Review of Sura Detox, Dolton

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Sura Detox, Dolton - 5 bubbles

A Good Spa Spy skipped off to this idyllic Devon retreat for a six-day detox. She could have done without the carrot juice and the caffeine-withdrawal symptoms, but she hasn't stopped talking about the baby deer outside her window. And the fact that she lost seven pounds.

First impressions?

How did they welcome you?

What happens next?

Which treatments did you have?

How did you feel afterwards?

What happens afterwards?

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?

After a 45-minute taxi ride across Dartmoor from Exeter St David's station, my first impression of the Sura treatment complex was of a delightful, traditional farmhouse nestling in a landscaped dip, surrounded by rolling North Devon greenery.

Sura's buildings are restfully rural, the setting -- on the Tarka Trail, named after the book Tarka the Otter -- picturesque and remote. Only the splashing of an unseen river and the spire of the Dolton village church, just visible across fields of steadily munching sheep, indicate that there is life beyond this magic dell.

How did they welcome you?

As the taxi drove cautiously down the narrow drive and into a parking area surrounded by tropical shrubs and flowering bushes, a smiling lady came out of the reception building to welcome us. This turned out to be Kate. As well as being a gifted homeopath, Kate looks after the pastoral care, emotional support and life counselling of guests. Kate is the general "mum" for all occasions. Kate proved to be a detox rock -- but that came later.

Kate showed us all -- there were 18 people on my detox retreat -- to our rooms, pointing out all of the retreat's features and giving us other useful information.

The main farmhouse, where guests can stay, is Victorian. It's beautifully maintained with charming original features and comfortable furniture. Long windows let in plenty of light and look out onto well-kept, luscious -- even in October -- gardens. The farm barns and out-buildings have all been tastefully converted into residential "cottages". With their lovely old stone and surrounding gardens of rosemary and lavender bushes, they have a truly cottage flavour, and are warm, nicely furnished and welcoming. The cottage I stayed in had three bedrooms, one en-suite (for which you pay a little more) and two sharing a large, clean, modern bathroom.

The cottage had a communal living room with cosy sofas, TV and DVD player and French windows looking out onto more garden and woods beyond. There was also a dining room with large table and chairs and a well appointed kitchen (not that I used that, being on a detox fast!). On the table was a vase of garden flowers and an introductory folder, telling newcomers all about the place, the people and the treatments.

Kate explained that the pool and sauna complex was open 24/7, ditto the communal Green Room attached to it. This was home to a small library of books, DVDs, games and videos for borrowing. Films are shown here every night on a wide screen. Most importantly for some people, Kate showed us where you might be able to get a mobile signal if you really wanted it (the car park, or on higher ground, surrounding our private little valley). I didn't have a signal for the entire week -- and that was just fine by me.

We were given time to settle in, have a walk, a swim, a rest, whatever, and each of us found our own personal welcome booklet on our bed. This contained our timetable and blank pages for notes at the back, helpful tips, raw-food recipes, an outline of the therapies, practices and talks available -- all of which, it made clear, were entirely optional.

What happens next?

At 7.30pm, there was a meet and greet in the big Green Room. We all sat in a circle and gave our names and, as an ice-breaker, our favourite pieces of furniture. In many cases, that was a bed. You could tell some of us were already looking forward to being in one!

Our team of therapists introduced themselves and outlined what they did. Many guests there for the first time were a little nervous about the detox process -- especially the colonics -- but the team were extremely reassuring.

We were all there for a juice fast for six days. Dao, the nutritionist, talked us through the routine of juice and supplements, explaining (and de-bunking!) some expectations. Amida offered gentle movement classes based on Tai Chi, to get the body energy flowing, and also daily yoga. Benita told us about the numerous therapies on offer, including aromatherapy, Shiatsu, dynamic detox massage, hot and cold stones, Bach Flower remedies, reflexology, homeopathy and astrology. I could hardly wait to sign up.

Kate explained that if any of us were in need of help, guidance, a midnight chat, a hot-water bottle, a remedy, or a sick bucket -- she was the one to call. I was tired by this time. As I didn't want to miss the 8am start for Tai Chi and group meditation, I went to bed. I slept well, and didn't wake up until 7.45am.

Which treatments did you have?

The main treatment I had was colonic detox. This consisted of a supervised juice fast, (carrot juice -- yetch!) or a rather pleasant veggie broth, consumed four times a day, accompanied by digestive supplements. Two daily colonic treatments eventually empty out and clean your colon, with the help of some psyllium husks taken with the supplements. A member of staff showed me how to self-administer these colonic treatments in the privacy of my own bathroom, with the proviso that if I had any problems I was to report back asap. It was remarkably simple and un-scary, no matter what you may imagine.

Once I'd got to grips with the basic colonic procedure, I didn't have a single problem and actually started to enjoy this aspect of the treatment. Does that make me some sort of pervert? There was a wonderful ease about just letting everything go. It was rather like being a baby again -- as far as I remember.

I also had a massage-type therapy almost every day. The Dynamic Detox massage was excellent: firm, but gentle and very relaxing. The aromatherapy massage was great as the oils -- geranium, chamomile, patchouli -- were hand-picked for me, after a talk with the therapist about my particular needs. This was a deep massage and left me feeling completely blissed out. The Shiatsu massage was tougher and is not for everyone, but I found it particularly good for my joints, as I suffer from arthritis -- the reason I'd gone for a detox in the first place.

The food testing was fascinating. I had no idea that I was intolerant to so many things, though my friends may beg to differ. My last consultation, homeopathy, was a telling session with quite a few home truths shared. I was given a remedy to take over the next few months, so we shall see!

The fasting was more tricky, if only because for the first couple of days I was very hungry and also hit with the worst kind of detox headache -- the one from withdrawal of caffeine. Well, I did tell them I was a five-cup-a-day girl! The team were very supportive during this only-to-be-expected period. Dao didn't even give me a hard time for falling asleep in one of his talks. The massage therapies were all great and definitely eased my arthritic joints and induced long, deep sleeps.

How did you feel afterwards?

By day three, I was over the caffeine hump and the attendant nausea and achiness. I began to feel much better. Miraculously, I forgot all about food and wasn't hungry at all. However, I must admit it was difficult to stop my mouth watering when others in the group fantasised about steak-and-kidney pudding, Indian takeaways and cheese on toast with Worcester sauce.

A slight euphoria set in, along with a certain light-headedness, due to lack of food. I did fall over a couple of times, though only onto the bed or sofa. The staff told us to expect this and warned us about dehydration. They provided us with huge bottles of water, and pressed us to drink plenty of it at all times. There was also a good variety of delicious herbal teas available. We were encouraged to keep drinking them.

I spent my days in between scheduled treatments, in the large heated pool and sauna, or on gentle walks round the estate and surrounding fields. When I wasn't sleeping. I haven't had ten-hour nights like that since I was a teenager. The pool and sauna were never crowded and had clean showers and changing rooms. My walks, sometimes alone and sometimes accompanied, took me up the Tarka Trail to the river and two ponds, where I saw, not Tarka, but herons, the fawns again, squirrels, pheasants, partridges in flocks, and once in the distance, the speedy shape of a fox.

One morning, I came down to the cottage living room to find two Bambis looking at me through the windows. Sadly, as soon as I opened the windows, the deer leapt into the bushes, only their white scuts visible. Still, I felt for a moment as if I were in a fairytale.

What happens afterwards?

By day five, I started to feel really, really well: light, cheerful, energised, almost ready to face the outside world again. The progression towards that was very carefully handled by the team and included useful talks from Dao about our ongoing choices of foodie life-style. These were detailed, well informed and often quite provocative. I'm not sure I'm going to live the rest of my life on raw food, eschewing all gluten and dairy, but I'm giving it a whirl.

On the last night of the stay, we had a wonderful feast prepared for us by the team. It was completely vegetarian and raw. I'd have to say a mushroom has never tasted so good. We were each sent away with a complimentary bag of organic fruit for the journey, our own booklets, a tub of digestive enzymes, a herbal remedy, a homeopathic cure, and a range of the Miessence products that they use in the massages and recommend for skin and hair. Sura also sell various products that they make themselves, including raw chocolate -- which is absolutely divine.

Was it worth it?

My detox at Sura was a totally worthwhile and revelatory experience, and worth every penny. It's not cheap at £990 for six days. If you share a room, it's £700 per person. Rooms with an en-suite bathroom are £1,150. The therapies were all £50 with the exception of the facial, which was £55, and La Stone, which was £100.

But it was worth it. I lost 7lbs and left feeling (and looking, according to others) bright-eyed and fighting fit.

What else could you have?

I could have had reflexology, astrology, a Miessence facial treatment with totally organic products, lymphatic drainage, La Stone massage (hot and cold stones -- stunning according to other Spies) and, last but not least, an individually designed treatment with a mix of any of the above. The staff are happy to suggest courses of treatments individually tailored to you.

Sura Detox also offers mentoring, counselling, and life coaching.

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

I wish I'd known how bad my detox headache was going to be. I would have done as Sura recommended and laid off the coffee for a week beforehand.

Any special features?

The staff's kindness, and the wonderful warm and loving spirit, which infused both the place and the people running it.

Who do you think would like it?

Anyone who wants to lose weight sensibly in an atmosphere of tranquillity, or just wants to regain a life balance, would absolutely love Sura. In my group, we had a young mother, a film-maker, a PR person, a financial advisor, two young brides-to-be, several ladies who lunch, and a couple of strung-out media tarts like me.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave Sura 5 bubbles because the quality of the treatments, and the people administering them was absolutely top notch.

If you want to lose weight and rest, relax and tune out in idyllic surroundings while being attended by a group of kind and caring people, then Sura Detox is for you. Sura is somewhere between a wellness spa and a medi-spa. You get lots of information on nutrition as well as on detoxing and weight loss. I loved the way that Sura Detox provides a thoroughly holistic approach to your personal health and welfare, as well as one-to-one consultations on how to change your life (assuming that you want to) beyond the fasting retreat itself.

You'll come away with tips for cheating stress, and all-round measures to improve your life choices and long-term quality of life physically, emotionally and spiritually.

See more on how we rate the spas

Would you go again?

Ha - try and stop me! We visited Sura Detox in October 2008