Review of Stoke Park Spa by SPC, Stoke Poges

A treatment room at Stoke Park Spa by SPC

Stoke Park Spa by SPC, Stoke Poges - 4 bubbles

Stoke Park offers unusual treatments, great food, and friendly staff in a stylish setting, with stunning parkland to walk in before or after your treatments. A clash of health-club and spa cultures in the pool area reduces the serenity factor, however. We suggest you check the class timetable and children's swim times to schedule your peace and quiet. Then make the most of the top-to-toe spa experience.

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?

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; we had been invited and the spa went out of their way to accommodate us. However, Stoke Park Spa by SPC is a very busy spa and is in an area that hosts many large-scale events. Stoke Park is a popular golfing venue, as well, so book ahead and check what else is on at the hotel and in the area when you want to go.

First impressions?

Stoke Park Spa by SPC is set in 350 acres of rolling parkland. You drive past spreading trees and through the large golf course to reach the huge white Palladian-style mansion with terraces, pillars and a cupola on the roof. This is the hotel, and indeed it is a country club and golf course, set in grounds designed by those aristocrats of landscape design, Capability Brown and Repton. That means manicured pastoral splendour with placid lakes and sweeping bridges.

The house and the golf course at Stoke Park have featured in several films. Bridget Jones has her rather naughty weekend away here, and James Bond defeats the baddie at the 18th green in Goldfinger.

How did they welcome you?

Reception is a vast and very grand marble hall. The staff expected us, and whisked us off to an equally grand bedroom, just off the main staircase. Going up and down the stairs each time, I felt that I was in Upstairs, Downstairs -- and I very much enjoyed being "upstairs".

The bedroom itself was also grand, with a four-poster bed, chintzy sofas, an open fire, and a huge marble bathroom. If you want to celebrate or impress, Stoke Park is the place to do it.

We took a walk through the gardens. At the lake, we surprised a heron which took off almost at our feet. We looked across to the medieval house in the grounds where royalty sometimes stays. We didn't see any crowns or carriages, so assumed no one was home.

The spa is in a separate building a few minutes' walk away. There are bedrooms in the spa building as well. These rooms are modern and very "bling" with mirrors, comfy sofas, a huge flat-screen TV and black marble in the bathroom. If you are staying at Stoke Park for a spa weekend, these bedrooms are more convenient as you can pop down for a swim before breakfast, or pop up for a snooze mid-afternoon.

What happens next?

We went over to the spa. The changing rooms are large, divided into two sections with wooden seating areas in the middle of each. Oddly enough, the changing rooms and the spa area are all carpeted. This is unusual and must take a fair amount of upkeep to keep the floor clean -- and it is clean; no sticky areas or noticeable dampness anywhere.

There were plenty of clean fluffy towels around, and shampoo and conditioner in the showers. There is a large well lit mirror, plus seats and hairdryers in the changing area.

The 16 metre pool is rectangular, so ideal for serious swimmers and those who just want to unkink a few knots by doing some lengths. The room is double height with windows floor-to-ceiling on one side, overlooking the gardens, which makes the pool very light and bright. There are hydrotherapy jets on one side of the pool, so you can let the water massage away some muscle tension between swims. The water is cleansed by ultra-violet light so you can enjoy a sting-free swim.

All in all, it's a delightful pool. The problem is that it tends to be busy and even out-of-bounds for part of each day. When classes are held, no-one else can use the pool. Most spas cordon off a section of the pool so other people can swim, but this doesn't happen at Stoke Park. So, three people enjoyed the aqua-exercise session while the rest of us had to leave. Children's sessions also happen twice a day, so if you want a quiet swim, you need to nip in quickly between classes and kids. There is no sauna or Jacuzzi or other hot and cold experiences, which would take the pressure off the pool. There are two steam rooms, but they are separate, one by the men's changing area and one near the women's changing area. Each steam room was nicely hot with twinkly stars in the ceiling.

Spa goers who have come to Spa SPC for peace and relaxation tend to come into conflict with health-club members who want to dash in for their daily dose of exercise or while time away with the kids having fun in the pool.

Thankfully, the spa itself is a haven of peace and quiet. The spa lounge has comfortable sofas, a huge glass "club" table for lunch, and a vast fish tank set into the wall that separates the spa from the pool. You look through the fishes swimming to the people swimming!

Which treatments did you have?

My treatment schedule simply showed that I had 85 minutes booked with Ann. I wasn't sure what to expect, but was informed that Ann combines a range of complementary and mainstream treatments to tailor-make what you need on the day. I was intrigued.

At Stoke Park Spa you can have individual complementary therapies such as reflexology (£80, 55 minutes), but if you want to book a bespoke session, call the spa for more details.

What were the treatments like?

Ann began with a reflexology session which she used as a "diagnostic". Depending on need, Ann told me she could offer massage, graphology, Bowen technique, and sports massage, or a combination of any of these.

The reflexology was very detailed. Ann gave me a running commentary about what she found as she examined and pressed my feet:

* maybe a slight intolerance to wheat (do all complementary therapists seem to think everyone has a problem with wheat?)

* ear problems (in childhood, yes)

* some breathing problems (a bout of pneumonia a couple of months ago)

* stress (of course!) and a need to rest (yep!)

* a hip problem on my right-hand side (spot on)

Ann then asked me to write a few lines; she looked at my handwriting and told me I was very maternal and caring as well as being forceful. I have never had graphology as part of a spa treatment before -- and I'm not sure what it added for me. However, Ann obviously found it useful for deciding what treatment to offer.

Ann focused the massage that followed on my hip, neck and shoulders. With a towel over my back, Ann walked her hands up and down my spine, rolling and pinching the muscles as she went. This is a Bowen technique and at the end of the treatment she repeated the process to compare the tightness in my muscles.

Ann's massage was good. She put pressure on key spots deep in the muscle. At the start, each point was painful, but the pain rapidly dissipated and the end result was that my muscles were much looser. Ann used a sports-massage technique to loosen the over-tight muscles in my right hip. This is an old problem that is no longer painful but it was apparently affecting my posture. Finally, I turned over and Ann worked on my shoulders and neck, stretching the muscles to loosen them.

Ann showed me a neat trick to deal with the tightness of the neck caused by too much time working on a laptop. Warm from the shower, you hold a towel over one shoulder and pull down on the front and back of the towel at the same time. As you do this you turn your head to the opposite side, back to the centre, then turn your head up. The movement feels really good, so I'm making this part of my daily routine.

Ann is a gem and has a waiting list for treatments -- so join the queue.

How did you feel afterwards?

I felt very sleepy and went to lie down in the relaxation room where there are beds, warm quilts and low lighting. Half an hour later, I got up and realised my back and shoulders all felt much looser and I was standing taller.

What happens afterwards?

I went back to the lounge. This large, light and airy room is decorated in rich colours; with deep golden carpets, deep red sofas, and plenty of glossy up-to-date magazines. Lunch is served here on the club table, and I had a very lovely salad. There are also plenty of herbal teas and healthy snacks on hand all day.

Was it worth it?

My treatment with Ann at Stoke Park is in my top ten treatments ever! So, while the spa is not cheap, the unique and interesting treatments are worth the price. The spa itself is luxurious, but the spa facilities are limited to the pool with hydrotherapy jets and the steam rooms.

For good value, book the Sunday night spa escape which includes bed and breakfast, a three-course dinner, use of the spa, and a 55-minute treatment.

What else could you have?

As well as offering regular spa treatments, Stoke Park has its own chiropractor, acupuncturist and osteopath. You can also try complementary therapies such as reiki, reflexology and Indian head massage.

At the other extreme, the spa also offers beauty treatments such as crystal clear oxygen microdermabrasion, and the CACI Quantum non surgical facelift.

There is a full hairdressing salon with all the usual treatments plus the "Brazilian Blow Dry", a hair-repair system that uses keratin to hydrate and restructure your hair.

The perfume studio also sounds fun; you get to try many perfume bases and create your own unique fragrance.

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

How good the food is! We had a wonderful dinner in the main building: duck with cobnut reduction, followed by halibut with risotto and marrow; we then shared a delicious plum tarte tatin with crème anglais. Food in the spa is much lighter but just as good.

Who do you think would like it?

Anyone you want to impress. The grounds at Stoke Park are delightful, the rooms elegant, and the service excellent.

Foodies who also like to spa.

Your aged aunt, especially if you think she may leave you a fortune. She will love the way things are done properly.

Golf fans -- though you may not see them once they arrive. There are three 9-hole courses making up a "true 27-hole course", and Stoke Park houses plenty of events and competitions. So if your partner is a golf fanatic and gently suggests a weekend at Stoke Park, plan to spend the day in the spa. There were people still out playing golf when we were eating dinner by candlelight!

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave Stoke Park Spa by SPC 4 bubbles. The spa offers a wide range of unusual treatments, and the spa itself is restful and comfortable. The changing rooms are well kept and there are plenty of clean towels to hand. All signs of a really good spa.

The hotel is delightful and has grand rooms, both traditional and modern. The food in both the hotel and the spa is excellent.

But the clash between the needs of health club members and the need for a spa experience to be quiet and restful is not quite resolved yet.

See more on how we rate the spas

Would you go again?

Yes, but I would choose a weekday when there are shorter children's sessions and fewer classes. I would also make a point of using the pool early in the morning.

We visited Stoke Park Spa by SPC in October 2010

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