HOW TO HOLIDAY LIKE A ROCKSTAR
A STAY at the exquisite five-star Rockliffe Hall is the kind of indulgent, luxury experience that truly cleanses the soul.
Set amid 375 acres of lush, manicured grounds, it is a tranquil spa resort on the banks of the River Tees in County Durham which radiates charm and elegance.
Dating to the 1800s, this getaway, in the village of Hurworth, near Darlington, may be quintessentially British but there’s nothing haughty about Rockliffe Hall.
There’s a real sense that every member of the Rockliffe family feels proud and privileged to work at this remarkable destination.
Anyone fortunate enough to enjoy its Wellness Retreat package will realise, almost immediately, that here, wellbeing begins within.
We were greeted in casual, contemporary restaurant Nu Sana (“Nourish the Soul”) by Ashley Freeman who joined Rockliffe as a school leaver and is now the manager of its award-winning spa.
From Nu Sana’s smoothies and juices menu came the aptly-named “No More Stress” – a pick-me-up blend of green cabbage, celery, apple, ginger and spirulina.
Then, it was a stroll through the breathtaking grounds to the glass house to meet “The Gong Whisperer”, a holistic therapist whose sound bath workshops are making a big noise in alternative therapy circles.
She guided the group through an experience which would use the power of the sound of gongs and chimes to release all tension and negative energy from the body.
Having taken my place on my yoga mat with no expectations and some cynicism, I emerged tingling, glowing and purged of some of the stresses with which I’d arrived.
Following a generous Buddha bowl lunch it was back to the glass house where estates and gardens manager Phil Mennell was in consultation with Paul Nicholson, head chef of Rockliffe Hall’s 3AA Rosette Orangery restaurant, about the produce from the walled garden he was to hand pick for our evening’s tasting menu.
A tour of the walled garden followed, during which Phil explained, with infectious enthusiasm, the retreat’s estate-toplate ethos and its passion for bees.
My room – one of 33 newlyrenovated suites in the south-facing New Hall, enjoyed magnificent views over the gardens and golf course from French doors leading on to an elegantly furnished patio.
With a super king-sized bed tucked in crisp linen, mood lighting and extensive lounge seating, this exceptionally beautiful room also boasted a dressing area, separate WC, stylish, marble-clad bathrooms, a walk-in monsoon shower and a separate bath with the decadence of a feature-tiled wall TV.
And the ample toiletry treats had to be Molton Brown, of course.
It was then time to immerse myself in the 50,000sq ft spa, whose facilities include a hydro pool, a 20m swimming pool, Roman sauna, tropicarium, salt inhalation room, igloo, juice bar and tepidarium experience showers.
Adjacent is the sumptuous Spa Garden, which blends the indoors and the external estate with its warm, infinity-edge, outdoor pool.
Any foodie will revel in the culinary journey offered within the flagship Orangery.
Our tasting menu included Lincolnshire poacher cheese scone with the estate’s chilled tomato broth and basil; mushroom risotto with garden herbs and Parmesan; pork belly with estate beetroot, onion and nasturtium and Atlantic cod with mussels, carrot and fennel.
It was all accompanied by wines from around the world selected by the sommelier team. We also enjoyed Granny Smith apple with yoghurt estate lemon verbena and feuilletine, followed by estate mint, cocoa nil and creme fraiche.
After an early-morning session of yoga in the garden, it was back to the Orangery for a breakfast of fruits, avocado and poached eggs.
In the spa, my accomplished therapist treated me to the hourlong, NEOM candle wax massage, followed by meditation with treatments manager Sarah Usher.
Like the very essence of the forever memorable Rockliffe Hall, I felt comfortable in my own skin when I departed this very special destination, with one of its estate-inspired, boxed picnics to send me on my way.