HEALING POWERS
Massage, meditation, saunas and sound baths will soothe your senses at these pristine urban and rural spas. By Siân Ranscombe
Our pick of pampering spas for country cosseting and urban unwinding
THE GAINSBOROUGH, BATH SPA Take to Bath’s famed natural thermal springs at this luxurious hotel whose private water reserve forms part of a ‘spa circuit’ of two natural heated pools, infrared saunas, a steam-room and an ice alcove. Set beneath a glass atrium, the spa is home to a Meditation Cave, where guests can enjoy a crystal sound bath, an ancient practice that triggers brainwaves similar to those felt during REM sleep. Day spa package, from £150 (www.thegainsboroughbathspa.co.uk).
THE NED, LONDON Of all the places that lend themselves to a philosophy of rest and relaxation, the City of London must be the least obvious. Once inside the Ned, however, expect to feel your troubles melt away as the scents of Cowshed and de Mamiel products flood the senses. A 20-foot swimming pool takes centre-stage in the spa, whose Ultimate Cowshed Pedicure beauty editors agree is the capital’s best. All-day spa access is free when spending from £150 a person (www.thened.com).
MANDARIN ORIENTAL, LONDON In the heart of Knightsbridge, the Mandarin Oriental’s newly renovated spa provides world-class treatments, including Bastien Gonzalez’s expert pedicure and Aromatherapy Associates’ Forest Therapy Ritual. Using the brand’s latest signature oil blend, a therapist will perform a deep massage that will leave you feeling inches taller, followed by a mud mask to purify the skin. Alternatively, attend a traditional Chinese-medicine consultation in the new Oriental Suite, which features a peaceful Rasul water temple. Treatments from £80 (www.mandarinoriental.com).
CLOUD TWELVE, LONDON A calming sanctuary in Notting Hill, London’s newest family members’ club comes with a Himalayan salt-room and a brasserie serving plant-based cuisine. Among its range of holistic experiences are the new CBD Oil Massages, which use aromatherapy techniques to balance body and mind, and the Holistic Facelift, a combination of fascia manipulation with exfoliation and hydration to target elasticity in the neck. Parents can leave children up to the age of 11 in the forest-themed play zone and relax after a treatment in the lounge, which – perhaps best of all – has an alcohol licence. Membership starts at £1,200 a year; non-members can access the spa, salon, clinic and brasserie for a fee (www. cloudtwelve.co.uk).
LIME WOOD, NEW FOREST Spread over three levels, the quaintly named Herb House Spa at Lime Wood, located in the heart of the New Forest, lets its serene surroundings do the talking, with panoramic forest views from both the sauna and the indoor lap pool. Herb House offers Bamford, Sarah Chapman and Voya facials, while its indulgent 60-minute B Silent Body Treatment includes a shiatsu foot bath and plenty of stress-releasing assisted stretches. Day spa package, from £190 (www.limewood hotel.co.uk).
BEAVERBROOK, SURREY With its beautiful artist-designed stained-glass windows and vibrant tiling, the Coach House Spa forms a strikingly modern contrast to the Victorian grandeur of the Beaverbrook estate. There’s an outdoor pool for balmier spring evenings (and another indoors for the rest of the year), and the treatment list is well-curated, featuring a select number of face and body rituals, or a more comprehensive ‘Coach House Journey’: try the five-hour Optimal Movement programme, which includes posture assessment, a one-toone session with a personal trainer, and a body exfoliation and massage. Ultimate Luxury Spa Day package, £390 (www. beaverbrook.co.uk).
CALCOT MANOR, THE COTSWOLDS If Calcot Spa’s spacious fireside outdoor hot tub doesn’t impress you, its extensive therapeutic menu certainly will. A full day’s experience includes face and body treatments (choose from Elemis or hi-tech CACI facials) and a two-course lunch; alternatively, explore the property’s 220-acre grounds at your leisure or take on the challenge of its three-kilometre fitness trail. Day spa package, from £190 (www.calcot.co).
CHEWTON GLEN, HAMPSHIRE Set amid more than 130 acres of grounds, on the fringe of the New Forest, Chewton Glen has been attracting A-list visitors for decades. Select a facial from the impressive range of Oskia and Natura Bissé treatments, or choose the Signature Spa Day (available from 23 March), which encompasses a 60-minute body scrub and a delicious breakfast and lunch, as well as full use of the spa’s immaculate facilities, including the newly refurbished swimming pool and hydrotherapy pool. Signature Spa Day package, from £160 (www.chewtonglen.com).