Review of Sequoia Spa at The Grove, Chandlers Cross

The best spas in Britain. Order your copy now.

Sequoia Spa at The Grove, Chandlers Cross - 5 bubbles

Salubrious Spy was invited to the gloriously glamorous Sequoia Spa at The Grove in Chandlers Cross and discovered perfect pampering that leaves you feeling to the manor born. Also, a world-class golf course, exceptional facilities, and the rare chance to enjoy the gift of "time".

Was it easy to book?

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?

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?

Was it easy to book?

Yes. I found talking with the spa reception very useful. The Grove has a "time" concept, where you just book an appointment slot and then base the treatment on how you're feeling that day.

First impressions?

No manor-house spa is complete without an impressive driveway to give a real sense of anticipation. The approach to The Grove leads you over a bridge through its lush green championship golf course to the smart mansion building of the main hotel.

How did they welcome you?

An immaculately well-groomed porter, who met us at the door, ushered us to the check-in desk, and then escorted us -- and our bags -- to our room.

What happens next?

The porter led us through the dark-velvet corridors to our room. Appearance is everything at the fashionable Grove. The designer approach applies to everything from the staff, to the design of the rooms, to the décor of the dark fabric-clad lift.

Our second-floor room was lovely and light, with a large plasma-screen TV, mirrored furniture, and a huge bed with a funky throw. The bathroom was equally large -- modern and white with a roll top bath -- and scattered with White Company products.

Which treatments did you have?

I had booked a two-hour "Time" slot, (120 minutes, £170) so I could decide what treatment I was in the mood for on the day. This is part of ESPA's ayurvedic-influenced approach to "ensure that every moment suits your physical, emotional and spiritual needs". All Sequoia's main treatments use ESPA products. You can book specific treatments in advance but "Time" is a good option if you'd prefer to go with the flow.

What were the treatments like?

My therapist came to the spa reception to collect me, and led me to one of the 13 smart, neutral-toned treatment rooms. The room felt intimate and calming. My therapist prepared a bowl of warm water for me to experience ESPA's trademark "Welcome Foot Ritual". During the ritual, my therapist massaged my feet, and then wrapped them in towels, while I sipped on a cup of fresh mint tea.

My therapist was keen to establish how I was feeling physically and emotionally to help guide her treatment choice. She gave me a selection of products and asked me to choose my favourite scent. The theory is that your body will lead you to choose the product that most suits your current needs. My therapist was genuinely enthusiastic about this holistic approach, which was reassuring and made me feel confident about my treatment.

Based on my responses, my therapist told me that she thought a nourishing mud wrap would be good -- to hydrate my slightly dry skin -- combined with a relaxing hot stone massage. This sounded good to me, as I love a hot stone massage. I liked the sound of a bit of skin nourishment as I'd noticed my bare legs were looking a little dry.

My treatment started with a good invigorating scrub with a salt-laden oil, which I rinsed off in the smart shower, handily in the corner of the room. Next, my therapist poured what felt like a generous amount of oil onto my back, which she smoothed over my skin with massaging strokes of the warm stones. The sensation of the stones was wonderful and, combined with the warmth of the massage couch, gave me a feeling of cocooned relaxation and made me want to hibernate.

The massage felt like it lasted for about 40 minutes. I fought the lure of sleep as I didn't want to waste any of this valuable pampering sensation! Having thoroughly massaged my front and back, my therapist asked me to roll onto my front for the back mask. She smoothed the slightly sticky-feeling mud on by hand, and then wrapped my limbs in towels. Being wrapped in towels felt so much better than having a polythene wrap -- and it was much quieter, too.

My back mask was left on for about ten minutes to "re-hydrate my skin". My therapist used this time to give me a thorough scalp massage with pink hair-and-scalp mud. The massage was satisfyingly firm. This was probably my favourite part of the entire treatment. I rinsed the mud off in the shower and returned to the couch for a final time to be moisturised.

The treatment was most enjoyable -- long enough to be really relaxing, but with enough different elements to prevent me from getting bored. The naturally friendly approach of my therapist made me feel immediately at ease, which added to the enjoyment of the treatment. I also liked the fact that my spa time had been tailored to meet my needs, and that I'd had some say in what the treatment would involve.

How did you feel afterwards?

Blissed out and slightly disoriented.

What happens afterwards?

My therapist gave me a glass of water and left me to slip on my robe while she waited outside to take me to the relaxation room. The Grove have put a lot of thought into ensuring that their softly lit relaxation room lives up to its name, with plush individually controlled velvet loungers, allowing you to adjust the angle of your bed to suit your mood.

There are headphones by each bed and a good supply of tea, juice, water, and dried fruit and nuts to ensure that your state of relaxation and comfort is maintained. I should have put aside a good hour to enjoy this room, but alas, dinner was calling, so I had to drag myself away and floated back to our room.

There are three dining options at The Grove. You can choose from the main Glasshouse restaurant, with its buffet-style cuisine and lively atmosphere, or The Stables, which has more of an up-market country pub feel, and Collette's three-rosette restaurant for fine dining. We opted for The Glasshouse where we enjoyed a spot of people-watching in between our multiple visits to the brimming buffet tables. The food was interesting and varied, and The Glasshouse restaurant certainly offers a lively dining experience.

Was it worth it?

The Grove is on the pricey side, but then this level of luxury doesn't generally come cheap.

What else could you have?

A full range of ESPA treatments including the ayurvedic-influenced Indian head massage, Purva Karma four-handed massage and dosha-specific hot stones massage.

Sequoia also offers holistic treatments, including a Balinese "chakra balancing" massage with hot stones, as well as "speciality" treatments such as Golfer's Tonic and Pre/Post-Natal Total Indulgence.

You can choose from seven types of facial and a variety of tailored massages and wraps, which can be combined with any massage. Manicures and pedicure treatments are also available alongside the usual grooming/beauty treatments such as waxing and tinting.

Sequoia also offers a variety of classes such as aqua-aerobics, Pilates and Body Pump.

Note: Spa users who aren't staying at the hotel have to book at least two hours of treatments and pay an additional £30 to use the spa facilities. Also, the spa is only open to hotel guests and Sequoia members at weekends.

Other facilities at The Grove: The swimming pool at Sequoia is a good size, modern and interestingly-tiled in striking black mosaic. The pool is surrounded by stone and wood, with a separate large Jacuzzi and showers at one end. There are plenty of loungers surrounding the pool and clever use of lighting creates a calm ambience. There were plenty of fluffy towels available, together with iced water and newspapers, to add to the relaxation.

Children who are over eight years old can use the pool between 9-11 am and 3-5 pm. Outside these times, the pool is for adults only. There are two decent-sized changing areas at Sequoia, one for "fitness", the other for people having treatments. Both were bright, clean and well-equipped -- including everything from cleanser to hair straighteners. There are also heat experience rooms including crystal steam room, sauna with twinkly lights and a "blitz therapy" shower.

In addition to the spa facilities, there are several other on-site activities to indulge in at The Grove -- the most obvious being golf. The Grove is home to one of the top golf courses in the UK. The course is a 7,152 yard, par 72 course, and there's also a driving range. The Grove offers golf tuition for all levels.

If golf's not your bag, there are good outdoor tennis courts, and a large outdoor pool in the Walled Garden. This pool is rather special -- in terms of its size and also the backdrop of the lovely garden, complete with stone statues. The pool was surrounded by comfy loungers and had its own bar. It felt more Lazio than Luton.

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

How impressive the children's facilities are. The Grove has an OFSTED-rated nursery, with great indoor and outdoor space and a dedicated children's pool. The Grove's "bikini bootcamp" run during the summer months seems to strike the right balance between spa relaxation and exercise.

Any special features?

The golf course at The Grove is pretty special, in that it offers a rare opportunity for any level of golfer to experience a championship course, on a pay and play basis (I'm reliably informed that most courses of this calibre are members-only). It's perfect for a top end golf and spa break.

The Grove also has its own vegetable garden and potting shed -- and grows its own orchids.

Who do you think would like it?

People looking for a top end his "n" hers spa and golf break; exhausted parents looking for a luxury break with childcare; anyone looking for a fun and luxury escape from the Big Smoke.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave The Grove 5 bubbles for its exceptional facilities, well-delivered treatments and its ability to make guests feel pampered. One of the guests I spoke to said that she had decided to book a few treatments at Sequoia instead of taking a holiday this year!

See more on how we rate the spas

Would you go again?

I would love to. I might even consider taking the children next time.

We visited Sequoia at The Grove in September 2009.