AIBU to ask my first question - about spas?

[FirmlyRooted]

Yes, yes, I know spas are not generally approved of, but it's happening. And I'm quite looking forward to drifting about in a dressing gown with no kids or husband constantly asking where the car keys, the ketchup or the stick from the park two weeks ago are. Not to mention no work!

I have promised my 2 best friends who live abroad that I will find and book a spa for a weekend within easy reach of Heathrow or Stansted in early May, and I'm totally lost. Does anyone have a recommendations?
Must be a spa hotel, must serve alcohol and be conducive to wafting about in a dressing gown for two days straight. And there's 3 of us so not sure if that means one or two rooms, getting a headache already!

Any recommendations would be much appreciated. Or should I just forget about it and book a hotel in Lisbon?

I love Ragdale. It's great in so many ways, and as a destination spa you don't have to mingle with non-spa hotel guests or people having business meetings/lunches.

You can wear their towelling robes all day and every day. Or you can dress for dinner if you like.
It's really laid back, there's loads to do, the food is great and the staff are lovely. And they have triple rooms.
I live near Stansted and can get there in around two hours. It's a similar distance from Heathrow i reckon.

Ragdale has two bars selling alcohol and you can order wine with lunch and dinner.

I love aqua sana at centreparcs. Excellent for relaxing and enjoying glasses of prosecco while waiting around in dressing gowns! They do over night deals. Think Woburn is probably closest to where you are.

Penny Hill Park - been there, loved it 🥰 cannot wait to be back!
www.exclusive.co.uk/pennyhill-park/

Luton Hoo or Sopwell House

Always always start with the Good Spa Guide website! Actually accurate descriptions and reviews of spas and they catrgorise them by rating so you can have a look at 5 bubble spas if you are feeling fancy enough!

These do good deals
www.yspa.co.uk/
No children allowed! Adult only hotel spa.....

Is warick too far? There is a fabulous spa hotel there and you can get some great deals there. (used to be Liberace's mansion)

Champneys is shite - cheap and nasty.

Ditto Sopwell House - massively overpriced. I went with 5 girlfriends and we all had terrible manicures that peeled off almost immediately. The breakfast was awful too.

I'd go to Chewton Glen if not too far out.

Nirvana Spa or Pennyhill Park! Champneys is also lovely x

Another vote for Nirvana Spa, and a hotel nearby. It's amazing. Especially the new colosseum suite and the all you can eat buffet 🥰

I’m not a fan of Chamneys and didn’t like Sopwell House either

Can you get somewhere like Cliveden or Dormey House?
Maybe Limewood?

Questions like these are for chat.

We really don’t need a ticking off from the head girl.

Ragdale is fantastic, lots of alcohol, amazing pools etc
Champneys good as well, only been to springs though.

@maddy68 what the spa in warwick called?

Those who are saying this isn't a stealth boast must waft around in a dressing gown with no DC asking where their stick/homework/favourite pair of socks is on a regular basis. I may be feeling a bit jealous.

Erk, you set of the MN police!
Loads of people use AIBU for these sorts of questions as it gets a more replies. Not sure why you’ve been jumped on today. Try trip advisor for reviews too but take them with a punch of salt as there’s no pleasing some people.

I’d assumed Chewton was too far. It is lovely though.

Pinch 🤏🏽

It's a little further away (although easily reached on the train and a taxi) but Aqua Sana at Longleat is an excellent Spa and you can book Spa breaks with an overnighter in a cabin, freedom to wander the park and a voucher towards dinner.

I love a good spa day, once I've gotten over the slightly lost "I haven't got anything to do" feeling anyway!

Nirvana Spa nr Reading or Champneys nr Tring spring to mind as I live down this way. Both lovely and not too far from Heathrow especially outside of commuting times.

I was going to suggest the Berystede in Ascot but someone beat me to it. Lots of wafting around in dressing gowns and if it’s a nice day there are loungers for outdoor wafting too.

Nirvana isn’t a hotel & Champneys doesn’t offer anywhere near the facilities that Nirvana has. Champneys plays on its’ name and isn’t very nice at all in my experience.

Whittlebury Hall is supposed to be very good.

I’d be looking at Aqua Sana in Woburn I think....or The Scarlet in Cornwall if close to Heathrow didn’t have to be an option.

Chewton Glen didn’t do it for me as it felt too formal.

Ragdale amazing. Lifehouse spa, Essex is good. Greenwoods also nice.

I third Penny Hill Park, it's lush.

As per other op, my experiences of Champneys spas have been shite. Run down and lacking in decent facilities.