From bank holidays to mid-week mini breaks, give yourself a getaway to look forward to this year with extra rest and relaxation.
The clocks have changed, the longer, lighter days are upon us, and you can give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back for thriving through the winter months. Now, it's time to get out there and enjoy yourself and your wellbeing; shake off the cold and step, swim, skip, and spa into a sunnier time of the year because there are plenty of reasons to celebrate.
Easter holidays are here, complete with a four-day weekend of rest and relaxation, quickly followed by two bank holidays to bookend the month of May. The question is, where will you go? Perhaps you fancy a seaside spa break? A country escape? Or maybe, while everyone else escapes the city, you will make the most of a spa deal to snap up in cosmopolitan style?
However you dream of spending your long weekends in the sunshine this year, add a little spa magic for extra feel-good factor, and make sure you get booking so you can revel in looking forward to every minute of it. Here are some of our favourite spa destinations for longer getaways for a little inspiration.
One of the most luxurious hotels in Cornwall, St Moritz Hotel is situated between Rock and Polzeath, inviting guests to enjoy a chic coastal getaway including the UK’s only Cowshed Spa outside Soho House properties. The architecture is iconic, bringing white, Art Deco vibes to the seaside. Rooms are stylish, or you can choose to stay in one of the four-star self-catering villas for up to eight people. The hotel is a gastro hot-spot, with two of the best seafood restaurants in Cornwall on site - the Seaside Café for casual meals, or the Shorecrest Restaurant for fine dining.
Wellbeing is an intrinsic part of being by the coast - time spent breathing in the sea air, strolling to the beach, and enjoying the sounds of nature. The Cowshed Active and Relax spa however, adds a new dimension to your stay with a world of luxury facilities including an outdoor hydro pool, all with breathtaking sea views. There are also six treatment rooms where therapists offer a collection of holistic therapies using mood-enhancing Cowshed products based on botanical ingredients straight out of an English country garden.
From the moment you arrive, Studley Castle Hotel is an awe-inspiring experience. The Gothic Revival style architecture makes you feel as though you're stepping into your very own fairytale - one with 180 years of history and 28 acres of countryside to explore. The adult-only hotel is a world of opportunity, with rooms spread across the Victorian manor, a new wing, and modern rooms in the former stables and lodge. There are two restaurants, as well as bars and lounges to choose from when it comes to dining (the bustling Market Kitchen in the Evesham Restaurant being a firm favourite).
Then there's the leisure experiences. The grounds are a playground to enjoy, from borrowing Pashley bikes for a cycle ride, to archery, crossbow and other country pursuits. There's an enormous pool, as well as a sauna and steam room, and the spa offers treatments using delicious TEMPLESPA products.
Dreamy Devon countryside combined with history and holistic wellbeing - it's all in one place at the beautiful Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall. A five-star hotel, Boringdon Hall is romantic and intriguing, with royal connections dating back to 956 including playing home to Lady Jane Grey. In this Grade II listed building guests can stay in illustrious rooms and roam through secret archways and stone towers, before dining on local fare in the Michelin Star Àclèaf.
Alongside this achingly beautiful hotel is an equally impressive, but contrastingly modern spa. Set over three floors it's the height of modern wellbeing, with a swimming pool, hydro pool, an outdoor hot tub and little huts outside for shelter on extra sunny days. Floor-to-ceiling windows let you enjoy views of the grounds from the multiple saunas, steam rooms, and poolside heated beds. There's also a manicure and pedicure room and 12 treatment rooms where therapists use ESPA, and Gaia’s own natural product range. The cherry on top is a dedicated Spatisserie spa restaurant, where you can go for Prosecco, brunch and afternoon tea wearing your robe and slippers throughout the day.
Ragdale Hall's name precedes it as one of the leading lights in wellness travel. A distinguished destination spa, this retreat is dedicated to wellbeing with a wealth of knowledge and experiences to enjoy. Located in an elegant Victorian country house, stay in stylish rooms designed to help you unwind. Food and drink are created to offer a gourmet experience that optimises feel-good-factor in The Garden Room and Verandah Bar, where you can dine in your robe and slippers in true health spa fashion.
Everything about Ragdale focuses on the spa, which features more than 12 heat and water experiences, including a candle pool, an outdoor waterfall pool, an immersive thought zone, and much more. The rooftop infinity pool is a firm favourite where you can enjoy views of the Leicestershire countryside. Meanwhile, the therapy options are unparalleled with staff embodying a wealth of knowledge, and using Elemis, Clarins, Medik8, Sea Magik and OPI products in a range of more than 100 treatments.
An impressive Grade II* listed manor house dating back to 1710 and surrounded by 440 acres of parkland, Heythrop Park Hotel sits pride of place in the Cotswold countryside, tempting you to come and enjoy a well-deserved wellness getaway with all the trimmings. Whether you want a romantic break or quality time with friends, this spacious hotel is a treat. There are three restaurants on-site, including The Market Kitchen in the orangery, The Travelling Duke Pub & Kitchen, and the spectacular Brasserie32 which sits in the most impressive space decorated in soft leather, lace and marble.
The spa at Heythrop Park is a destination in its own right, set within the grounds and inviting you to rest amidst stylish refinement. Enjoy the scented relaxation room, 20-metre pool, sauna and steam room and gym, sip Prosecco from the spa menu, and unwind with TEMPLESPA therapies. There's even a Grooming Station for manicures, pedicures, and makeovers.
A spectacular stately home owned by the National Trust, Hartwell House is a Grade I listed Jacobean and Georgian property in more than 90 acres of gardens and parkland. Everything here is about exclusivity delivered in understated style. Built in 1570, the house has hosted kings and conquerors, including the exiled Louis XVIII. Today, you can choose to stay in the main house, the former riding school - Hartwell Courts, which is close to the spa, or The Old Rectory - a two-storey house set within the grounds. Dinner is served by candlelight in The Soane Room (a formal affair - so no trainers, track suits or shorts.
While the grounds provide ample opportunity for strolling in the sunshine, the spa at Hartwell Court sits in its own corner of the estate a short walk from the main house. The swimming pool in a former ballroom is the centrepiece, alongside a spa bath, steam room, saunas and gym. Therapists use 111SKIN products in a collection of face and body treatments, and there is also Hartwell Club Room for restorative teas and coffees overlooking the pool.
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