90 years on, has bubble burst for the celebrity spa Champneys?
IT has pampered wealthy clients, from A-list stars to Arab sheikhs, for almost a century.
So when we hear the word Champneys, one word comes to mind: luxury.
But before you book a £1,200-a-night suite for the latest ‘enzyme facial’, it may surprise you to learn that standards at the famous health spa have slipped a little.
An ITV documentary crew was granted access to the flagship resort in Tring, Hertfordshire, where clients have included Barbra Streisand, Victoria Beckham and Tony and Cherie Blair.
But instead of being met with a five star experience, the cameramen found unhappy guests, managerial chaos and a string of complaints about everything from filthy rooms to unappealing food, peeling plaster and bad service.
In an effort to stem the flood of complaints, the Champneys management hired someone to book in as a mystery guest and give constructive feedback.
But in a devastating report read out before the cameras, the shopper said the room had not been serviced since the last guests left and so was strewn with dirty towels and overflowing bins.
Over four months, the ITV crew filmed Champneys’ struggle to renovate its rooms and improve its service.
The spa, which is preparing for its 90th birthday next year, was founded by South African Stanley Lief in 1925.
The renovation was almost derailed when the deputy housekeeper and the chief receptionist both quit.
Asked to rate the hotel out of ten, operations manager Lee Jones said: ‘I think realistically we are at a six at the moment.’ Champneys’ millionaire owner Stephen Purdew admitted it had been a ‘ risk’ to allow the cameras in, but insisted the documentary would ‘create a buzz about the place’.
Mr Purdew told the Mail that he had a ‘reinvigorated approach’ and was still working hard to i mprove the spa, adding: ‘When you do a refurbishment you get complaints.’
Champneys will be screened next Thursday at 9pm on ITV.