The Spa
Though a textbook example of a palatial British country house, there’s something beguiling about The Armathwaite Hall Hotel. Sitting astride the breathtaking Bassenthwaite Lake and amongst 400 acres of private woodland, complete with a deer park, it’s not just the spa that leaves you feeling serenely calm. Though, with its multiple steam rooms, infinity pool and outdoor hot tub, that doesn’t hurt.
There’s an unapologetic extravagance to this 46-room resort (we put this down to its manicured lawns, grand cocktail bar, open fireplaces and wood panelled drawing rooms) that doesn’t stop at the spa. With two floors of treatment rooms (more on that in a moment) and various steam and sauna experiences as well as hydro jets to try, it’s a full-day experience, at the very least.
The Treatments
If you can peel yourself away from the relaxation veranda - we struggled too - there’s a host of treatments that place this countryside spa shoulder-to-shoulder with the best of London’s. We tried the 85-minute Holistic Facial and Back Treatment (£95), which begins with a back, neck and shoulder massage that can successfully untie any tense travel knots.
The complexion conscious among us will be glad to hear that the spa uses 100% natural ingredients that are developed locally in Cumbria. Not only can we vouch for their post-treatment glow but their aromatic smell too. For dry, tired or dulled skin, this is just the ticket for expelling toxins and looking brighter. Plus, it will leave you looking so refreshed everyone will know that you’ve been away. Ergo, we’re hooked. One treatment is not enough.
The spa also offers Milk and Honey Body Wraps, which use essential oils and Dead Sea salts to exfoliate and rehydrate your skin, as well as a series of prescriptive facials. There’s a purification treatment that tackles blemishes and blackheads with a mud mask, a 25-minute eye therapy that lifts and smoothes the area and a particularly indulgent aromatherapy experience that massages the face, arms, hand and head with hot oils to leave you soothed.
The Essentials
Address: Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa, Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4RE, England.
Number of Treatment Rooms: There may only be 46 rooms across the spa wing and historical hotel, but it has the facilities of a much larger resort.
Swimming Pool: Yes, with a separate one for the kids.
Gym: A fully fledged fitness centre offers glorious views of the surrounding countryside.
**Reservations:**Contact Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa on 017687 76551
Website: www.armathwaite-hall.com