The ultimate new year spa guide
Need a spot of pampering? We round up the best places to unwind in 2020
COTTONMILL SPA AT SOPWELL HOUSE, ST ALBANS, HERTFORDSHIRE
Following a multimillion-pound renovation, a day spent lounging in the tranquil grounds of Cottonmill Spa at Sopwell House is an absolute must for 2020.
The expansive airy space features an indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pool (pictured below), Rose Relaxation Room,Amber and Quartz Crystal Bed, steam room and sauna, with no expense spared in the decor and an air of luxury throughout.
After a taxing day chilling out, sink into a sofa and curl up with a book in the ridiculously cosy Sopwell House lounge.
Try: Elemis Peaceful Pregnancy Face & Body Experience, £125 for 90 minutes. A pregnancy treatment that hits the spot, this soothes and nourishes hormonal skin imbalances and addresses areas of tension.
Cost: Stays in a Mews Suite at Sopwell House start from £329 per room per night including breakfast and access to Cottonmill.
Contact: sopwellhouse. co.uk; cottonmillspa.com
STOBO CASTLE, PEEBLESSHIRE, SCOTLAND
Behind its extraordinarily grand facade, a stay at the early 19th century Stobo Castle is delightfully low-key. Set amid rolling Scottish countryside, it is just a 90-minute drive from Glasgow.
Rooms feel stately and spacious but with modern touches and design-conscious wallpaper.Tea on the terrace is a must, as is a wander around the artfully curated Japanese Water Garden. For the active, mountain bikes are available to hire to explore the local countryside.
But a trip wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the spa area, which offers an aromatic steam room, hydrospa, pool and luxurious loungers facing out onto the expansive grounds.
Try: The Sublime Ritual, £140 for 1 hour 50 minutes. Combining exfoliation, massage, facial, a foot scrub and hair mask, this all-encompassing treatment will relax and revitalise from top to toe.
Cost: A Spa Day costs from £99 per person, including three-course lunch, massage and use of the spa facilities. Overnight stays cost from £134 per person.
Contact: stobocastle.co.uk
MONKEY ISLAND ESTATE, BRAY-ON-THAMES
Built in 1723 as (a rather grand) fishing retreat for the Duke of Marlborough, this Grade I listed temple and pavilion – on a private island in the River Thames – is now home to a quintessentially English country house hotel.
Take a sunset cruise on The Dragonfly, the hotel’s chartered vessel; dine on produce from the gardens and surrounding countryside in the airy waterside brasserie; stargaze from the shepherd’s hut with a boozy hot chocolate or enjoy a “wellness journey” at the unique Floating Spa, housed in a purpose-built canal boat. Try: The Monks’ Elixir: Booze, Botany and Beauty, £125 for 90 minutes. In the 12th century, the island was home to a small band of Augustinian monks so this treatment begins with a tasting of the elixirs they brewed here. Once you’re pleasantly woozy, a full body massage begins using herbal oil while warm herbal packs are applied to relieve aching joints and muscles.
Cost: From £275 per room, per night in a Temple Room. Contact: monkeyislandestate.co.uk
BRIMSTONE HOTEL, THE LAKE DISTRICT
Nestled in woodland, a stone’s throw from Elterwater in the heart of the Lakes, is beautiful Brimstone – a slate-clad boutique hotel that once you enter, you’ll find very hard to leave.
The plush rooms are cosy, with squashy sofas, mood lighting and balconies ideal for breakfast looking out onto the trees.
Although staff are on hand 24/7 for whatever you need, there’s a genuine come-as-you-please attitude to the place, which makes it all the more relaxing.
The Reading Room is a real highlight, with complimentary drinks and an ever-stocked cheeseboard for peckish guests.
And, just steps away from the hotel, is the Swedish-style wooden-panelled spa area, with ice bath, indoor/outdoor pool, large sauna and an outdoor hot tub (pictured above). Bliss.
Try: Brimstone Spa Signature Massage, £90 for 55 minutes. Using Pure Alchemy products, which are exclusive to Brimstone, this customisable massage banishes knots and tension wherever you need it.
Cost: From £350 per night, which includes spa access, Reading Room treats, outdoor kit hire and breakfast.
Contact: brimstonehotel.co.uk
RUDDING PARK, HARROGATE
If you can tear yourself away from The
Horto restaurant’s locally sourced cheeseboard, a tranquil hour or five spent in Rudding Park’s beautifully landscaped Rooftop Spa & Garden is a must. Designed by horticulturist Matthew Wilson, featuring a stunning infinity pool and panoramic sauna overlooking the grounds, and using Harrogate’s famous skin-healing spring water, it’s a little slice of heaven in the sky. Try: Thermal DetoxWrap, £95 for 45 minutes. Undo the festive overindulgence with this circulation-boosting, toxin-banishing body treatment.
Cost: A spa day at Rudding Park starts from £193 per person. Contact: ruddingpark. co.uk
KIMPTON CHARLOTTE SQUARE, EDINBURGH
Ideally located just a few minutes’ walk away from Princes Street, the Kimpton hotel is the perfect spot from which to explore the city of Edinburgh.
Once you’re cultured-out, step inside the gorgeous Georgian building and while away the hours in the gently lit pool area, which also features a luxurious sauna and steam room.
Products used on the extensive treatment menu are from British organic brand Oskia.
Try: Seaweed Foot Experience, £80 for 55 minutes.
Feet been stuffed into boots all winter? This invigorating and revitalising treatment will soften and nourish them back to life.
Cost: A spa day costs from £110 per person. Contact: kimptoncharlottesquare.com