Tunbridge Wells:Royal Spa

Advantages: Varied architecture.Elegant shops. Green open spaces
Disadvantages: Lack of night life

...Royal Tunbridge Wells,to give it its official name,is a elegant Spa town,long renowned for its "medicinal" chalybeate -non-impregnated- spring waters.It is also famous for its colonnaded Pantiles precinct,which today houses antique shops,genteel English tea rooms,jewellers,book stores and furniture shops. Just north of the Pantiles,Chapel Place is a quiet and very picturesque pedestrianised area replete with small specialist shops. This leads into the High Street with shops selling designer clothes,home furnishings,oriental rugs, gifts and fine arts. Mount Pleasant,the more "modern" part of the town is another good shopping area. The Wells is also renowned for its parks and 250 acre common which stretches to within a stone's throw of the town centre.Then there are the denuded high rocks such as Eridge Rocks,Toad Rock and the High Rocks...

ashford 26.06.2000 · Read review
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Review of Tunbridge Wells (England)

A Spa on a budget?

Advantages: bubbly, interestingly pampering scent, good body wash!
Disadvantages: may be slightly too aromatic for some, possibly too girly to appeal to men?

...I never actually bought this, I sort of acquired it! Some time ago, in Sainsbury's, my mum had decided she was fed up with the soap getting soggy in the shower soap holder and, since the Imperial Leather handwash was on offer, we somehow managed to end up with a buy-one-get-one-free on both types of product! (The other shower gel in question was the far more eye-catching bright icy blue Icelandic Spa one, but that was used up before I had chance to sample it.) So, for variety, we also went for the cream-ivory coloured Japanese Spa shower gel . . . and then my dad decided he couldn't get used to body wash instead of soap - he's not the kind of dad you'd buy toiletries for at the best of times! - and my mum isn't really a high-maintenance person in the bathroom either. Therefore, they finished the blue shower gel and the offer was open to...

KateHurst 30.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Imperial Leather Japanese Spa Shower Creme

A wonderful and relaxing spa with plenty of choice.

Advantages: Not as expensive as other spa's and they're nicely decorated.
Disadvantages: Why can't I afford to come here every day?!

...very nice, but Elemis products are very expensive so it's nice to try them for free! In both of the spa's it was well signposted where to go when leaving the changing area. If you are only there for a treatment you need to go to the treatment area, however if you are there for the world of spa you can go straight through to the spa. The spa itself is warm, and very nicely decorated. I noticed in the Sherwood forest there was a stone floor however at the Whinfell Forest spa it was nicely tiled. Both were decorated in the same high quality standard. The main difference between both spa's is that the Sherwood Forest spa is situated on 2 levels, whilst the Whinfell spa is on one level. There are plenty of seating areas so you're never stuck to find a seat to maybe leave your towel and book on whilst your wandering around the spa...

GemmaC25 21.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Aqua Sana Spa

A Holiday in(n) Leamington Spa? Well near enough!

Advantages: Great location for exploring Warwick or RLS
Disadvantages: Eratic customer service and staff abilities

...I?m torn between writing a glowing report of a hotel that is in a perfect position for travellers and business people alike or one that tears into the staff for their failings. LOCATION Firstly this hotel is in an odd position, just outside Royal Leamington Spa itself on a Retail Park / Business Estate, which isn?t as bad as it sounds but don?t expect stunning views of the surrounding countryside if you?re on the wrong side of the hotel! Incidentally, ignore the hotel blurb that says it ?overlooks? Warwick Castle ? IF you are on the right side of the hotel you can just about see the castle on a good day. It was built as a Marriott Hotel which has been taken over by the Holiday Inn chain who is owned by the InterContinental Hotels Group, they are best known in the UK for the Holiday Inn brand and Crowne Plaza hotels. Personally I...

philwalsham 26.07.2007 · Read review
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Review of Holiday Inn, Leamington Spa

My hands just experienced a Japanese Spa . . .

Advantages: indulgent alternative to everyday soap, appealing fragrance
Disadvantages: slightly drying on the hands - could be too much for sensitive skin

...say it looked more feminine than masculine. Topped with the red ribbon Imperial Leather logo, the words "Japanese Spa" are printed entirely in lower case plum-purple letters and underneath a cropped, graphic-looking floral shape in pink and pale green is finished off with simple flower shapes and a figure that looks like it is from the Japanese alphabet, so again there is quite a pronounced feeling of "delicacy". As each bottle holds 300ml I think it has lasted fairly well considering it must be getting used about four times a day. I'm not sure what I'd expect a spa in Japan to smell like but I certainly think the highlight on the front of the bottle telling me that it contains green tea, rice milk and jasmine plants the suggestion of an oriental atmosphere in the mind. Having just washed my hands I am now sitting here smelling them (yes...

KateHurst 14.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Imperial Leather Japanese Spa Handwash

Champneys Spa Day

Advantages: wonderful massage and facial
Disadvantages: intituional feel, poor general facilities.

...My husband and I went for the spa day which included a thalassotherapy session, a massage and a facial at Champneys Springs in Leics. I was not impressed by the building and the internal environment - long corridors with lots of people wondering around in write robes gave it an institional feel and the buildings were ugly and sprawling. The massage and facial we both agreed were wonderful and personalised and thalassotherapy pool was pleasant enough though I wouldn't pay for it separately. The shower rooms toilets had a mildewy smell. The gym was small and steamy. The coffee was awful and all other drinks (not tap water) had to be paid for. Lunch was buffet of salad though a freshly cooked wrap was offered - basic (Compare this to the wonderful 3 course lunches at Eden Hall). I thought it had little to offer if you didn't have any...

maddimoo 18.01.2009 · Read review
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Review of Champneys Health Spa

Japanese Spa

Advantages: Smells and feels great
Disadvantages: None

...and will help you to enjoy your showers. Currently, Imperial Leather have released a number of different limited edition shower crèmes and gels, for example, Hawaiian Spa, Tahitian Retreat, Icelandic Spa and Indian Spice. They have been out for a while now, so must be selling well. I hope that they continue to sell them as I enjoy using the products, but as they are limited edition, there are no guarantees to how long they will be on the shelf for. I would recommend this product to all those that enjoy showering and like using products which smell nice....

patel88 07.11.2008 · Read review
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Review of Imperial Leather Japanese Spa Shower Creme

Royal Tunbridge Wells

Advantages: nice place to visit
Disadvantages: none

...1837 was then converted into a hotel- in 1920 the borough council bought it for the town. The bandstand dates back to 1924. Dunorlan Park which is the largest green area which is maintained.This was once a private garden and it was part of Henry Reed's estate then in 1941 it was passed on to the town for all to have pleasure from. The garden was created by Robert Marnock who was a very well known Victorian gardener but it was rather over grown by the time it was handed to the town for the residents of Tunbridge Wells to have pleasure using the park for leisure pursuits. The oldest public park is the Grosvener recreation ground and it is ajoined by the Hilbert recreation ground and parts of this as been designated as a local nature reserve by Kent High Weald Project. In the Georgian period the town was a tourist resort and spa...

ruth1957 06.10.2008 · Read review
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Review of Tunbridge Wells (England)

Nirvana Spa - my idea of heaven!

Advantages: serene, tranquil, perfect
Disadvantages: expensive

...I was incredibly spoilt last Christmas when I discovered that my lovely husband's present to me was an 'Essential Escape' day at Nirvana Spa. I was thrilled to bits but due to such a hectic life wasn't actually able to take it up until just recently, although luckily, all gift vouchers can be used any time up to a year. Let me tell you a little bit about Nirvana Spa itself first. It is the most serene, tranquil place on earth (or at least in Berkshire)! It is also quite exclusive as it is incredibly pricy (more about that later). It has a number of different pools including a hot hydrotherapy spa pool with lots of different jets which work on all the different parts of your body, and both fitness and relaxation pools. There is a small gym, treatment rooms for all different types of massages, hand treatments etc, and a lovely...

kingfisher111 08.09.2006 · Read review
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Review of Nirvana Spa

Spa at home!

Advantages: Great smell
Disadvantages: None

...I first tried Temple Spa Peace Be Still in a hotel. I was staying at the Trafalgar in Piccadilly Circus (a five star hotel and part of the Hilton group), and this is the range that they have in the bathrooms. This cream can be used on both the face and body and is meant to calm and 'settle' the skin. It has a beautiful fresh smell - it contains essential oils (coriander, lemon and nutmeg- this may sound an odd mix, but the result is delicious) - and as such avoids the chemically smell of some body tonics, and the overly sweet smell of some of the fruit scented ones on the market. It sinks in really quickly, faster than any other body lotion I have used, but my skin felt smoother and softer straight way. I would say that if you like the feeling of having put on moisturiser and prefer a slight residue on the skin, this may not be...

skinnerella 18.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Temple Spa Peace Be Still