Favourite aunt
Lifestyle director Jayne Marsden treated herself and her godmother, Aunt Sylvia, to a well-deserved pamper at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa.
✢ First impressions Just a 10-minute walk from the centre of Bath, the hotel is in an elegant Georgian building with a beautiful, unusually large garden leading down to The Dower House restaurant and The Spa & Bath House.
✢ And… relax Welcoming sofas, lemondrenched water and a selection of herbal teas awaited us at the spa reception. Medical forms filled out, we got kitted out in plush white cotton robes and flip-flops, then it was time for a swim in the pool, followed by a pre-treatment steam room and sauna session.
✢ The treatments I chose the 60-minute Deep Muscle Melt, designed to relieve tension. Did it do the job? You bet. I like a “serious” massage, that feels like it’s helping, as opposed to a gentle “tickle”. This was probably the deepest, most focused massage I’ve ever had. My back and shoulders were given a workout with all the hot stones and oils. Afterwards, I relaxed on the sofa snacking on fruit, while I appreciated just how wonderful my newly pampered body felt. My Aunt Sylvia chose a 30-minute head, neck and back massage involving warm oils, which she found incredibly relaxing.
✢ How to book Visit royalcrescent.co.uk. Prices start at £330 for a double deluxe room with breakfast included. Deep Muscle Melt treatment starts at £90.