If you want to get away from it all and glam it up too, Thornton Hall is the place to be, writes Janet Reeder.
Sometimes you feel like getting away from it all, if only for a few hours and I have found just the place - Thornton Hall Hotel and Spa.
It’s a beautiful hotel in a former manor house in charming Thornton Hough village. The venue is a hotspot for dining, weddings and parties but its jewel in the crown must be the spa, where you can book in for anything from a manicure to a girlie getaway with treatments, fine food and wine and a room for the night.
A group of us descended on the hotel for a celebratory dinner so I decided to indulge in a bit of pre-party pampering. First up was a back, neck and shoulder massage and a taster facial using one of my favourite product brands, Elemis. I just adore their fragrance and it was everything I wanted. I even got in a little power snooze during the facial in which I was cleansed thoroughly, massaged and target problem areas given extra attention.
The treatments are not only relaxing, they are effective. All the tensions of the day were removed and my skin was glowing and smooth. Result!
Next was a blow dry in the on-site salon, which is buzzing. The worst bit was looking at myself in the mirror without make-up but I put on a brave, if bare face. To say this is a hairdressing salon is selling it short. It’s rather more than the sum of its parts, a lifestyle salon perhaps?
For example few salons have a discreet garden area where when the weather is good you can enjoy a glass of wine and wait for your colour to take, or just hang out with friends. Next door there’s a nail bar where I headed for the finishing touch of a professional manicure.
I must confess that I rarely get a manicure these days because usually by the time I have arrived home I’ve chipped the paint job and ruined the effect. There’s always something you have to rummage in your bag for!
The big bonus of being here is that not only did I not chip the varnish but it lasted ages. The products are Opi and the manicure includes shaping, cuticle care, a hand massage and application of polish.
If relaxation is your priority, rather than a glam make-over the spa is the place to head. It is split into a series of areas designed to take you on a journey through wet and dry, warm and cold aspects. There’s a snow cave to cleanse the pores, a detoxifying sauna, an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor spa...everything you need to relax and forget the cares of the world.
Thornton Hall Spa, Thornton Hall Hotel, Neston Rd, Thornton Hough, Wirral CH63 1JF
0151 336 3938 www.thorntonhallhotel.com
