Anyone have any experience of spas in and around London ?
Big sister’s birthday on the horizon, and would like to get her a spa day but the places in London look horrendous, the kind of places where hatchet faced silicon enhanced beauticians would look sniffily at anyone who carries a bit of extra timber. I’m thinking old fashioned relaxing place, old world courtesy where a chap is a chap and a lady is a lady. She has more than enough to deal with at work, so doesn’t need any attitude, and a bit of relaxation would do her some good.
I know of Grayshott Hall which looks like it might fit the bill, but any other suggestions are most welcome. She has family in the Lakes so even a get-away up there is a possibility.
Many thanks.
“Hatchet faced silicon enhanced beauticians”!
What a wonderful description. That London, eh? An urban spa seems almost a contradiction in terms. Ideally it should be somewhere peaceful.
It will be of no use to you at all, but two weeks ago I was at this conference centre, which is deep in darkest Småland and has a lovely spa.
No hatchet faced harridans there. Just gentle, blonde Viking handmaidens bearing jugs of mead whose only wish is to satisfy the fallen warriors. Oops! I may be getting it mixed up with Valhalla.
Sounds perfect, for me. Is it far to the pub ?
Not too bad: only about 200 km. In the Swedish countryside everything is a long way away.
But they do have a pleasant bar.
HFSEB
TMFTL
Where in Småland, @kaisfatdad ?
Deep, deep in the forest Moose. Very difficult to find. And if you did, you would get bored soon. There is absolutely nothing to do but mingle with comely maidens….
….mingle what?
Here…..
Me and Mrs. T have been a few times…
https://www.conghamhallhotel.co.uk/spa-norfolk/
Thanks, looks good.
To be honest I’ve been to several spa hotels and never encountered the attitude you describe (well, not in the spa anyway). It’s a market where you very much get what you pay for.
In London I can vouch for 1 Aldwych – top location, top service, top prices. Multiple visits to Cowley Manor (not that far from Cheltenham) – treated like royalty and a great spa but the tranquility of the place is ebbing. Seaham Hall (near Newcastle) had one of the biggest spas I’ve ever been to; also the most up itself. Tried a Champney’s many moons ago – very average hotel with great treatments and facilities.
I’ve only ever used the spa whilst also being a guest of the hotel. I think the spa day visitor packages can vary a lot in terms of what you get, My wife has done a few with friends and said they varied from OK to grubby. She gave Whittlebury Hall near Silverstone the thumbs up for its day packages.
I would agree with One Aldwych- amazing (and the price to match). But wonderful service.
The Sanctuary in Covent Garden is lovely- you don’t know you’re in London at all. And it has the swimming pool with a swing!! You can also swim in the nuddy. Women of all shapes and sizes go there; the service is kind and friendly (and very good). Lovely food. The women who work there are the beautiful people (of course) but are extremely nice. You can book any treatments beforehand or just go and swim, steam, and relax. Tends to get busy so I’d recommend mid-week daytime if possible.
I am not a fan of spa days but have had repeat visits to The Sanctuary (you can also shop in Covent Garden afterwards).
I have had unworthy thoughts about the information in this post. I have decided to keep them to myself.
Every day and in every way I’m getting better and better.
Thanks, know of One Aldwych but, blimey, the prices. I had thought of The Sanctuary and went there looking for a gift a few years back but found the staff to be a bit indifferent, and so put off. Maybe I’ll try them again.
I spent a weekend at Champneys Henlow Grange, just up the A1 from that there London, for Mrs F’s 50th. Facilities were excellent. We stayed in the suite in the old house, which was lovely, but I’m less sure of the room quality in the civilian quarters.
Where they did fail was coping with my special dietary requirements. Those of us with IBD can’t eat anything high-fibre, but all they have in the kitchen at a health farm is brown rice, brown pasta and brown bread. A junior chef was sent to the village shop on a bike to purchase a packet of white rice. The catering staff themselves were brilliant, though.
My medical diet sheet was emailed in advance but not passed on from the central booking people to the venue, so I spent much of my visit going through menus with the chef. So much of my time was spent doing this that I complained, and – kudos to Champneys is due here – we were given a free return stay as an apology.
An observation from my stay, especially of large groups of ladies…
Lunch: eat kale on ryvita, washed down with a low-cal diet drink.
Early afternoon: spent on the sunloungers, watching swimmers exercise in the pool.
Mid-afternoon: hungry, after minimal lunch, so have large slice of cake and a coffee.
Late afternoon: “Girls, let’s share a bottle of wine.”
Dinner: we’ve been good all day, so let’s celebrate.
If you are aiming to lose weight, or to get fit, simply attending a health farm is not going to work…
Mrs B has just returned this very day for an overnight visit with some like minded pals to Titanic Spa near Huddersfield. Their 3rd or 4th visit and they speak very highly of it http://www.titanicspa.com/
Not sure if the location will work, but my best mate lives in West Yorkshire, I live in London and every single year we go here:
http://www.ragdalehall.co.uk/
Staff are very warm and friendly, without being stuffy, and we always feel really well looked after. They have a wonderful spa complex, so as well as treatments, we spend our time pottering between different saunas, steam and fancy scented rooms. Bliss.
Btw the sanctuary in London has closed down.
I was once taken to a spa. It was a spa and I was terrified as the car drew into the grounds, having ideas of those machines in Britannia Hospital, with people being boiled in a big tin, with their head sticking out. It was actually quite charming and I always said I would go again. Never did. That was a Champneys. Gasping for a pint, mind, which took place as a reward on the way home.
As I recall I felt somewhat conspicuous as a fella, as there seemed rather too many groups of women in all men are bastards mode, consoling their recently divorced/jilted friends.
Whittlebury is reasonably priced and very nice, but it is quite new and not ‘oldy worldy.’ But it is nice 🙂