SPAin Sussex
It may just be the one night, but we guarantee you will feel like a new person when you come out the other side.
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s we get back into the swing of things and say goodbye to the chaos of Christmas, it’s a good opportunity to take time to reflect, plan our year ahead, focus on our well-being and invest in a bit of ‘me time’. It’s often hard to actually find the time to switch off and relax in our manic daily lives, with work deadlines, chores around the house, school runs and family engagements often taking centre stage. Short of locking ourselves away in a cupboard, the concept of getting a little headspace is, for most, just a fantasy. However, the answer to this conundrum is right on our doorstep; clear your diary, turn your phone off and make your way to one of Sussex’s blissful spa hotels for an overnight stay. It may just be the one night, but we guarantee you will feel like a new person when you come out the other side. In a bid to relieve you of the chore of scrolling through endless reviews online, Victoria Marie Emerson, our Editor here at Absolute Magazine, has taken it upon herself to carry out essential research for you, bringing you her two top spa hotel choices for 2020. Enjoy….(she certainly did!)
Ockenden Manor Hotel & Spa, Cuckfield In a nutshell An enchanting Elizabethan manor house with 28 opulent rooms, Ockenden Manor proudly boasts an outstanding spa, an award-winning restaurant and eight acres of beautiful grounds overlooking Cuckfield Park. Hotel With its history and character, elegant sitting room warmed by a roaring log fire and cosy, wood-panelled bar, Ockenden Manor is a wonderful place to escape to and is less than 30 minutes from Brighton. Set in the chocolate box village of Cuckfield, with its cornucopia of enticing independent shops and cafes, a genuine and warm welcome awaits you as you arrive at the hotel, which has a comforting and charming family-run feel.
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The Rooms Each of the 28 rooms are set within two houses, that sit proudly within nine acres of gardens. Every room has its own character and identity at Ockenden Manor, all woven together in a maze of intriguing little corridors, nooks and crannies. From the fabulous over-sized contemporary spa suites with roof terraces to the charming period suites and elegant, individually decorated rooms, there is something to suit all tastes. As unique as the hotel itself, our room was referred to as a ‘feature room’ and oozed romance and style. With a four-poster bed, exposed beams, antique furniture, vintage style patterned wallpaper, thick and luxurious curtains framing sweeping views over the gardens, all the mod cons you’d require, plus a large bathroom with walk-in shower, the room felt like a timeless escape from the modern and manic world.
