****Spring is well and truly here and with the sun set to stay (and the last Easter egg polished off), there’s no better time than now to cleanse and reboot. But that doesn’t mean you have to book into a yoga retreat for silent mediation and a gruelling juice diet – oh, no. We found the ideal rejuvenating package just moments from the craziness of Oxford Street with delicious food and a healthy dose of luxury.
It certainly helps that the minute you step into Sanderson, London’s first boutique hotel, you’re welcomed by a super chic oasis of calm. Famous for its swanky Long Bar, excellent afternoon tea and Instagrammable red lips sofa, Sanderson now has another string to add to its bow: the Spring Replenish.
The team has joined forces with Psycle – the famous spin outfit – as well as international nutrition expert Karen Cummings-Palmer to give guests a reviving and refreshing treat. Throw in an overnight stay in one of the swanky rooms and this is a detox any stressed-out city dweller can get on board with.
So it was hard to say no when the invite to try the package landed. My weekend of wellness kick-started with a brilliant one-on-one personal training session held at the gym in Sanderson’s gorgeous agua Bathhouse and Spa. Jamie, a trainer to Mayfair’s fittest, put me through my paces for an invigorating hour of squats, sit-ups, crunches and cycling. Considering I haven’t been inside a gym for a good ahem three years, he did a great job at easing me into the session and developing an easy-to-remember routine to continue at home. We also chatted about how to achieve a more balanced lifestyle with simple ideas to improve my diet (namely no more office cupcakes).
The workout certainly built up my appetite for a nutritional lunch and after a quick shower, I was in the hotel’s bright restaurant gulping down a cold pressed ginger juice by cleanse connoisseurs, Imbibery. Karen Cummings-Palmer has worked closely with Sanderson’s Executive Chef to create a menu that’s both nourishing and wonderfully tasty – and I can verify that salmon, kale and mushrooms, followed by coconut ice cream, was the perfect post-exercise fuel that left me feeling satisfied rather than deprived.
And what would be the ideal finale? Some serious pampering, of course. Sanderson’s 10,000 square-foot Agua Spa really is a haven of bliss, filled with white silk curtains and comfy meditation beds. I was treated to a full-body recovery massage that eased away the aches and pains from Jamie’s workout.
Waking up in my ginormous bed the next morning, I was bursting with energy. My body had had a thorough spring clean without skimping on a touch of indulgence.
Packages are from £1,000 for a deluxe room for a two night stay. Visit sandersonlondon.com for more details.