GRAZIA HEALTH+BEAUTY
Wellness holidays are booming. From urban sanctuaries to rural retreats, these are the best places to recharge, refuel and relax 2024
STANDOUT STAYCATIONS
AT A GLANCE: This sprawling neo-Gothic mansion is as close as you’ll come to staying in a fairy-tale castle. With 365 windows, 52 chimneys, seven pillars and four towers, the country pile is an example of a ‘calendar house’ (the features mark the annual tally of days, weeks and seasons). Inside, original features (oak floors and stained glass windows from the 1830s) mingle with plush pastel soft furnishings, and breakfast in the ‘grand hall’ is akin to stepping on to the Harry Potter set. It’s outside, though, where the real magic happens. Here, 840 acres of Irish woodland are yours to explore: hop on a bike, meander along the river, try for a par on the future Ryder Cup golf course (2027) and look out for Jamie Dornan on the green, or take up this year’s trendiest sport at the Padel Club. Archery, falconry and clay pigeon shooting are also on the menu but, if that’s not your bag, retire to one of the two spas. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls offer views of the river and woodland – practically wild swimming, right? treatment to try: Facials are served up by A-list-approved skincare brand 111Skin. Expect professional-grade results from a bed far boujier than on Harley Street. Ask for Milena, a therapist who specialises in The Original Dramatic Healing Facial, £197 – you’ll walk out fresher faced than after a brisk stroll around the estate. hot tip: Feeling flush? Book into one of the signature suites where you’ll be allocated your own Manor Butler. book it: Classic room from £595pn including breakfast; adaremanor.com
Best for: A romantic getaway
AT A GLANCE: Privately owned and recently brought back to life, Middleton Lodge is a 200-acre estate famous for its two-acre walled garden (redesigned by Tom Stuart-Smith in 2014), Coach House restaurant and Forest Spa. Interiors of the 18th-century house are airy and elevated, the atmosphere relaxed but exclusive – it achieves that rare thing of being both comfortable and grand. Imagine a country members’ club without the posturing. Bliss. Talking of show-offs, the outdoor pool is big on TikTok. Heated year-round, steam rises off its surface in the winter and, come summer, the sun loungers and stripy towels arrive. Portrait mode at the ready.
Treatment to try: The Day Retreat at the Forest Spa. First, a two-hour treatment ritual combines a facial and massage that will leave you feeling reborn. Next, a two-course lunch to sustain you through the afternoon’s Voya bathing experience. A private hut houses a steaming bath where you float about to a guided meditation and the lapping waves of the Irish Sea. Hot tip: Book Dairy
