Inside Meghan Markle's Aussie 'Wellness Retreat' From Hell — Organizer's Business Collapses, Hotel's Broken Amenities and 'Poo Balls' Washing Ashore

Meghan Markle's upcoming "wellness retreat" in Australia is unraveling by the day, from the organizer's business going bust to a hotel with a pool that isn't even open, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

VIP guests are shelling out nearly $2,300 for just a brief session with Markle, yet the full weekend experience is shaping up to be a nightmare.

Hotel Pool and Spa Is ClosedThe "

Her Best Life Retreat," featuring an appearance by Markle, was announced on March 10, but the promises made might not be coming to fruition.

It's set at the InterContinental Coogee Beach in Sydney, and participants were told they'd be getting "relaxed time by the pool overlooking Coogee Beach."

However, that location isn't even open yet. It's currently closed and hasn't opened since the hotel began a major overhaul following its rebranding from the former Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach in December 2025.

The hotel's homepage has an announcement at the top that the "

Leisure deck featuring the ocean-facing infinity edge swimming pool, poolside bar, outdoor event terrace, Eliva Spa and Club InterContinental" isn't scheduled to open until sometime in April, making it unclear if the space will even be available when guests arrive for the pricey weekend.'Poo Balls' on the BeachSome Aussies have warned those unfamiliar with the area that attendees might be subject to an awful stench if they try to enjoy time on the beach.

So-called "poo balls" began washing up onshore in 2025, leading to beach closures.

Scientists have recently determined the balls were made up of a disgusting combination of "cooking oil, soap, and human excrement."

Officials are pouring a jaw-dropping $3billion into a decade-long bid to keep the disgusting debris off Sydney’s beaches, as Sydney Water scrambles to upgrade its aging sewer network.

Retreat Coordinator's Business CollapsedThere's a chance the event could be cancelled, as its organizer, Gemma O'Neill, is in deep trouble with the Australian Taxation Office.

She owes $543,548 AUD in outstanding debt, and administrators are hot on the trail to get it paid back. O'Neill also owes $3,300 to an accounting firm.

The Daily Mail reported her talent business, The Gemmie Agency, "went into voluntary liquidation" in November 2025.

O'Neill informed administrators on February 20 that she was unable to repay any of her tax debt, citing her lack of savings, very limited income, and a failed attempt to refinance her beachside Sydney apartment.

With O'Neil's business in shambles and her massive tax debt, it is increasingly unclear whether she will be able to pull off the "

Her Best Life Retreat."

Access to Meghan Markle Includes Seating 'Rows' Away and a 'Group Photo'The so-called “luxury” retreat is anything but, with guests squeezed into shared twin rooms and expected to sleep alongside strangers.

The hotel has blocked out April 17 and 18 for the event, but here’s the kicker: surrounding weekends are going for just $872 for two nights, complete with breakfast, full access, and perks… all without being forced to share a twin bed with a stranger like the nearly $2,300 weekend retreat guests.

What retreat goers will get for the astronomical price is a brief moment in Markle's presence, as the VIP package comes with "

Seating at a table in front of two rows for the gala dinner with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex," and a "

Group table photo with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex."

Markle, however, will be living it up in the lap of luxury – not slumming it in a twin room – with sources saying she’s booked into the "finest hotels" and enjoying first-class travel and top-tier security during her visit.