Review of Hallmark Hotel, Bournemouth

Hallmark Hotel - 3 bubbles

A Good Spa Guide reviewer and her partner were invited to sample the spa at the Hallmark Hotel (or Durley Hall Hotel, as it was when we visited). They found that while the spa may lack luxurious touches, it offers good value for money and professional treatments. A 3-bubble experience perfect for local people and first-time spa-goers in particular.

First impressions?

How did they welcome you?

What happens next?

Which treatments did you have?

What were the treatments like?

How did you feel afterwards?

Long-term effects

Was it worth it?

What else could you have?

What do you wish you'd known before you went?

Any special features?

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

The hotel is quite easy to find as it's not too far from the centre of Bournemouth. It's situated in a suburban area, and has a car park to the front. It's a three-star seaside hotel, and, well, it looks exactly like one. The décor is quite dated but everywhere looked presentable when we arrived.

How did they welcome you?

The spa entrance is inside the hotel and down a narrow flight of stairs (which I guess means there is no disabled access). At the spa reception, we were greeted politely by Darren who gave us our locker keys and showed us around the spa, swimming pool, and gym areas. There is a 12-meter pool up on the ground floor, housed in a conservatory, with a couple of swimmers doing lengths as we peeked in. There are loungers by the pool and outside on a terrace, which would have been nice if there had been some sun that day. The gym looked clean, bright and well-equipped enough for the size of the health club (it was empty when we were there, and I imagine it doesn't get overrun). While there are separate changing rooms available if you want to have a swim or a workout, as the gym and the pool are in a separate area to the spa, it does mean you'll have to keep lugging your things around if you want to use all the facilities. As we had a full schedule of treatments, we decided to go straight into the spa.

What happens next?

In the spa, the small reception opens straight onto the spa pool area. You have to walk across this to go down the corridor to reach the changing rooms and treatment areas, so outdoor shoes walking across this area is unavoidable.

The changing rooms: The changing rooms were almost empty every time I used them, which was lucky because there wasn't much room in there (no cat could be swung). There was enough space for about five spa-goers to get changed without getting in each other's way, so I'm not quite sure how the hen party that was there managed it as well as I did!

Inside the locker, my white fluffy robe and slippers were waiting, with a schedule for the treatments and a customer-satisfaction questionnaire. While the changing rooms were clean, and weren't in bad condition, they were definitely more leisure centre than spa, with no particularly luxurious touches. There were no nice-looking products anywhere in sight, there was a narrow wooden-slatted bench, one basic toilet, and lockers, all squeezed in. Spare towels were available at reception, though, and these were nice and fluffy, and there were bags to put your wet things in, too.

The spa: Out in the spa, the space felt less enclosed as the pool area is well-laid-out. There is a sauna, steam room, relaxation room, and aromatherapy cave all in an arc to one side of the pool, and there was a water-cooler so there was plenty to drink. Next to the pool were poolside showers and an "ice-zone". The pool was a bit too cool to relax in, so we got into the warm Jacuzzi. This was pleasant but had only a couple of powerful jets, so you could only opt for "full g-force" or "no force".

The sauna, steam room and aromatherapy cave all looked nearly new, and were spotless. While we couldn't smell the work of the aromatherapy elves in the "cave" (we both sniffed a fair amount), the steam room had a pleasant aroma of eucalyptus. We steamed our pores well before giving the ice-zone a try (a specially designated area for those wishing to sadistically slap ice on partners who won't stop whinging about having to drive home). Then we relaxed by the pool as the relaxation room, by far the most popular area, was quite full (the hen party), although it was quite spacious.

I should also mention that the spa is a relatively new addition to the hotel, so the décor isn't quite as "1980s Holiday Inn meets faded Victorian grandeur" as the rest of the hotel, with neutral colours and mosaic tiles making it a much calmer set of surroundings than the furnishings upstairs. But while the décor was inoffensive, it was also quite unimaginative, with no memorable touches.

Which treatments did you have?

As we tried the Spa Indulgence Day, my partner and I were there to have a face treatment, a body treatment, and a full-body massage.

What were the treatments like?

As we entered the treatment area, we took a seat and were given health assessment forms to fill in. There were plenty of magazines, mostly of the fashion glossy or gossip variety, which sated my partner's need for "celebrities gone bad" news, and kept him entertained while I relaxed. Again, the area was clean, with fairly neutral décor, and comfortable, but not glamorous or stylish in particular. We were greeted by our therapists in good time, and we were both made to feel at ease as the therapists - Lisa and Amy - were polite, friendly, and informative.

I started with the Body Therapy Hydro Pack, which was a light, clear body pack left to do its work under a wrap (a clear plastic wrap covered with a towel). I was left to relax for a while before showering and heading off to lunch. Lisa advised that she would have applied a moisturiser as well if we had not been heading back into the spa.

The treatment rooms were spotless and tidy, if compact, and were a pleasant enough space to relax in. However, the shower in the corner of my treatment room was a bit incongruous. While it was neatly stationed in a corner of the room, its door looked a bit cheap and the ceiling inside could have done with a new coat of paint.

After lunch, I had the Dermalogica Face Treatment and a full-body massage. The facial did not involve the Dermalogica face-mapping, but was a full routine of exfoliation, cleansing, and a pressure massage, which did ease away tension nicely. It included the Dermalogica Pre-cleanse and Microfoliant which are particular favourites back at Spa Spy Central.

The full-body massage was not overly firm, but used enough pressure for it to feel effective, though the massage table was a bit uncomfortable as it was quite hard around the face area. In all treatments, I detected lavender and rosemary oils wafting from the products, so there was a nice co-ordination of scents.

All of the treatments were fairly simple and straightforward, but they were carried out professionally. Our therapists explained which products would be used, and what the treatments involved, while making us feel at ease. Lisa chatted to me for a short while but knew when to stop when it was time for me to relax. The treatments all lasted for the specified length of time, and were on time, too. A regular spa-goer might prefer a more ambitious list of treatments, but the treatments here would be good for a casual trip or spa virgin.

The food: In between treatments, we had the choice of getting dressed again to have our lunch (included in the day package) in the carvery, or staying in our robes in the café. As it was a spa day, not a roast-with-all-the-trimmings day, we opted for the café, back up on the ground floor near the entrance. Which was an interesting experience. We joined the queue in front of the hotplates with our trays in hand (I'm afraid this reminded me somewhat of a Little Chef - or so I've heard, dahlings) to find that we couldn't see a menu anywhere, and the only food visible was a bowl of jacket potatoes, a salad bar, and a plate of Gala pie and ham. (If you are not a pie connoisseur, Gala is basically a pork pie with a boiled egg in the middle; not typical spa fare.) The local pensioners in the queue in front of us seemed to know the menu by memory, and one was perturbed that there were chips and pie but no soup today. Luckily, we found it quite funny to be sitting in robes whilst the rest of the elderly diners were out for their Sunday outing, but I'm not sure every spa-goer would feel so comfortable with these lunch arrangements.

How did you feel afterwards?

By the time all of our treatments were finished, we'd spent a good four or five hours in the spa, and we'd been steamed, massaged, and chilled, while my partner had read enough Hello! magazines to keep his gossip knowledge up-to-date for a good week. We went home feeling relaxed, but we both craved a coffee and some fresh air and real light by then.

Long-term effects

The treatments didn't have any long-lasting effects, but they were not intensive treatments, and I didn't expect them to work miracles. The day was relaxing, and did help to make us both feel less tense, though.

Was it worth it?

There is nothing glamorous about Durley, but the prices reflect that, and the treatments are a bargain. The spa is no-frills, but the treatments are good for the price, and it was a relaxing environment.

What else could you have?

There is a choice of Swedish or aromatherapy massage, a couple of wraps, a Jessica manicure or pedicure, and a selection of treatments using Dermalogica products.

What do you wish you'd known before you went?

That it might have been worth getting dressed again to go and eat in the restaurant rather than in the café. Or just trying a half-day package and eating elsewhere.

Any special features?

Gala pie? But seriously, I do always like Dermalogica, so I suppose the products were a bonus, especially at the value price of £35 for a facial.

Who do you think would like it?

We think Durley would appeal to older spa-goers who fancy a straightforward, affordable spa where you can be sure to have peace and quiet away from the city. It would also be a useful introduction to spas for those on a tighter budget. Durley plays host to business functions, so delegates might enjoy a massage after a stressful conference, too!

Why did you give the spa this rating?

The staff were polite and friendly, the treatments were basic but well-executed, and the spa area was clean and well-presented. However, here was no "wow" factor about any of it. The lunch facilities were not that welcoming, and the changing rooms weren't exactly aesthetically pleasing. This is a three-star hotel, and the spa earns 3 bubbles, too, but it fits its particular market. This is not a trendy boutique hotel or historic house, so it would not attract the seasoned spa-goer, but with very reasonable prices and straightforward treatments, Durley makes a spa experience that is accessible to spa virgins and those with a tight budget.

See more on how we rate the spas