What’s your spa style: a hot tub with friends after a countryside hike, a swish city escape or endless R&R in the fluffiest robes? GH rounds up some of the UK’s best me-time experiences
FOR A CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ESTATE…
A stone’s throw – or speedy helicopter flight – from London, The Grove attracts a seriously glossy clientele. This 18th-century mansion has played host to actors, politicians and even NATO, yet there’s not a hint of snootiness detectable. Yes, valet parking comes as standard and summoning a golf buggy to ferry you around the 300-acre estate is de rigueur, but there’s a warmth beneath the opulence that’ll have you handing over the car keys as if it were second nature.
Five eclectic restaurants, a buzzy bar overlooking fairy-tale gardens and activities ranging from archery to floristry masterclasses cater for all, though GH took the first available buggy straight to the freshly refurbished Sequoia Spa. The white decor and Japanese-inspired design calms the senses on entry, and with treatments lasting a glorious 80 minutes each, this is far from a conveyor-belt experience. Gua sha facials and heat experiences modelled on Japanese onsen bathhouses create a deeply tranquil feel, or for gossip and a glass of fizz, head to the rooftop spa terrace (there’s probably a film star behind the sunglasses on the sunlounger opposite). Finish with a dip in the gigantic black mosaic-tiled swimming pool under Tudor-style beams.
NEED TO KNOW GH awards extra points for the Wellness for Cancer facial and massage for those undergoing – or who’ve recently undergone – treatment. Incorporating breathwork and visualisation, they’re discounted at £130 each for 80 minutes.
• Accommodation from £480 a night; spa days from £240; spa experiences from £220; treatments from £175 (thegrove.co.uk)
FOR A CITY BREAK WITH A SIDE OF SPA…
No.1 is an urban bolthole of many quirky charms, from the miniature train track running around the bar to a pantry of treats to help yourself to at any time and the vintage-style Crosley record players in every room (there’s a vinyl library stacked with records, too).
The spa itself is in what would once have been the cellar of this elegant, ivy-covered townhouse, its arched spaces now turned into cosy relaxation rooms. You’ll find a handful of thoughtfully curated treatments here, many of which incorporate both massage and a facial so you don’t have to choose between the two; GH loved the Lessen Your Stress ritual, combining a back, neck and shoulder massage with a glow-giving facial and scalp rub (£95 for 60 minutes).
Products are just as unique; therapists use the eco-luxe Brit
