GALGORM SPA & GOLF RESORT
BEST FOR: FOREST BATHING
There must be few more glorious spots to watch the changing seasons in an open-air hot tub by County Antrim’s beautiful, treefringed River Maine. Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, a 30-minute drive from Belfast, sits in 163 acres of stunning parkland, and this wildly beautiful natural setting meets pure luxury at the spa. I kicked back in the Thermal Village, with its Celtic sauna, snow cabin and riverside tubs. Then, in a room flooded with light, I placed my face into a hi-tech Skin Scanner – the first step in my SkinCeuticals Expert Skin Specific Facial. Seeing with my own eyes an expanse of sun damage, thread veins and dehydration, 49 years in the making, I lay down with glee and hope in my heart to have a cosmetic-grade AHA peel painted gently on to my skin. The result? My complexion has never been softer. I glowed, dewy and rejuvenated, through a delicious dinner in modern Italian restaurant, Fratelli, and cocktails in the chic gin bar. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t want to leave.
Perfect for the ultimate relaxing experience is Galgorm’s new Forest Therapy Experience and Treatment, based on Japanese forest bathing. Soak in a wood-fired riverside hot tub as you gaze at gorgeous Irish woodland, then enjoy a treatment featuring guided breathing, inhalation, warm stones and massage. It’s just dreamy!
STAY: A Forest Therapy Experience costs from £190 per night. Overnight accommodation starts from £85 per person per night, including breakfast and access to the spa. To book: visit galgorm.com or call 028 2588 1001. Tested by Karen Bryans