Discover some of the best spas to put a spring in your step and help you feel like the best version of yourself as we shake off the winter.
Close to the pretty Essex coastal town of Frinton-on-Sea, Lifehouse Spa & Hotel is an award-winning, adult-only wellness destination that has made a name for itself as the perfect place for combining luxury and holistic wellness. Set within 12-acres of peaceful English Heritage Listed Gardens, it's just 80 minutes from London by train, and brings together both history and ultra modern style.
Built amongst the foundations of Thorpe Hall, the 19th-century home of Lord and Lady Byng, it's said that Rudyard Kipling, Churchill and JM Barrie all strolled in the gardens in times gone by. Today, guests stay in rooms and suites flooded with natural light, and offer almost Scandi-style serenity before spending the day enjoying a host of wellbeing experiences.
Luxuriate in the facilities, including a hydro pool, salt room, sauna, steam room, scented experience shower, and more. Then choose from a collection of holistic therapies, such as massages and facials, reflexology, shiatsu, reiki, energy healing, and consultations on nutrition, detox and weight loss.
A totally unique destination, Hilton London Syon Park combines the best of all worlds, offering adult-only grandeur on a cosmopolitan scale, but surrounded by green space for almost rural levels of rest and relaxation.
Set within the Duke of Northumberland’s 200-year-old estate, the hotel itself is achingly modern. Step into a light-filled space where rooms and suites feature a monochrome palette with crystal accents, floor-to-ceiling windows and televisions in the bathrooms.
In true estate fashion, much of the food comes from the hotel's own herb and vegetable gardens, and a favourite activity has to be afternoon tea on the Terrace or eating sweet treats at the aptly named Brownies (where they have their own sundae bar).
The Kallima Spa is the jewel in the hotel's crown however, an exclusive, adult-only space made for indulgence. Spend time in the Lifetime Fitness Suite, 15-metre indoor swimming pool, 10-person Jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room before snoozing in The Snug. Spa treatments offer the chance to experience a world of wellbeing, with natural products from Pinks Boutique, Proverb, Natural Spa Factory and OTO CBD for Spa.
Drawing inspiration from Thai, Roman, and Turkish spa traditions, Thai Square Spa is located in a spectacularly convenient and highly coveted position on Northumberland Avenue just off London's Strand. While it's in the heart of everything London has to offer, making it the ideal addition to a day of city exploration, once inside you're cocooned in a world of rich Thai silks, wood carvings, and gold murals.
Warm and welcoming, the day spa gives you time to unwind in a carefully considered Sen Space journey, taking you through a series of thermal facilities including a sauna and steam room, ice fountain and Jacuzzi, to stimulate circulation and eliminate toxins. Then retreat to the relaxation areas, including an opulent Roman lounge for pre- or post-treatment rest.
Meanwhile, treatments are more in the vein of spa rituals, using products inspired by botanical ingredients and Thai traditions. Each therapist begins with a Traditional Floral Foot Soak, and the treatment options include unique experiences that come highly recommended, such as the Thai Herbal Ceremony Invigorating Oil Massage.
Few things are more relaxing than time by the sea, and St Michaels Resort in Cornwall takes full advantage of its coastal location. The four-star hotel and spa sits idyllically beside the beautiful Gyllyngvase Beach, surrounded by its own subtropical gardens and within easy reach of the most popular attractions, including The Eden Project, Charlestown Harbour, and the Lost Gardens of Heligan.
The hotel itself is elegant in every respect, from the style to the details. Rooms and suites feature thoughtful touches, while dinner is an award-winning experience overlooking the ocean. The aptly named Brasserie on the Bay, serves food from the local larder, including both land and sea.
The cherry on top of your stay is the health club and spa, where seaside wellbeing is imbued into the experience. There's a vast gym, as well as a Cornish sea salt steam room using local salt to help detox. A large hydrotherapy pool is a favourite feature, along with a glass-fronted Finnish herbal sauna, Moroccan rhassoul and more. Therapies embrace holistic wellness, with the help of Elemis, Made for Life Organics (handmade in Cornwall), The Natural Spa Factory, Ishga and Natura Bisse products - the Yoga Facial is a particular treat.
A truly unique hotel and spa destination, South Lodge is an exemplary display of what modern wellness can offer in a luxury environment. The country house hotel is impeccably located in the South Downs, inviting you to stay in a historic property that has been lovingly decorated to the height of contemporary expectations.
There are three restaurants at the hotel, two of which have won awards for their culinary offering. Ben Wilkinson in The Pass is a firm favourite for special occasions, offering a chef's table concept, while Camellia has three AA rosettes all to itself and uses ingredients from their own kitchen garden. Botanica on the other hand is the spa's own dining experience.
Set within the grounds of the hotel, the spa is a 44,000 sq. ft, state-of-the-art destination that blends into the landscape. Its eco design means that it blends into the natural contours of the land, clad in green oak and featuring a grass and sedum roof. Vast windows let in lots of natural light, and considered experiences range from a natural swim pond to a beautiful thermal suite.
Treatments are obviously an essential part of the experience and here the spa goes over and beyond as well. They have their own products inspired by nature and made in the UK from natural ingredients. There's also a Ridgeview Beauty Bar, thanks to a collaboration with the local, award-winning English sparkling wine producers at Ridgeview.
Warm, welcoming, and expert at creating beautiful experiences, Manor House Hotel - Alsager is a four-star retreat in the Cheshire countryside, where former farm buildings have been transformed into a beautiful, restful experience.
The hotel offers low-key luxe and rustic charm, but no lack of contemporary comforts - rooms have Apple docking stations, tea and coffee making facilities and cosy seating areas. The Stables Bar & Grill restaurant is all oak beams and stone fireplaces, serving relaxed fare with a sense of occasion.
The adult-only spa meanwhile is a treat all on its own. Indoors there's a thermal experience, loungers, and a beautiful pool, while their all-season English Country Spa Garden has been a popular addition. Here you will find a pool house, vitality pool, hydrotherapy tub, pavilion, summer house, salt steam inhalation chamber, potting sauna shed, plunge bath and seating areas. The spa has also made waves with its popular swim-up bar.
Finally, the treatments from TRIBE517 use products that are good enough to eat, with beautiful offerings like their white Chocolate and Orange Blossom Facial.
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