No.15 - Spa weekends away

Valentine’s Day is probably on your radar but is it really what we need, right after Christmas?  If you’re anything like me, you’re probably still trying to shed the pounds that you put on over Christmas and your skin is really dull due to the miserable Winter weather.  What we really want is a proper bit of pampering to ease those aching bones and to breathe new life into ourselves.  So instead of suggesting those sexy, romantic breaks that require us to slide into our tightest frocks,  I thought it might be better to look at Spa Breaks, so where could we be going to revive ourselves this February?

Pool area at Sopwell House

First up, and just a short drive from St Albans in Hertfordshire, Sopwell House Hotel,  offers both a spa and great golf course to it’s residents.  The Spa and pool area has recently undergone extensive refurbish-ment, designed by Sparcstudio, the multi-award winning designers and architects.  Facilities include a pool, Jacuzzi, starlit steam room, sauna and experience showers with heated mosaic seats.

The Spa uses ESPA and Clarins products  and there are a range of Spa packages to choose from, including a range of treatments for men as well as ladies.  For me the great attraction of this hotel, apart from the fact that it is very close to the motorway for ease of access, is the amazingly good food on offer in both of the restaurants.  In fact, if you are still trying to lose the last couple of pounds from Christmas you might want to steer clear of these, as the menus are both very tempting and reasonably priced for the quality of the food on offer.

External Vitality Pool

Next up is the Menzies Hotel in Stratford. Be prepared to park your car next to a Austin Martin and enjoy a Pimms from the terrace over-looking the fish pond and horizon beyond.   The Spa here enjoys an indoor pool, and an external vitality pool (which is walled by glass but open to the sky), heated lounger and foot spas.  There is also a range of experience rooms including a sauna, a Caldarium, a Laconium and a Tepidarium.  In addition, there is an ice fountain, and Tropical and Polar Storm Showers.

A selection of Clarins and Elemis treatments are provided  here but I would recommend that you book before you go, to avoid disappointment.  Their facials can knock a good ten years off you!  The Menzies also has a double treatment room if you want to have a massage with that special someone too.

There is also a gym, tennis courts and a very good golf course here too if you want something more energetic.  Perhaps this is where you might lose that last couple of pounds from Christmas, am I starting to sound obsessed?

If you are staying at the Welcombe Menzies, I would definately ask for a refurbished room throughout your stay and to book any evening meals  at the time of booking.  Their restaurant generally serves good food too, but if you wish, a short stroll down the river side will take you into the heart of Stratford where you can enjoy the theatre as well as a good meal.

The Lion Quay Hotel in Oswestry has a great day spa.  This includes all the usual facilities you might expect including a great jacuzzi area, a vitamin D room designed to make you feel like you’ve been out on a sunny day and a snow room complete with 2 foot of snow.  

The hotel attached to this hotel is right on the river and serves good plain pub grub which is served inside or out, depending on the weather.

So here are my top three reasonably priced spa breaks for February.  Please feel free to suggest more for our readers in our comments section.

You may have noticed that I haven't posted anything for a couple of weeks, and that is because I want to change things up a bit for the new year and to write about things that are seasonal and have been inspired by events around us.  That means that you are likely to get fewer editions but hopefully something just as interesting  as ever.  Thanks for reading, see you soon, and in the meantime, I hope that you can take sometime to check out  LotusTravelEssentials.co.uk happy & safe travelling.