Spa Heaven!

A massage is just like a movie, really relaxing and a total escape, except in a massage you’re the star. And you don’t miss anything by falling asleep!

Elizabeth Jane Howard

I was on vacation last week, funny time of the year to take a break but I had holiday to use up before the end of the month. The original plan was for a “staycation”, you know, just a few lazy days at home chilling out. I was chatting with a friend of mine and just happened to mention I was going to have a lethargic week at home – schoolgirl error as the friend I was chatting with is that friend, you know the one, the serial enthusiast who spends her life at the gym leaping about in Zumba or running through the park before breakfast!

“I have a few days to take as well, why don’t we do something!”

Caught off my guard I suggested that was a great idea and we should definitely do something for a couple of days – the couple of days bit added quickly as my guard was recovering!

“How about a spa break??!?”

Smiling I suggested that was a fabulous idea that we should definitely do. Now the issue here is my idea of a Spa break is potentially very different to my friends – her idea would be;

Arrive – get into Sweaty Betties – do an hour of Body Pump – follow it up with an hour on the bike in the gym – a quick break for quinoa juice – another hour of Fit Steps – a swim in the pool – shower, then a dinner of salad washed down with a coconut, kale and almond smoothie – early to bed then - repeat!

My idea of a spa break is;

Arrive – get into swimming cossie – wander into the pool area and relax on one of the day beds – follow it up with an hour in the jacuzzi/steam room/sauna – saunter to the bar and order a large glass of pinot grigio – back to the pool area for a quick nap before my massage therapy – then back to the bar for a pre-dinner G&T followed by some Asian fusion cuisine – a couple of cheeky drinks before bed at around midnight then - repeat

If we were going to do this, it was time to set some ground rules!

Now, I may have mentioned this before but one of my best friends ever, a friend with whom I shared a house with for several years, very inconsiderately married a very handsome orthopaedic surgeon and moved to an old English spa town called Harrogate which is situated in deepest darkest Yorkshire. She wasn’t going to get away that easily and we tend to chat on the phone at least once a week interspersed with her visiting every other month or three. So, we were chatting and I mentioned my dilemma as these two friends actually know each other really well. After she’d stopped tittering, she mentioned that she had been given three free vouchers for treatments at a hotel with a brand, spanking new spa not a million miles away from where she lived and she suggested she come with us – my saviour!

I contacted the hotel and negotiated a reasonable room rate, (I’m the friend that is always tasked with this activity!), including breakfast, dinner and free use of all the fabulous facilities for the duration of our stay so, on Tuesday we got the train up to Harrogate where we met our friend who drove us over to the Swinton Park Estate.

The hotel itself is stunningly beautiful, an 18th century country pile now lovingly restored into a luxury hotel. In contrast the spa, which opened less than two years ago is equally gorgeous but in an ultra-modern way. Built out of warm Yorkshire stone and sturdy oak beams, the strikingly modern country club still blends into its surroundings. Walking into the spa a wave of tranquil calm swept over us resulting in self-satisfied sighs.

We were invited to indulge in one of their many loose-leaf teas next to a roaring fire whilst we filled in our lunch forms and became acquainted with spa life. Now to say this place was decadent is an understatement, there’s nothing more off putting in these kinds of places than a small, crusty, over-washed robe. So, when I put on the sumptuously soft robe, (lets call it a fluffy hug!)

waiting for me in my locker, I was sure we were in for a real treat!

The spa itself has the biggest jacuzzi, (they call it a hydrotherapy pool), I’ve ever seen which bubbled happily like a gigantic witch’s cauldron! There’s also an Aroma Steam Bath which apparently offers intensive warmth and 100% humidity for deep muscular relaxation and detoxification, a Salt Steam Room to harness the health benefits of salt inhalation associated with breathing, sleep and allergy issues, a Finnish sauna providing dry heat in an aromatic wood cabin and for al fresco relaxation, there is the herbal sauna with wood burner and rustic relaxation area – it’s March, I only do al fresco anything between June and August!

It was fabulous! Even my gym bunny friend cancelled one of her classes so she could take advantage of the sumptuousness! We lazed around in there for a good few hours rotating through the various luxuries before heading off for an Ashtanga Yoga Class which was energetic and uplifting, linking asanas in flowing sequences moving with the breath, (don’t ask!). Now feeling enthused I even followed this up with a visit to the gym with the gym bunny and did 15k on the bike.

Luxury hotels tend to have luxury restaurants and I have to say this one was no exception! After a very nice Espresso Martini we settled down to a dinner of, mussels cooked in white wine and cream, chateaubriand with chips and finished off with a warm plum & almond tart with butterscotch ice-cream – OMG!

Back to the bar for that cheeky nightcap then off to bed in our sumptuous rooms with big squishy beds!

The following day, we had a lovely breakfast then had a quick walk around the grounds before heading back to the spa for our treatments. As you might expect, there was a whole menu of treatment options, my friends both opted for the Elemis Bespoke Hot Stone Massage however, I was intrigued by the Elemis Poultice Massage – I wasn’t disappointed!

I was gently pummelled by a beautiful Polish girl with magical hands. She told me the poultices were made up of heated amber and quartz infused with essential oils which she used to ease away any last ounce of stress I didn’t know I had, an hour of pure bliss! – Second OMG!

After the massage we were shown into their relaxation rooms which had heated water beds, and luxurious chaise longs – if heaven was a spa, this was heaven! We stayed there for around an hour before a light lunch then jumped back into my friend’s car and headed off in the direction of Harrogate feeling VERY chilled and with more than a modicum of euphoria! What a triumph!

After hugs and kisses at the station the two “Londoners” parted company and headed off to York where we spent a second night away – but that’s a different story!

What’s on today?