Spa Day

Carden Park Spa is known as being one of the best in the country, and I was excited to spend the day there with my grandma, courtesy of a Christmas present from my brother!

The hotel and spa is set at the end of a long, winding driveway that winds its way through trees, fields, and golf courses before ending at a slightly confusing set of car-parks. I assume this is because they have a valet service at the main hotel, but it foxed us for a few minutes!

As we checked in we were asked to select our meal for lunch, and given a little bracelet each that allowed us to unlock the doors to the different sections of the spa (again assuming, but I think the different levels, such as the garden, were extra and the bracelets dictated whether we could pass the barriers!) We made our way through the scented corridors to the changing rooms, which were spacious but cosy, and changed into our swimsuits and the provided dressing gowns and flip-flops.

We enjoyed a light breakfast of coffee, pastries, and fruit salad overlooking the gardens and fields beyond, then made our way downstairs to the spa. Over the course of the morning we made full use of the five different types of sauna and steam rooms (I preferred the Salt Sauna), experience showers (the Rainforest Waterfall setting was amazing), and the heated indoor pool which had incredible massage jets and bubble seats.

As part of the day we had a 50-minute treatment each. I selected the Shimmering Body Ritual treatment: fifty minutes of gentle massage and a scrub with beautifully scented products. My therapist was lovely and explained each step thoroughly. My one, slight niggle of the whole day - I'd recommend a heated rail in the treatment room to dry out swimsuits as getting back into a slightly damp bikini post-amazing-massage was not pleasant! We spent fifteen minutes or so adjusting out of the treatment across two rooms; one with beds, a star-ceiling, and very dim lights, followed by a slightly brighter room with a video wall showing a peaceful ocean view, before it was time for lunch.

Lunch was delicious - I had the Sweet Potato Salad with Halloumi - and the portion was generous without being overwhelming. We had another coffee and water flavoured with fruit and cucumber, then decided to spend the glorious afternoon exploring the famous Spa Garden.

The weather was perfect. We spent some time in the incredibly scented herbal sauna, then dipped in and out of the five jaccuzzi's and the pool which was so warm it felt like swimming in a bath! The outdoor pool had bubble towers in each corner, and, like the indoor pool, underwater bubble-jet seating, which felt amazing.

We rounded off the afternoon with a glass of wine as the bees buzzed around the flowers, and we left the spa feeling floaty light and thoroughly pampered.

Thanks for the present little bro - how you gonna top this next Christmas?