Springs Spa

...had never been to Champneys Springs before and so was very excited as to what it would be like and wondering whether I might bump into a celebrity on my stay there. The resort is situated out in the countryside of Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
On entering the resort I felt like I had been transported into another world. A world away from problems, a very care free environment full of smiling faces and ...
...FINAL IMPRESSION
The Champneys Springs building is very well laid out making everything there very easy to find – which is important as the last thing you want when you come to a place to relax is to find your spending half your time getting lost.

All the staff there are very professional and friendly and smartly dressed. The residents there are all very friendly and want to mix with others and chat, so therefore it doesn’t ... more

A place where the England Football Team come back time and time again to be pampered, a place that celebrities are often seen relaxing in. So when I felt last week very stressed and in need of 24hrs complete relaxation I couldn’t think of a better place to go. I had never been to Champneys Springs before and so was very excited as to what it would be like and wondering whether I might bump into a celebrity on my stay there. The resort is situated out in the countryside of Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
On entering the resort I felt like I had been transported into another world. A world away from problems, a very care free environment full of smiling faces and pleasant surroundings. I instantly felt a sense of calm floating around me. The reception area looked very lush and had several relaxing abstract paintings on the walls, there were several plants and modern décor. The lad in the reception area was very friendly and helpful and gave me my treatment schedule for my stay and showed me to my room.

I had arrived at 2pm and was to stay until 2pm the following day. My schedule was a Thalassotherapy session which was booked in for 6pm and an Ultimate Indulgence Massage which was booked in for 10am the following day. Outside of these times I was free to use the swimming pool and the gym as much as I wanted as they were all included in the price of £99.95.

THE ROOM
My room was very spacious and modern. There were 2 single beds with a large dressing table and bedside cabinet on the back wall. Against the other wall was a television which stood on top of a set of draws and next to that stood a spacious wardrobe which also contained a safe that was free of charge to use and had instructions with it that were very easy to follow. The en-suite was my favourite part to the room. The sink, toilet and bath were all in white ceramics with modern ceiling lights. The sink was set into a marble green top which on this top contained a generous amount of Champneys products including 2 aromatic hair and body washes and 2 hand and body lotions. There were also 2 Champneys bars of soap. I tried all of these out to see what they smelt like and they were so great. They all had a really relaxing scent to them. Everything in the en-suite was spotless and well presented. Also in the room were 2 magazines and lots of information on the rooms and services available. Plus there was a kettle to make lots of cups of tea – there was a whole tray full of about 15 teas and 15 coffees. Some of them were fruit teas which were really nice.

THE SWIMMING POOL
Well I got changed into my white robe and slippers and headed off down to the swimming pool. It felt strange walking around everywhere in a robe at first. I found the spa changing area with ease, my only problem was finding how to get to the pool. The spa changing area was a circular feature and as nice as it looked it could get a bit confusing. I managed to find the lockers to put my slippers and robe in but then had lost my whereabouts from where I had walked round in a circle to find the lockers as to where the swimming pool entrance was. I was please to see as I was walking around what seemed like a merry go round that there was also someone else walking around trying to find it as well. We eventually found it after having a good laugh and it was well worth it. It’s a 25 metre pool with a whirl pool to the right hand side and many sun beds to lounge about on. The swimming pool is situated behind large glass windows so as you are in there you can look out the windows and get some great countryside views. The water was lovely and warm and before I knew it I had swam 8 lengths of the pool. It is very rare to find a pool that you can swim up and down without anyone getting in the way so this was the thing I liked the best.

THALASSOTHERAPY POOL
Well I hadn’t much of an idea as to what Thalassotherapy was other than it was supposed to be good for people who suffer with eczema and that it was like a whirlpool full of salt water. Well my session was due at 6pm and there are a maximum of 8 people they allow into the pool at anyone time. The Spa Therapist arrived on time and all 8 of us were escorted to the Thalasso Pool. At first it just looked like on large round pool. The water was still and as fascinating as it looked I wondered why so many celebrities class this as one of there favourite treatments when they come to the resort. Well I was soon to find out. 4 of us were told to stand in the centre of the pool and the other 4 to lye on these metal bars which were on the inner edge of the pool but situated under the water. I lay there in anticipation as to what was going to happen next. All of a sudden the Spa Therapist flicks a switch on the wall and all these bubbles shot up and around me and it was a very relaxing feeling. I lay there for about 2 minutes and then the bubbles stopped to everyone’s disappointment. But then we are all led to different parts of the pool. I was led to the inner wall of the pool where there are 4 jets of water. You stand by one and it massages your upper back, the next your lower back, the next is your thighs and the one lower down is your feet. From that I moved onto another section which I stood in and all these jets of bubbles come rushing up from under the ground, this was probably the most powerful one of them all, and then from that I moved to stand under this huge tap of rushing water which I aimed onto my back and my shoulders and could feel the tension rapidly disappearing as the water soothed all my aches and pains away in my shoulders. The session lasted 25 minutes in all and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. It was so exciting as it was a bit like going on a magical fairground ride as I never knew what was going to happen next. Afterwards the Therapist makes sure we all have a glass of water which is supplied as you can easily dehydrate after this treatment otherwise. We also had to take a shower straight after as well as the thalasso pool contains two tonnes of salt and so there is probably a lot of salt on the skin so its important to wash it all off.

THE RESTAURANT
The restaurant has a lovely warm, cosy feel to it and is very relaxing. The part that surprised me the most in the restaurant however was that I was seated on a round table that can fit 6 people. A few minutes later 2 more people join me and shortly after that another 3. At first I wasn’t too sure of this arrangement. In restaurants I had been to before you are usually kept to yourself, you had a table to yourself etc. but here it was completely different. Well after a short while I actually grew to like this idea of us all sitting together as everyone was really friendly and chatty and seemed keen to mix with others and find out about our experiences. We chatted about the menu together like long lost friends and looking at us from a distance people would have thought we had all come to the resort together. But this was the same for all other tables and everyone just seemed to mix in with everyone else really well. We were like one big family. The menu was full of choices and had quite a large choice of vegetarian food as well. It was all very healthy food and very delicious and well presented. I don’t think I have ever eaten anywhere before where the food has tasted so nice. Water is a big thing there as well. People drink glass after glass of this.

The same seating arrangement rules followed with breakfast and lunch and I actually found I was getting to know quite a few people there which made my stay much more pleasant. Both breakfast and lunch are buffet style meals where you can help yourself to as much as you want and there was a great variety of many things to chose from. I was in heaven. It was just great.

ULTIMATE INDULGENCE MASSAGE
Well it was now 9.55am and once again I was back in my robe and slippers. I didn’t feel strange anymore though wearing these. I think I would have felt stranger wearing my clothes now as I would have been the odd one out. Anyway I walked upstairs to where the treatment area was and was pleased to see the waiting area was very well organised. Everyone sits in the area to wait according to there surname. I got up there 5 minutes before my treatment was due to start and sat on a comfortable arm chair reading a Champneys Magazine before I was called in for my treatment which was right on time. The therapist was very nice and friendly and polite. She explained to me exactly what she would do before I lyed down for the massage. I felt reassured and calm as there was a very calming music in the background and once I was in position the lights were turned down. A pillow mist had been sprayed near to where I put my head and that was very relaxing. The therapist told me to close my eyes and concentrate on my breathing. She then got out the massage oils and the treatment began. I have to say I had never had a massage quite like it. It was an all over body massage and she wasn’t afraid to really apply pressure as she was performing the massage. I felt so relaxed I nearly kept drifting off to sleep. The massage oils had a lovely aroma to them which was also very relaxing. The massage lasted 55 minutes and on finishing the therapist left me alone for a few minutes whilst I sorted myself out and got my robe back on. When she returned she gave me some helpful advice and also gave me a prescription of some products she had used in the massage that I could go away and use. The products she had used were the Champneys new Body Range products which you can buy at Sainsbury’s and any Champneys Resorts. So I went straight down to the Champneys Shop and brought the Champneys Relaxing Massage Oil for just £7 and the Champneys Hand and Body Lotion for just £5. These products are great and they are of the quality of Clarins products, but at half the price so I really recommend these. There are about 19 different products to choose from in this range.

FINAL IMPRESSION
The Champneys Springs building is very well laid out making everything there very easy to find – which is important as the last thing you want when you come to a place to relax is to find your spending half your time getting lost.

All the staff there are very professional and friendly and smartly dressed. The residents there are all very friendly and want to mix with others and chat, so therefore it doesn’t matter if you go there by yourself as you are bound to make friends.

After all the treatments I had I left feeling like I was floating on air. My whole body felt completely relaxed and I felt so good in myself. It is very expensive but was worth every penny to come away feeling this good. I suffer with eczema and one week on after my thalassotherapy session I have found a marked improvement in this. I am convinced that with regular thalassotherapy sessions my eczema would probably be none existent. (A single Thalasso session for 25mins costs £19.95).

I also came away from the resort feeling more knowledgeable about health issues, the importance of detox and the benefits of just allowing yourself time to be pampered every now and then. So I would certainly recommend this health resort to anyone.

 

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