Escape to the country: Grayshott Spa
I won’t deny that I am a bit of a country girl. Growing up in a small town that consisted of a post office, a pub and a forest in Ireland meant that it was very likely you’d see me in wellies, mucking out a stable or playing with our two dogs.
I’ve been living in London for over three years now, and as much as I love it, sometimes I just need to see a little bit of fresh air and open space around me. Enter: A spa day at Grayshott Spa*.
Grayshott Spa is tucked away in the leafy hills of Hindhead, Surrey and is only about 50 minutes outside of London by train. A converted mansion house of Lord Alfred Tennyson the estate has plenty of garden space including a golf course and is neighbouring 700 acres of National Trust land.
It feels like you’re entering a very friendly, and very rich, long lost uncle’s house as soon as you step through the doors. Staff at reception are expecting you, they know who you are and what treatments you’re booked in for and you’ll be automatically offered a cup of tea – those basic gestures that make you feel instantly at home.
The spa has everything you could ever need, including a tennis court, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, jacuzzi and separate male and female spas for sauna, steam room and and plunge pool. But seeing as it was snowing quite heavily when we arrived, we avoided the outdoor pool completely!
Instead, we wafted through the cosy corridors in our robes and took full advantage of the spa facilities – 15 minutes in a steam room and your skin feels incredible!
After braving the plunge pool a couple of times (it really is freezing!) we had lunch in the Spa buffet. Grayshott work with their in house nutritionist and chef to create a menu that is not only nutritious and low fat but interesting and absolutely delicious. This is what we tucked into:
And then…there was the facial. Oh bliss. After having a good ten minute chat with my therapist Eve about my skin concerns we decided to scrap my original booking and change it to a Rejuvenating Facial with a glycolic peel. I love that Eve took the time to talk me through what would work best, I’ve been to far to many places that don’t discuss the benefits of the facial that you picked or even ask what your main skin concerns are face-to-face. No spa check-in form has the option ‘I have combination skin, with very oily patches prone to blemishes, dry nose and forehead, and it’s really dull too’.
After spending a little longer walking around the snowy grounds, we said goodbye to Grayshotts and the countryside. If you’re anything like me and suffer from City Fever every once in a while, get yourself down to Grayshotts, I’m already planning a return in the summer.
