
The inaugural three-day luxury gathering, which runs from April 17-19, promises to host up to 300 women eager for wellness workshops, motivational talks and a front-row VIP photo shoot with the former actress herself, all for £1,700 per person.
However, the five-star InterContinental Hotel, perched above Coogee Beach, has yet to complete its main attraction: the ocean-facing infinity pool.
The spa, pool bar, leisure deck and wellness facilities are still under construction, leaving early visitors to describe the scene as “a work in progress” and, less politely, “a blot on the view.”
Hotel promotions tout a “relaxed time by the pool overlooking the sea”, but with the pool and leisure facilities incomplete, the dream of basking in luxury may be more aspirational than achievable.
Officially, the website promises that all new facilities will be ready by April, although it stops short of guaranteeing that they will be up and running in time for Duchess Weekend.
And even if the pool is full, beachgoers may have other distractions. Coogee has been struggling with a bizarre and persistent pollution problem for the past two years.
Tens of thousands of foul-smelling brown balls, a noxious mixture of cooking oil, soap scum, hair and human waste, have washed up along the coast, giving the area an unflattering reputation.
Scientists trace the stinky blobs to a massive mountain of grease lurking in Sydney’s sewage system, which occasionally releases chunks into the sea.
