I was absolutely overjoyed when I was invited to Rudding Park Hotel and Spa to review one of their spa days for the following reasons 1) I had never done a spa day and it was something that was on my bucket list 2) I’d heard that Rudding Park was absolutely incredible. (Last year, the Good Spa Guide awarded Rudding Park the Best New Spa in England.) It was about a 40 minute drive from York, but would have been super quick from Harrogate.
It opened in 2017 after a £9.5m investment of money and 12 years of planning, including its new Rooftop Spa and Garden (the latter of which was designed by horticulturalist Matthew Wilson). The Rooftop section includes a panoramic sauna, with views onto the glorious outdoor hydrotherapy pool with an array of massage jets for the feet, neck, legs and back; whirlpool bath, and a sauna. The indoor spa includes a pool, herbal steam rooms, experience showers, footbaths, a delightful cafe, state-of-the-art changing rooms (complete with Dyson hair dryers!), stunning treatment rooms and loads of places to curl up and relax.
After several dips in the pool and sits in the sauna, I headed over to Horto Cafe for a pick-me-up bite to eat. I had a delightfully refreshing lemon and ginger cold tea and a massive brownie. The only slight criticism of the entire day was that the Cafe could offer more vegan options. I didn’t change to go to the cafe because wearing your robe in is positively encouraged. Then I floated back into the spa to rest my tired feet in the footbath before trying out the Experience Showers.
The Experience Shower takes place in a lovely tiled cubical and you pick from Carribbean rain, Tropical storm or Cool Mist. Once you’ve made your selection the appropriate birdsong, lighting, and water temperature to match your theme kick in. The shower only lasts about 1 minute per experience, and as there was no one else waiting I hogged it to try them all. I absolutely loved hearing Sam giggle at his Experience Shower as I was waiting outside to try mine. Tropical storm was my favourite. It was incredible the way that water pressure, temperature, audio and smells can transport you somewhere else entirely.
For my treatment, I went for the “Head and Foot Heaven” option. The spa menu says of this option “Tired feet are nourished with a luxurious macadamia and papaya exfoliation, followed with a warm shea and mango butter mask and acupressure foot massage. A meridian head massage completes the treatment relieving stress and promoting clarity.” And I can attest that the first 10 minutes were absolutely glorious and then I grew so relaxed that I slipped in to a state of semi-consciousness; not quite asleep, but not awake either.
I was the most relaxed I’ve ever been after my treatment. And I was sat down in a cosy corner of the treatment room and brought a post-massage Kombucha cordial. It was at this point in time when I was feeling smugly relaxed, delightfully full from my cafe snacks and Kombucha but satisfied with their health benefits that I could finally see what “wellness” experts have been banging on about. I felt like a million dollars. After the treatment, with my Kombucha in hand, I was left to enjoy the Mind and Sense relaxation rooms.
The Mind and Sense Rooms are themed, and, of course, I tried all of them. The Visual Room had suspended chair swing seats and a cinema style film screen that showed stunning drone footage of various locations around the world. The Relax Room had comfortable bed-style loungers, blankets and darkened light. Noise was discouraged and the black ceiling had twinkly stars in it to help you drift off. Sleeping was encouraged. The Audio Room had cosy nooks to curl up in and you could get an ipod from the spa reception that came equipped with music and meditation tracks. And last, but certainly not least, was the Mind Room that was filled with mandela colouring books, puzzles, games, books and magazines. I enjoyed them all and I think, though it’s hard to narrow down, that the Relaxation Rooms were my favourite part of the entire spa experience.
I honestly can’t recommend the whole experience more. Everything was beautiful, high-tech, relaxing, refreshing and gloriously designed. I was a guest of Rudding Park but I will most definitely be back again soon.
A full day at Rudding Park costs £143 and includes access to all the spa facilities, a 50 minute bespoke treatment, access to the Mind and Sense zones, morning snack and drink, afternoon snack and drink as well as a two-course lunch.
Have you ever enjoyed a day spa? Rudding Park was a great one!
***I was a guest of Rudding Park Hotel & Spa, and my visit was complimentary, but all thoughts and opinions are forever my own.***
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