Not exactly travel - but can you recommend a good spa

[handlemecarefully]

As dh has buggered off to St Petersburg on a jolly for 5 days leaving me with two pre-schoolers suffering from chicken pox, I've decided that he owes me and I am going to book myself a weekend at a Spa for a treat (don't call Social Services - will be waiting until dh returns before I go off). Probably will go sometime next month with my SIL.

Can you recommend somewhere nice? It needs to be within 3 hrs drive from me (Southampton area) so no further north than say Leicester, and not in the far west (eg Cornwall.

bump...

(I know I haven't waited very long for a response but I'm off to bed soon)

Theres one in Leicestershire called Eden Hall, I haven't been to it (although Dh owes me a weekend there) but I've heard it's a good one.

Ragdale Hall is good, near Melton Mowbray so probably just a wee bit too far North it's just a little bit further North than Leicester. But it is nice. Eden Hall is good too but that's even further from you - on the A 46 towards Newark (Notts).
Not much help!

Thanks both - no I wouldn't rule them out for being just a wee bit further away than I was envisaging; they are still a reasonable distance..... Will look up the web pages.

Whoops meant Ragdale not Eden!

Lol - that's okay, I hadn't got as far as looking up the web pages yet. I guess if I had put in 'Eden' then I would have got some large botanical gardens type project!

Isn't Forest Mere in your neck of the woods? I'm sure I have read a good review of it somewhere.

ooo yes - just looked it up and its in Liphook which isn't far at all...Didn't even know it was there!!

Grayshott Hall is really lovely and not too far from forest mere. Very relaxed in style but also fun for a bit of celeb spotting!

celeb spotting ? - that might just clinch it (not that I am superficial or anything! )

Yup, it does work wonders. I went once because I was at a really very low point. I went for a swim, saw Maggie Smith was the one other person in the pool and thought - I've got to pull through so I can tell people about this!
It is quite expensive, but for me it was a lifesaver!

Hang the expense, I'm worth it !!

Earlier this year, I checked out details of a spa called Utopia somewhere on the Isle of Wight which sounded lovely! Unfortunately, they didn't do single rooms which is what I wanted at the time. As am at work, daren't google but if you put in Utopia and spa it should bring it up.

Thanks - I've got quite a selection to look through now

Somerset any good?

www.cedar-falls.co.uk/

Yep - will look at that too!

Cowley Manor Spa is known as being totally fabulous (Kate Moss, Liz Hurley reputed to use it) it is near Cheltenham - food is out of this world - apparently (never been myself - only to Springs - which was v nice)