A day at the spa

The Grove, London’s country estate

Hoping to recharge my batteries, I headed off to The Grove in Hertfordshire, England, just a stone’s throw from London. The former home of the Earls of Clarendon is set in 300 acres of sprawling parkland.

Queen Victoria and Edward VII used to attend weekend house parties here. And since reopening as a country house hotel and golf course in 2003, guests are still being treated like royalty!

The 18th century mansion has been completely restored and now has an elegant new entrance, a modern west wing and a stable block, where the Sequoia Spa is located.

The interiors are lined with antiques and eye-catching pieces, including a stunning blue Murano-glass chandelier. Upstairs, mysterious dark curtains are unveiled to reveal huge bright bedrooms. The suites combine old with new: a fireplaces, a free-standing bath and a huge plasma TV, hung like a wall painting.

The Sequoia Spa is a five-minute walk from the hotel through the gardens. It offers a wide range of treatments, which incorporate Ayurvedic and Thai influences. Before my massage appointment, I had time to enjoy the ‘heat experiences’, including the steam room, sauna, swimming pool and relaxation area.

Hot stones treatment

Therapist Sobat collected me from the ‘chill out room’ and led me to one of the cocooning treatment rooms for my chakra-balancing massage. This began with a selection of essential oils followed by a foot bath ritual and cup of spiced tea.

Next came nearly two hours of sheer bliss, starting with a spearmint exfoliating scrub which smelt good enough to eat.

The massage featured hot stones – straight from the from the oven – which helped loosen the muscles in preparation for a top-to-toe treatment. Lying down on a bed of stones was more relaxing than I thought it would be. The stones are said to stimulate acupressure points throughout the body.

Sobat focused on relieving tension held in the scalp, neck and shoulders. He had great skills in the healing art of massage and I left the room floating on cloud nine!

I rounded off the day in the evening with a meal at the estate’s Glasshouse restaurant, ‘al fresco’ style, overlooking the vast grounds. The Grove also boasts a state-of-the art gym with personal trainers that can accompany you on a run through the forest. But I was too relaxed by then…tomorrow’s another day!