It was full steam ahead for the ultimate pre-Christmas pampering experience at The Spa Hotel at Ribby Hall Village, as Emma Mayoh discovered.
Blink as you drive past and there is a chance you would miss Ribby Hall at Wrea Green. But step inside and you’ll find a five star holiday village responsible for pulling in holidaymakers and locals in their droves. The jewel in its crown is The Spa Hotel, a luxurious, adult-only space with hotel, multi-million pound spa and The Orangery, a sophisticated, two AA rosette restaurant lead by head chef Michael Noonan.
As spa experiences go, Ribby Hall is difficult to beat.
From the indulgent aqua thermal journey – a series of rooms that vary in temperature – to a new Zen Garden which had a £500,000 makeover last year, this is a place to come to detox, relax and revitalise.
My favourites were two outdoor hot tubs – it may have been a wet and dreary day, but ensconced in the warm waters looking through trees to open countryside, the weather didn’t seem to matter.
Whether it’s a glorious sunny day or it’s cold and dark, it’s an experience you’d struggle not to enjoy. In fact, all of the thermal facilities from the range of heat and ice experiences, variety of steam rooms, salt inhalation room and experience showers are second to none.
Treatment wise, the spa offers a number of signature facial and body treatments, all tailored to your skin’s needs using best brands like Elemis, Ishga, NEOM and Natural Spa Factory.
There are also specific pregnancy treatments and a number of enticing day and overnight spa packages.
The rasul mud chamber, for up to four people, was a real treat. Different types of detoxifying rasul mud, harvested from glaciers in the Austrian Alps, are used to target different areas of the body.
After exfoliating with a sweet smelling verbena salt, we applied the different muds before sitting in the chamber for 20 minutes while it got gradually warmer until it reached 48 degrees.
While we didn’t manage the full time in the intense heat, it was a reviving experience that left our skin soft, clean and moisturised.
This, followed by an Ishga invigorating massage, designed to remove aches and pains, was the ideal way to round off our time in the spa. If you’re looking for a place to escape the pre-Christmas rush, try the Twilight sessions.
This evening spa package gives you a taste of the highlights with use of all the facilities, including the Zen Garden, as well as a glass of fizz.
If you want to spend a bit longer (for extra cost) you can also enjoy a decadent festive afternoon tea in The Orangery, complete with turkey and cranberry sandwiches, mini mince pies, a boozy Bailey’s tart, a mini Christmas cake ball covered with marzipan and the all important scone with cream and jam. Even with all this temptation, my favourite part was the home made sausage roll using pork studded with apricots.
For me, living nearby means The Spa Hotel is an easily accessible luxury, and it is popular with residents in nearby towns and villages. But spa visitors travel from much further afield. After an afternoon in the luxurious facilities, it is easy to see why.
