Spa Review
Get away from it all in...
Hodson Bay
Nestled on the shores of Lough
My favourite part was the relaxation
Ree, the four-star Hodson Bay and its
lounge, where at the end of my
award-winning spa is right next door
treatment I spent some time relaxing
to Athlone Golf Course and a short
in a leather recliner, with an iPod
drive from the newly revamped Athlone
music player programmed with
town centre. Maria McHale paid a visit.
soothing music and soothing views
An extremely family-friendly hotel, it’s the ideal place to take the children with plenty to do to keep them
of the lake – a lovely experience.
Experience
occupied while you sneak off for some
Well, the best place to start is in the
pampering spa treatments.
wet area. This was followed by the Rose Radiance Facial – truly relaxing, while
As well as its 182 bedrooms, the hotel includes the Hodson Retreat
the therapist Coleen was one of the best I have had.
(a separate part of the hotel with
Cost The one-hour Rose Radiance Facial costs €85 for 50 minutes, while the watsu treatment costs €130. The Spa has a number of packages available, including a half-day Mind, Body and Soul reviver for €150 and a full-day Luxury Spa Pamper at €430, which includes a Real Aromatherapy Full Body Massage followed by a Spa lunch, then a Luxury Aromatherapy facial, Luxury Spa manicure and pedicure!
decor which echoes the Spa). The
The Spa has a wide mix of face,
Out and About
Retreat rooms boast floor-to-ceiling
body and holistic treatments on
With Ireland recently voted Europe’s
windows looking out onto Lough Ree
offer, including the amazing Watsu
number-one golfing destination,
and plasma screen televisions, for
wet treatment. A therapist manipulates
Athlone Golf Club offers a great test
a truly relaxing experience
your body in a specially built Watsu
of your game while enjoying panoramic
pool using flotation and shiatsu-like
views of the lake and its wooded
methods to release tension and
islands. And it’s just a two-minute
blocked energy.
walk away from the hotel.
Atmosphere The 20-metre swimming pool features a kids’ pool, hydro pools plus the usual steam and sauna rooms. Upstairs, the Spa’s thermal suite contains a laconium, rock sauna, Dolmen steam room with a dramatic Irish Dolmen rock formation, and heated relaxation loungers.
If shopping is your thing, then look i
Need to know
no further than the Athlone Town
The Spa at Hodson Bay, Hodson Bay,
Centre development which boast many
Athlone is open Monday-Saturday
top high street stores. There are a wide
9am-9pm and Sunday 9am-7pm. Call 090 644 2001 or visit www.hodsonbayspa.com
number of restaurants along the banks of the river and daily boat trips along the Shannon.
Sláinte, Ireland’s Health Magazine
23