THE GOOD SPA GUIDE New Year

THE GOOD SPA GUIDE

A cold spell? The winter blues? No matter! We’ve something to warm your body and soothe your mind in the form of the county’s most luxurious and well-appointed spas...

The Grange Spa at Pointon

Nestling in the little village of Pointon between Bourne and Sleaford, The Grange is an award-winning, family-run spa...

CREATED IN 2008, and run by Matt & Emma Craven, The Grange Spa is smaller than super-spas like Eden Hall or Ragdale Hall, but that’s no bad thing because, actually, the place feels a lot more intimate and relaxing... just what you want from a spa! Visitors aren’t left wanting in terms of facilities either, with a refurbished 12 metre swimming pool, heat experiences and a wellequipped gym. There are six treatment rooms, with nine body treatments, seven facial treatments, manicures and pedicures, plus a range of treatments for pregnant women and for men. Choose from a half-day package from £70, an all-day experience from £97, or push the boat out and enjoy The Ultimate Grange Experience, £256, which includes three and a half hours of treatment time. There’s also provision for hard-working folk in the form of twilight spa experiences, either for individuals or couples. In addition, look out for regular promotions, from ‘Mum & Me’ days to ‘Three’ days which are designed for a trio of friends to enjoy. Spa treatments are powered by Thalgo with its marine-derived Thalassotherapy-based ingredients and Pinks Boutique with its range of sustainable, organic products. One last recommendation for treating yourself throughout 2023 is the availability of spa memberships, where you can book in advance for four, six, 12 or 24 visits throughout the year. You can also split the cost with a friend, partner or relative. n

The Grange’s Online Shop

The Grange Spa at Pointon has launched its new Online Shop with spa-quality Pinks Boutique products, Thalgo cleansing and moisturising products, and Proverb skincare for men.

FEATURES & FACILITIES THE GRANGE AT POINTON

n Facilities: The Grange Spa has six treatment rooms, a recently refurbished swimming pool with an adjacent heat experience suite including mist and rainfall showers, herbal bath, aroma bath and gem stone steam bath plus an ice fountain. There’s also a quiet room and a health and fitness suite.

n Spa Treatments: Treatments are powered by brands like Pinks and Thalgo, with a 30-minute Stretch & Align massage from £50. Thalgo facials feature sea minerals and can include anti-ageing ingredients such as algae or hyalu-procollagene. Manicures £39, pedicures £45. Also available are specialist treatments for men and for pregnant women.

n Food & Drink: Lunch at The Grange Spa includes soups and salads and there’s an afternoon tea option, too.

n Contact Details: The Grange Spa, Millthorpe Road, Pointon NG34 0NF. Call 01778 440511, or see www.thegrangespa.co.uk.

Simpsons Boutique Spa at Branston Hall

SIMPSONS BEAUTY GROUP has its three venues in Branston, Lincoln and North Hykeham respectively. Its flagship day spa is located within the 88-acre grounds of what was known as Branston Hall, now The Vedanta, a Grade II listed Elizabethan estate reinvented as a wellness retreat. Simpsons Boutique Spa has its conservatory and also outdoor relaxation areas – three ‘igloos’ and a ‘slumber cabin’ – plus an outdoor hot tub. Back inside there’s a spa café, six therapy rooms, and a dedicated room for manicures and pedicures too, as well as a Rasul mud temple. The Simplicity Spa Experience begins at £69, with half day and full day spa packages from £86.25 and £131 respectively. Elemis powers many treatments, but other aesthetic treatments like contouring, semi-permanent cosmetics and laser-aesthetics are available, as are treatments for men and pregnant women. n

Find Out More: Simpsons Boutique Spa is based at Branston Hall, LN4 1PD. Call 01522 797989 or visit www.simpsonsbeauty.com for a spa menu.

Overnight Spa Breaks

Overnight breaks at Ragdale Hall begin at £353, with Simple, Classic and Luxury room grades available. A 40-minute treatment is included, plus three course lunches and evening meals.

Ragdale Hall, Leicestershire

BACK IN 1990, Michael Isaacs and Penny Nesbitt opened one of the earliest – and probably still the largest – spas in the area, with both day spa and short break provision. Ragdale Hall installed a Rooftop Infinity Pool back in 2017 and during Covid, created a Twilight Bar cocktail bar and lounge, as well as a new industrial-style gym and two studios: Heart & Soul. This year it has rebranded and its owners are restyling the spa in more ‘earthy’ colours for a bit more of a modern luxe image. The spa has also celebrated being awarded the Best Spa for Guest Experience title in the 2022 Good Spa Awards. The 13-acre spa has 50 treatment rooms, eight relaxation rooms and over 100 treatments.

Twilight Taster evening available from £109, an Experience Day costs £130... seven night ‘Ultimate Experience’ is from £1,281! n

Find Out More: Ragdale Hall is equidistant from Lincoln, Grantham, Stamford and Newark. Call 01664 434831 or see www.ragdalehall.co.uk.

Shown here is the Scented Room in the Thermal Spa at Ragdale Hall.

Twilight luxury at Eden Hall.

Eden Hall, Elston, Newark

EDEN HALL was originally a private country house owned by Robert Middleton, who built Middleton House in 1875. What was once the family chapel is now the day spa’s restaurant, following Eden Hall’s transformation into one of the most popular local spas, back in 2002. Facilities include a Vitality swimming pool of 25 metres, outdoor hot tubs, a thermal spa suite with six temperature experiences, plus a slumber lounge and a conservatory. In the warmer months, take advantage of a rooftop terrace and gardens. If you’re feeling especially disciplined there are activities and classes from high-impact cardio to meditation, as well as a number of outdoor activities for the spring and summer months. Personal trainers, too, are on hand to help with health and fitness goals. Otherwise, if you’re of the more hedonistic persuasion, Eden Hall has 30 treatment rooms with luxury body and face treatments powered by Elemis and Voya. There are 10 body treatments from £85, six facials from £85, deluxe manicures and pedicures from £55 and additional holistic treatments like Indian head massage and reflexology. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea are all available, the latter from £25 although it must be pre-booked. There’s a Shepherd’s Hut in the grounds too, serving ice cream and Pimm’s in the summer. n

Find Out More: Eden Hall is based at Elston near Newark, NG23 5PG. For availability call 01283 576522 or see www.baronseden.com.

Le Sanctuaire, Lincoln

The Stableyard Spa at Stapleford Park, Melton Mowbray

LINCOLN’S STEEP HILL isn’t an obvious location in which to create a boutique spa, given the somewhat less than relaxing climb up to it and its location right in the middle of a very busy city. But in fact, Lincoln’s Le Sanctuaire is incredibly well-regarded among its 3,000 clients and having established the spa in 2014, Elizabeth Cook and Jane Richardson are already seeing mums returning for a visit alongside their daughters and plenty of repeat visits too. The spa has a Cedarwood hot tub, sauna, steam elixor, dedicated pedicure area, relaxation room, spa lounge and terrace. Twilight visits are available from £65; taster visits are from £55; a Clarins-powered Spa Experience with body and face massage is £75/person, and the Ultimate Spa retreat experience is £105, with additional treatments like manicures and pedicures from £15 and £25 respectively. Packages are also available for couples. n

Find Out More: Le Sanctuaire was founded in 2014 and is based at 13-14 Steep Hill, Lincoln, LN2 1LT. For details of treatments and availability, call 01522 535553 or see www.lesanctuaire.co.uk.

STAPLEFORD PARK is a really beautifully located country house hotel between Grantham and Melton Mowbray. The 500-acre country estate has impeccable dining thanks to its Grinling Gibbons dining room, plus beautiful grounds and a spa in the former stableblock with an indoor pool, sauna, steam room. Stableyard day experience with 60 min treatment £140. n

Belton Woods, Grantham

A FOUR STAR HOTEL and golf resort, Belton Woods’ facilities include tennis courts, squash courts, gym and health club with steam room, sauna and swimming pool. Overnight spa breaks from £105, Simply Spa for £55/day including 30 min Elemis treatment. n

Find Out More: Belton Woods, NG32 2LN. 01476 593200, www.beltonwoods.co.uk.

Forest Pines Hotel, Brigg

LIKE BELTON WOODS, Forest Pines near Brigg is part of the QHotels Collection and offers Elemis-powered treatments with the same day spa packages from £55. There’s a 188-bed hotel, 27-hole Championship golf course and an 18-metre pool on site, too. n