Holistic Highs

Whether you want to take the plunge in an ice bath, try out some high-tech treatments, or fancy a spot of forest bathing, we discover some of the UK’s top retreats and unique spa experiences that will nourish mind, body and soul.

Coastal romance

Scarlet Hotel

Perched among the clifftops overlooking the sweeping sandy beach of Mawgan Porth, at North Cornwall’s stylish eco hotel Scarlet, curious couples can embark on a ‘Rediscover Journey’ together, designed to help synchronise energies. You’ll start by setting your intentions in an Ayurvedic consultation before unwinding with a bathing ritual such as a rhassoul, or a session in one of the stunning clifftop hot tubs. Next, a guided meditation or sound experience, followed by either a couple’s massage lesson or a synchronised treatment to leave you feeling connected and in tune with one another. The finishing touch? A shared Epsom salt bath with a glass of English sparkling wine, and full use of the stunning spa facilities.

→ From £350 per couple, scarlethotel.co.uk

And breathe

Thyme - The Botanical Bothy

Image credit Katrina Lawson Johnston

The Botanical Bothy is a new exclusive booking space at dreamy Cotswolds escape Thyme. It's home to a unique treatment designed to promote restorative calm within both body and mind. The private beautifully designed cabin features sleek warmed seating and a tranquil private garden and veranda, complete with a roaring fireplace and two show-stopping baths, side-by-side, for herbal soaks. The treatment – the Bertioli Ritual – is a combination of guided breathwork, lymphatic body combing and pressure-point techniques that concentre on the areas of the body that hold the most tension. A cleansing hair wash and head massage completes the experience, ensuring that guests leave feeling deeply relaxed and equipped with breathing techniques to use at home.

→ £225pp (solo) or £195pp for couples, thyme.co.uk

A celestial reset

Ockenden Manor Hotel’s ‘Full Moon & Fabulous’

Meridian Star Trail South Downs National Park

In West Sussex, Ockenden Manor Hotel’s ‘Full Moon & Fabulous’ retreats are scheduled to take place during the full moon; a time when we are said to be more receptive and open to inspiration. Harnessing the power of nature, the five elements and the moon, this celestial-inspired two-night experience is led by Swedish yoga instructor Helena Skoog, and involves a combination of yoga and meditation sessions, forest bathing, i-sopod floatation, aromatherapy massage, seasonal food and more, as well as accommodation and use of the hotel’s award-winning spa.

→ From £883pp, hshotels.co.uk/ockenden-manor

Take the plunge

Coach House Spa

Image ©laryssaerratt

“The cold is our warm friend, our mirror and our teacher,” says cold-water guru, Wim Hof. Cold-water immersion is said to improve both mental and physical performance, so if you're curious, then head to the Coach House Spa at sumptuous Surrey Hills hotel, Beaverbrook. At its one-day Wim Hof Workshop, guests are taught the three pillars of the extreme athlete’s now famous method – breathing technique, cold exposure, and commitment – by a certified WHM instructor. After learning the principles of breathing for stress management and breath-holding techniques, guests are then guided in the practice of ‘controlled hyperventilation’ before sinking into a bracing six-minute ice bath. Brrrrrr…

→ Prices start from £250pp, beaverbrook.co.uk

Elemental invigoration

Galgorm - Weir Tub

Image credit ALEXANDRA BARFOOT PHOTOGRAPHY

Set within 380 acres of parkland just outside Belfast, the unique Thermal Spa Village at luxury hotel Galgorm is the first of its kind in Ireland. It features an extensive selection of hot tubs, heated pools, steam rooms, saunas and more, all set on the banks of the spectacular River Maine. The invigorating Beltane Experience has been designed to stimulate all the senses using fire, air and water; relax al fresco by a roaring firepit before enjoying a dip in one of the picture-perfect hot tubs by the flowing river’s edge. Afterwards, cool down in the spa’s -10°C Snow Cabin (where snow falls every 30 minutes) or warm up with a Celtic Sauna Infusion – a cleansing aromatherapy experience led by a sauna master.

→ Spa packages start at £69pp, galgorm.com

A gut feeling

Goodwood gut health five-day program

Image ©Stephen HAYWARD

It’s said that good health starts with a happy gut. Set on the beautiful Goodwood Estate in Sussex, this five-day holistic retreat is a gut health overhaul designed by gut-health expert and celebrity nutritionist, Stephanie Moore. Drawing on Goodwood’s ‘fieldto-fork’ organic food philosophy and the estate’s natural beauty to heal and re-energise, the retreat features a full body-composition analysis and private nutritional consultation, specialist treatments, daily group talks and guided walks, plus all food and drink and five nights at The Goodwood Hotel. If you’re not ready to commit to the full five-day programme, there’s a taster day available too.

→ £2,225 per person sharing a twin or double room, £2,600 for a single occupancy room, taster day £220, goodwood.com

Hi-tech treatments

I-sopod® (sensory deprivation tank) The Lowry RE:TREAT

Image ©Christopher Marshall

Manchester’s five-star hotel, The Lowry, has launched ‘RE:TREAT' – the UK’s first technology led spa. Whether you fancy submerging yourself in a sensory deprivation tank (a dark, soundproof cocoon filled with saltwater, said to increase wellbeing and creativity in under an hour), switching off in a meditation pod, or slipping into the freezing temperatures of a cryotherapy chamber (said to help promote sleep and lymphatic drainage), this smart, high-tech space offers a combination of cuttingedge treatments, while in-house experts are on hand to perform the likes of IV drips and ultrasound scans.

→ Packages start from £85pp, thelowryhotel.com

Reconnect with nature

Forest Runs - Lime Wood

Image credit Jake Eastham

Nestled within the New Forest National Park, Herb House - the award-winning spa at luxury hotel Lime Wood – has created a selection of ‘ReWild Yourself’ experiences. Inspired by the rhythms of the seasons, these new naturepowered retreats and spa days have been designed to instil a sense of calm and serenity. Enjoy guided forest bathing in ancient woodland, calming yoga classes in an aromatic herb garden, outdoor fitness and breathwork sessions, soothing herbpowered treatments, seasonal food, and more, plus plenty of time to unwind in the stunning spa.

→ Rewilding retreats start at £225pp, limewoodhotel.co.uk

Spa news...

The brand-new spa at landmark London hotel Claridge’s features a streamlined swimming pool, steam rooms, saunas and seven luxurious treatment rooms. Designed by interior architect André Fu, the space is inspired by his own visits to Japanese temples and Zen gardens in Kyoto.

→ claridges.co.uk

Award-winning Nottinghamshire day-spa retreat Eden Hall and beautiful Staffordshire spa hotel Hoar Cross Hall have recently revealed an all-new treatment menu available at both properties. Based on three all-encompassing pillars – radiance, revive and renewal – each two-hour treatment has been expertly designed to leave guests feeling rejuvenated and relaxed.

→ baronseden.com/hoar-cross-hall

Spanning 2,500 square metres, the sleek, state-of-the-art spa at the recently opened Fairmont Windsor Park is briming with high-tec innovation. There are 18 treatment rooms, a hammam, a 20-metre indoor pool, a Japanese ashiyu foot-ritual bath and the first multi-person cryotherapy chamber in the UK, plus pretty cherry blossom trees by the pool.

→ fairmont-windsorpark.com

Spa Japanese Ayishu Foot Bath

Iamge ©VIKTOR KERY

The hotly anticipated Yorkshire Spa Retreat is now open. The new £4.5-million holiday resort includes a nature-inspired spa, with a wild swimming pond, a sauna, a hydro pool, a Himalayan salt chamber and more.

→ yorkshire-spa-retreat.co.uk

With a show-stopping heated outdoor infinity pool overlooking the hotel’s very own sandy beach, the recently enlarged and enhanced C Bay Spa at Carbis Bay Hotel near St Ives has unveiled beautiful new treatment and changing rooms, and a range of new treatments using luxurious products by Bamford and organic seaweed brand Voya.

→ carbisbayhotel.co.uk

In Cheshire, the new English Country Spa Garden at The Manor House Hotel is both pretty and incredibly well appointed – swing lazily in one of the hanging day beds, unwind in the sunken hydrotherapy tub, or warm up in the herbal potting shed sauna.

→ manorhousealsager.com

Set within the former Bank of Scotland building on Edinburgh’s historic St Andrew Square, The Gleneagles Townhouse opened in 2022. In ‘The Strong Rooms’, located within the old bank vault itself, guests have access to a cryotherapy chamber, an infrared sauna, a state-of-the-art class studios, treatments and more.

→ gleneagles.com/townhouse

CRYOTHERAPY AT GLENEAGLES TOWNHOUSE

The spa at Staffordshire hotel Moddershall Oaks has designed a new treatment exclusively for those experiencing hormonal changes, such as the perimenopause and menopause. The Pause & Renew 50-minute treatment includes a cool compress, a soothing skin mask, mindfulness and more.

→ moddershalloaks.com

The multi-award-winning £10-million spa at Cheshire’s Carden Park Hotel has launched a brand-new private spa package, meaning that you can have the entire 4,500-square-metre spa all to yourself.

→ cardenpark.co.uk

Carden Park Hotel Panoramic Relaxation Room

Image credit shootlifestyle.co.uk

Text by Sophie Farrah