Review of You Spa at the Radisson Blu Hotel London Stansted Airport, Stansted

You Spa at the Radisson Blu Stansted Airport - 3 bubbles

This good-value little set of treatment rooms within the health club at the Radisson hotel at Stansted Airport should send you to the abroad chilled. If you're local, you don't have to splash out too much to enjoy a refreshing spa day.

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?

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 You Spa at the Radisson SAS Stansted Airport is easy to find (just follow the signs to the airport). If you're staying in the hotel, the spa is down a floor from Reception, through a door that (confusingly) still has the name of the former spa upon it.

How did they welcome you?

I went downstairs, optimistically approached the desk with the big sign above it saying "Reception", but this turned out to be the Pace Health Club reception desk. I was pointed in the direction of another, smaller, desk, behind which was Ellie, the spa manager, who had invited me to visit. Ellie was ready to check me in and take me to lunch, which was part of my spa-day package. Yay! I am always a big fan of lunch.

Lunch was in the restaurant on the ground floor, in the "Angels" Wine Tower. There were no angels flying about at lunchtime, but later on I watched the acrobats whizzing up and down the glass wine tower on wires to retrieve the specified Bordeaux. Lot of fun.

For lunch, you choose from a set spa menu. When I visited, it was minestrone soup, Caesar salad, margarita or pepperoni pizza, mozzarella salad, or ham, cheese or roast beef sandwiches. Fellow Spies, who know me well, will already have guessed that I went for the healthiest option on the menu: the pizza. And am I glad I did! It was on proper pizza dough, freshly cooked, not overdone with cheese and pretty perfect. Water with ice and lemon is included with your lunch, but any other drinks are extra.

What happens next?

After the most delicious pepperoni pizza in the world, I made my way back down the stairs to the spa. Ellie showed me along a long corridor and through to the changing rooms. If you're at You Spa on a spa day, you could also visit the gym, which is along the same corridor, and packed full of useful equipment.

The changing rooms: These are basic health club in style. Plenty of lockers and some showers with plastic curtains. Not much else. There is no private changing area unless you duck in a shower. While I was there, a girly group on a spa day were perfecting their "put on your swimming costume while still wearing your top" manoeuvre around the wooden benches in the centre of the room. Ellie gave me an enormous padlock to secure my locker, so I felt as if I were securing the Crown Jewels in there. (Possibly, I was.) I changed into my own swimming costume, put on the provided white (extra large) towelling robe and set off in search of the pool.

The pool: This is a health club pool and the atmosphere reflects that. It felt a little unloved, and there was a huge puddle of water next to the separate children't splash pool (which I at first took to be some kind of huge Jacuzzi). There are some loungers by the pool, but they functioned more as places to stash your robe than to loll about on and read.

Thermal experiences: This is perhaps too grand a term for the sauna and steam cabinet next to the pool. The steam room is nicely hot, with room for six people or so on white plastic seats. The sauna is wooden benched and also hot, though had no bucket of water to splash over the coals.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the Perfectly Pure treatment (60 minutes, £65).

What were the treatments like?

The treatment room was reasonably large, very clean, and decorated in neutral tones. Everything was neat and tidy.

Ellie explained that the treatment involved a back exfoliation, a taster facial, a scalp massage and a body moisturise, all of which sounded good to me. Ellie was willing to alter the treatments to suit my mood, which I appreciated.

I lay down on the treatment table with my face in a faceholder, and covered myself with a brown patterned sheet. When Ellie returned, she made sure i was comfortable before beginning the treatment. The exfoliation was good, but the massage was excellent: deeply relaxing and just what I needed. I carry a lot of tension in my head, and she had successfully dispelled some of it.

During the facial, Ellie performed flawless cleansing, toning and exfoliation and followed this with a Rosy Glow face mask. I particularly enjoyed the scents of all the Sarah Jones London products that Ellie used, including the Truly Madly Deeply cleanser and the Secret Garden moisturiser that Ellie treated my skin to at the end. My skin felt nourished and my muscles relaxed.

How did you feel afterwards?

So sleepy and relaxed, I looked forward to heading to my room.

What happens afterwards?

There is a relaxation room at You Spa, but it's not particularly peaceful as the door is open to the main spa reception area where people are coming and going. You can help yourself to water from some jugs on a bookshelf, or take your pick from several teas and coffees. In the relaxation room there is also an infra-red sauna. I wasn't brave enough to try this; my lack of courage did not stem from reading the warnings on the disclaimer form you have to sign first, but because it didn't seem a particularly private place to be.

I picked up a copy of Hello! and got instantly revived, though.

Back in the changing rooms to get dressed, there seemed to be some pretty fierce air-con going on, and the room was quite chilly. The showers are basic health-club showers with curtains. You can get a decent spritz of hot water, but don't expect any spa goodies such as hair conditioner.

Long-term effects

I headed at an early hour for France next day with my shoulders still at their appropriate level.

Was it worth it?

The treatments at You Spa are great value.

What else could you have?

The Sarah Jones London products come in four moods, and are based on natural ingredients chosen for their particular therapeutic effects. First, you choose which therapy you want to have, such as a massage, body exfoliation and moisture, or a facial. Then you choose whether you want to feel cleansed and Perfectly Pure, harmonious with Beautifully Balanced, hydrated with Naturally Nourished, or energised with Uniquely Uplifting.

You can also have manis and pedis, St Tropez tanning, waxing, lash and brow care or Amazing eyelash extensions. The prices are reasonable and compare well to other spas in the area.

Ellie has also put together some very good value day-spa packages, some of which which include lunch. Finally, you could always look into the You Spa Princess and Teen Pamper parties.

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

If you're local, give your parking ticket to the concierge on leaving for validation, so you can get a discount on the parking,

Any special features?

If you need to include the words spa and Stansted Airport in the same sentence, You Spa is the spa for you.

Who do you think would like it?

You Spa is a great venue for a pre- or post-holiday treat. I'm tempted to get a flight from Stansted every time possible.

Local clued-up spa-goers are already making the most of the fab treatments.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave You Spa 3 bubbles. You Spa is a great place to come for individual treatments, alone or with friends.

The changing rooms, pool area and thermal experiences are a bit run of the mill, but that's out of the spa's control. My treatment was good, the packages imaginative, and the lunch is a nice idea. For more bubbles, this spa could concentrate on setting itself apart from the health club more, and aim to become the haven of relaxation that the treatments promise. There's not much space, but they could shut the door to the relaxation room.

See more on how we rate the spas.