From luxe hotel spas to holistic rituals in the wild, each of these unique wellness experiences offers a restorative escape from the everyday
Gaia, Boringdon Hall, Devon
Boringdon Hall is a beautiful location for R&R. The 16th‑century manor is one of the South West’s oldest buildings and drips in Elizabethan decadence. Sweeping views across Dartmoor add to the sense of grandeur.
However, the focus shifts firmly to modern wellness at the adults-only Gaia Spa. This adjacent building houses an indoor pool, indoor-outdoor hydrotherapy pool, saunas, steam rooms, alfresco hot tubs, treatment rooms, relaxation rooms, a gym and a Spatisserie.
The newest addition to its line-up of spa breaks is the Gaia MenoPause Break. The two-night restorative escape invites those going through the physical, emotional and lifestyle shifts of perimenopause and menopause to slow down and recentre. Highlights include a specialised massage and facial, expertly curated hormone-supporting products, time in the tranquil spa, exquisite dining and restful nights in elegant rooms.
Sae Seaweed, Dorset
From the same team behind Dorset’s Fore Adventure comes this unique seaweed spa.
At the beach-hut spa overlooking Studland Bay, guests soak in seaweed-infused baths while taking in views of the coast. Loaded with beneficial minerals and vitamins, seaweed is prized as a miracle balm for skin thanks to its rejuvenating properties. To create the all-natural products used at the spa, Sae Seaweed uses only wild plants hand-harvested on the Dorset coast.
Try the range at the spa where you can slather on a seaweed face mask and foot scrub, and soak in warm seaweed water in an ocean-view tub.
Soul Sweats, Cornwall
At Soul Sweats’ HQ at Mount Pleasant Eco Park and its beach sauna on Porthtowan Beach, wellness warriors explore everything from breathwork and hot and cold therapy to yoga, sound healing, ecstatic dance and meditation in stunning natural surroundings.
In addition to the solo sessions, immersive retreats offer a deep dive into restorative practices. Deep Rest & Restore is a recent example of a day retreat that included a two-hour multi-sensory sauna ceremony (comprising thermal whisking, homemade scrubs, face masks and fresh fruit served in the sauna), followed by reflections and open discussions, and ending with a slow-paced meditative breathwork and yin yoga class.
Francis Hotel, Bath
Bath’s spa and wellness history dates back thousands of years and, happily, visitors to the honey-hued city can still bathe in that legacy – just in 21st-century style.
One of the best places to experience it is the Georgian-glamour-filled Francis Hotel, thanks to its new boutique spa. The tranquil space ‘honours Bath’s historic reputation as a centre for healing, while reimagining what wellness feels like today.’
Choose from a selection of reviving facials, top-to-toe massages and thermal rituals, created in partnership with premium skincare brand Gaia.
Saunassa, Cornwall
For a Nordic-inspired sauna ritual in Newquay, look no further than Saunassa. Every restorative element here is designed to connect guests and leave them feeling refreshed, revitalised and rebalanced.
Reset the senses with some contrast therapy, switching between two saunas and four ice baths, or simply linger in the warmth of the wood-fired tub. Dial up the feel-good factor by weaving in breathwork, primal movement or yoga into any of the hot and cold experiences.
Enjoyed our 5 of the best wellness experiences? Check out our wild swimming and brunch guide.
We choose the companies included in our features based on editorial integrity. Occasionally, some inclusions will be from clients with whom we have a commercial relationship.
