Review of Foxhills Health Spa, Ottershaw

Foxhills Health Spa, Ottershaw - 5 bubbles

Foxhills is a family-friendly golf resort in Surrey. The vast resort comprises a hotel, three championship golf courses, four swimming pools, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and a brand new luxury spa. The £5 million purpose-built health-spa has excellent facilities including an adult-only swimming pool, thermal area, and a spa garden with an outdoor hot tub and sauna.

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?

Any special features?

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

We drove into the resort along a long winding tree-lined road. The road led to what is known as the Village Square. There was a golf shop and health club to the left, a club house in front, and the Bernard Hunt golf course to the right.

We parked the car and went to find the hotel reception in the historic main building, known as the Manor House. Through the huge, wooden doors we found the reception and concierge desk with a grand wooden staircase to the left. On the walls hung a number of classical portraits and paintings of riding scenes.

How did they welcome you?

A friendly receptionist checked us in. She explained that most of the hotel's 70 bedrooms are in separate buildings. She gave us a map of the complex with directions to our room.

We followed our directions, walking through to the back of the hotel and out onto the terrace. Our room was in a building named Lyne House, just behind the main building. It was a lovely sunny day and the back of the ivy-clad Manor House looked particularly impressive, as did the view, with acres of beautifully kept gardens and woodland in the distance.

What happens next?

Lyne House is a newly built addition to the resort. Although the building design is in keeping with the original style of the Manor, it is less charming. Our room was spacious, clean and comfortable, if a little bland. It had all the necessaries: a couple of comfy armchairs, a flat-screen TV with a good selection of channels and a DVD player, tea and coffee-making facilities, a desk with a selection of current magazines and some beautifully soft towelling robes and slippers. The modern bathroom was spacious and spotless, with a large separate shower cubicle. It was full of Elemis toiletries and an abundance of soft, white towels.

The facilities for children:

We unpacked and headed off to the health club. We walked through a lovely little courtyard and past a resident-only outdoor swimming pool and then had a look round the Children's Clubhouse. This Clubhouse is for children of all ages. For teens there is a gym and "den" with sofas and a TV, Playstation and Wii, and table tennis and pool tables. For younger children there is an arts and crafts area, soft play area and a paddling pool. There's an indoor pool, too.

There is a resident sports coach and a full timetable of children's activities including a children's tennis clinic and junior golf lessons. There is an OFSTED registered crèche run by fully trained staff, available for younger children aged three months to seven years. And when they get hungry, the Summerhouse provides snacks and light meals.

The health spa:

The health spa is in a separate building. It is open every day from 6:30am. The entrance foyer is a large brightly lit space with a host of spa products on display, a large reception desk manned by helpful staff and a comfortable seating area.

The spacious changing area is on the ground floor. This modern area had walls of roomy walnut lockers with bright-orange leather benches running down the centre. There were two separate changing cubicles and a vanity area complete with turbo hairdryers and GHD hair straighteners. I could feel the under-floor heating and heard music playing throughout. The showers were well-stocked with Elemis toiletries.

The fitness arena on the first floor is huge and well designed. The fully air-conditioned room has a high curved ceiling and there is plenty of space between the state-of-the-art exercise machines. All equipment is fitted with integrated multi-media consoles, and just in case you still get bored, there are fabulous views over the woods on one side and over the pool on another. Near the entrance to the gym is a length of sliding glass doors through to a Kinesis wall, where you can work out different muscle groups. There is always a fully-trained instructor at hand.

The entrance to the adult-only pool is through the changing rooms. The first thing I noticed was the stunning 1950s lido mural. Natural light streamed in through the full-length windows and the skylight, and all the supporting columns were lit at the base. There were two cosy areas furnished with sofas where we could relax in our robes, or we could recline on one of the pool-side loungers. The pool is 20 metres long and beautifully tiled in dark-blue mosaic. Best of all, it was never crowded.

There is a hydrotherapy pool at the side of the main pool. It has two very powerful swan-head taps and jets below the water for massaging your legs and feet. The steam room is also in the pool area, just behind the hydrotherapy pool. I found the temperature perfect and I particularly enjoyed breathing in the eucalyptus-scented steam which had an immediate effect on my blocked sinuses.

The spa garden:

The spa garden at Foxhills was created after a decision was made to have the Finnish sauna installed outside. To stop it looking like a garden shed, they decided to add some additional features. As you enter the spa garden from the pool building, immediately in front is a natural swimming pool. The plants and minerals in the pool purify the water and shingle is used to filter it. It is freezing cold but completely chemical-free and deep enough to swim in. Next to the Finnish sauna is the outdoor hot tub. There are 1930s "Italian Cruise" wooden chairs and loungers for relaxing in; there is a hammock, too. The gardens are sectioned into seven bays for private relaxation, divided by perfectly manicured hedges. The café is to the right and there is a rather unusual bright-red 1926 telephone box, which apparently can be used to call the café or the spa directly.

The food:

Later that evening we went for our evening meal in Bar Nineteen. Foxhills also has The Manor Restaurant for more formal dining. During the day Bar Nineteen is used by golfers and health club visitors. It is a large restaurant furnished with tan leather chairs and sofas, with walls decorated with photographs of famous English actors from the 1960s. The staff were pleasant and the meal was tasty and reasonably priced. I had a delicious goat's cheese tartlette followed by escalope of salmon. My friend had marvellous creamy mushroom soup and Thai-marinated chicken breast. We drank a rather lovely, yet inexpensive, Chilean Sauvignon Blanc.

We woke early after a comfortable night's sleep and went for a swim before breakfast. Breakfast is served in The Manor Restaurant and is a wonderful buffet. There was an excellent selection of fresh fruit, yoghurts, cereals, homemade breads and pastries. My poached eggs were cooked to perfection and I sat drinking coffee while reading my paper for well over an hour. A relaxing way to start the day!

After breakfast, I went to the spa reception, ready for my treatment. A receptionist showed me through to a small waiting room where I sat and filled in a consultation form in peace, away from those passing through reception. The Foxhills spa has seven treatments rooms all quaintly named after seaside towns, from Morecombe to Brighton. My therapist, Anne, came to collect me and led me down a corridor that was quiet and dimly lit. I immediately felt transported into a tranquil world. The treatment room itself was a perfect haven. The lighting was faint, there were scented candles burning and soft music was playing in the background. The décor was simple but elegant, with walnut counter-tops and furniture, limestone tiles and a spacious shower in the corner. The heated treatment bed was in the centre of the room and was covered by a snug dark-brown throw.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the Hammam Journey, a brand-new La Sultane de Saba treatment (£60, 60 minutes / £90, 90 minutes).

What were the treatments like?

First of all, Anne sat me down and explained the stages of my treatment to me. I then changed into a pair of paper pants while Anne waited outside. Anne then led me down the hall to the thermal area, which consists of a rasul, hammam and ice fountain.

The hammam is a roomy space with two traditional granite plinths, tiled walls and floor and twinkling ceiling lights. Anne then explained the background of their new La Sultane de Saba product range. This Parisian product house blends natural organic ingredients and age-old rituals from the Orient to create their rather decadent range. Anne gave me a mood test to determine my preferred fragrance and "journey". She gave me five fragrances to choose from (ayurvedic, green tea and ginger, lotus and frangipani, orange blossom and rose Balinese) and explained that the oil would be used with shea butter later in the journey.

While I was standing, Anne applied black soap with eucalyptus oil to my skin. Once she had covered my entire body, she helped me to carefully lie down on the now heated granite plinth. As Anne left the room, she turned on the steam. The combination of eucalyptus and heat combine to draw out toxins and relax the muscles. Anne returned after I had been in the hot steam for ten minutes. She used a coarse glove to deliver an invigorating full-body scrub. As she worked the soap into a rich lather I could feel my skin begin to feel energised and stimulated. During this time the steam was still pouring into the room. The plinth became quite slippery but Anne kept me steady.

I could have stayed in the humid steam-filled environment for hours, but Anne left me for a few more minutes before coming back to help me to my feet. She gave me a towel and took me through to a shower. When I had finished, Anne took me through to the relaxation room. The room was empty, so I picked one of the six curved loungers and got comfortable under a cosy blanket. The lights were dim and there was soft music playing. I drank a long glass of cold water before Anne returned with a tray. She explained that she had brought me tea and sweets that were necessary to raise my energy levels. She poured me a sweet, organic herbal tea and another glass of water. On the tray was also a saucer of dried fruits, which I worked my way through. I tried to flick through one of the many magazines on offer but I must have dozen off for a couple of minutes. Anne returned, and we went through to the treatment room.

The room felt warm and the treatment bed had been heated so I felt cosy and comfortable. What followed was a firm, intense sports-like massage, using melted shea butter mixed with my chosen orange blossom oil. My skin soaked in the warm oils and as Anne massaged, the fragrance wafted around the room. Anne paid particular attention to my shoulders and neck using a combination of traditional and deep-tissue massage. My once tired, tense muscles felt free of any aches and pains and thoroughly relaxed.

I seemed to drift in and out of consciousness during the massage and although it seemed to last for an age, I was disappointed when it was over.

How did you feel afterwards?

I felt amazing. My skin was left tingling from the exfoliation and I enjoyed breathing in the eucalyptus; I felt decongested both inside and out. My dry, dehydrated skin had been transformed; it was silky-smooth and glowing. My body felt detoxed, purified and rehydrated.

What happens afterwards?

I once again returned to the relaxation room. This time I didn't even attempt to resist falling asleep. I woke about half an hour later, but felt as though I had had a full nights rest -- amazing!

Was it worth it?

Yes. Sometimes after a spa treatment you feel as though it has been too brief and too gentle to really make a difference. Not with the La Sultane de Saba Hammam Journey. This was a pretty intense treatment and I hadn't expected these miracle results. I felt completely rejuvenated and totally free of tension.

What else could you have?

Foxhills offers a good range of Elemis and La Sultane de Saba treatments, including facials, wraps, scrubs and massages. There are men's treatments, beauty treatments, and a hair studio.

Complementary therapies include reiki, ear candling, meditation and polarity therapy.

Foxhills also offer an exciting range of thermal therapies. You can try a session in the hammam or the rasul, or one of the steamy rituals that includes a body scrub, wrap or massage.

Any special features?

The spa garden is a wonderfully peaceful area which I thoroughly enjoyed, even on a dark autumn evening. The natural swimming pool is an amazing idea which I would love to try on a warm summer day. And I always enjoy an outdoor hot tub.

Who do you think would like it?

Families: There are plenty of leisure activities to suit both adults and children of all ages. Parents can escape to the adults-only spa area while the kids are making the most of the Clubhouse, or being looked after in the crèche.

Golfers: The golf facilities here are great, but you get so much more than just an enjoyable round of golf at Foxhills.

Couples: As the spa facilities are adult-only, you can have a break at Foxhills without your peace being disturbed by young children. There is also a lovely outdoor couples' treatment room you can try if you visit in the summer.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave Foxhills Health Spa 5 bubbles. The treatments are of a very high standard and the comprehensive spa facilities are imaginative, immaculate and thoroughly enjoyable. Though this is a golf resort, you certainly don't have to be a golfer to enjoy a stay at Foxhills. The resort has been designed well, so the spa area is a peaceful haven, despite the many family facilities and leisure activities.

See more on how we rate the spas