 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Coworth Park, Ascot - 5 bubbles
A manor house hotel with impressive eco-credentials and more than a dash of high-end glamour, this countryside cousin of The Dorchester is home to a superb spa. From the pool lined with stunning amethyst sculptures to the delightful "living roof" herb garden, this is eco-spa luxury at its finest. Sybaritic Spy loved her effective Dr Alkaitis Organic Skin Food Facial and the delicious cuisine in the restaurant, both of which have her longing to return.
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?
An elegant white Georgian Manor house, set in 250 acres of wooded grounds, polo fields and an equestrian centre. We missed the entrance as the sign is quite low key. Look for the sign to Coworth Park Polo Club. The long drive gives good views of the house and the setting.
How did they welcome you?
With umbrellas! It was tipping down with rain, so we were very grateful for the bright orange umbrellas. Two porters whisked our luggage away and parked the car, leaving us to dash inside and admire the stunning hall and reception area. While the Georgian exterior has been carefully maintained and restored, inside there is a more modern feel. A huge blond-wood spiral staircase with mirrors at the top dominates the main reception, with hand-rails the colour of Japanese temple gates -- a colour I think of as "torii orange".
The reception area opens out into a lounge and drawing room which have views over the grounds from the floor-to-ceiling windows. A harpist was playing and waiters were serving afternoon tea as we arrived. Coworth Park felt much more like the home of a rather grand relative than a hotel. There are just 30 rooms in the main house and 40 in the Barn complex, so the hotel is quite small and intimate.
What happens next?
A member of staff took us to our room. What a room! It had a large seating area with soft sofas, a modern four-poster bed and double doors that opened into a marble bathroom with a huge copper bath. The theme is unashamed luxury. There is a hint of Art Deco and 1930s glamour everywhere and a focus on stimulating the senses. The corridors are lined with grey-painted cupboards with pots of pink hyacinths lined up on them, so that their perfume reaches you in waves. Multi-textured, multi-coloured rugs on smoked oak floors tempt you to walk barefoot. Amusing eccentricities such as knitted sofas, a chandelier that spells out the word "love", pictures of horses that on second glance have starlet-style tresses, mean you don't quite know what will amuse you next.
We headed for the spa. With the rain still pouring down, we hitched a ride on an electric buggy complete with a warm blanket and side panels to protect us from the damp. It's actually only a couple of minutes' walk through the garden to the spa, which is built into a bank, so its curved c-shape faces west and gathers the sunshine (when the sun comes out!) The two-storey building has high eco-credentials. The spa is built mostly from timber with lime hemp walls. The sedum roof has a garden of aromatic herbs and an outdoor seating area. The boiler is fuelled by willow cuttings (some grown on the estate and some grown nearby), a renewable source that also creates new woodland.
The pool and gym are on the lower floor, while the eight treatment rooms, reception and relaxation area are on the upper floor. The 18-metre pool has purple underwater lights and even gentle underwater music. Huge amethyst sculptures along one side of the pool reflect the purple lighting. Steps right across one end of the pool mean there is plenty of space to get into the water gently without having to climb in and out. Beside the pool is a pre-swim shower with two huge shower heads the size of tea trays, and two hand-held water jets. The jets are just the right shape to hold and have a water fight. Thank goodness there were just the two of us in the pool!
The steam room is large and was just the right temperature, and the experience shower offers a range of cool, hot and mist showers. There are plenty of fluffy towels, white relaxer chairs and jugs of iced water. The glass wall alongside the pool has several sliding doors built in, so in summer these can be opened up to join the outer patio area and the poolside. We especially liked the non-slip surface around the pool.
The changing rooms are stylish with lacquered lockers, bracelets for the locker keys, and rather elegant dressing tables with mirrors, hairdryers and straighteners, so you can primp and prettify to your heart's content after your swim. Everywhere was spotlessly clean and towels were replaced at regular intervals.
Which treatments did you have?
I had the Dr Alkaitis Organic Skin Food Facial (80 minutes, £120) which apparently uses "living" skin care products made from "organic, biodynamic and ethically wild crafted ingredients".
What were the treatments like?
My therapist, Sheron, collected me from the light and comfortable lounge area and took me to the white treatment room. The skylight made the room bright, even though there were no windows. The white bed was warmed, ready for me to snuggle down.
Sheron began with an exfoliation that also nourished: the exfoliant contained lots of olive oil and aloe vera. The exfoliation was followed by a face mask which included strawberries, blueberries and oats. The mask smelt delicious -- and, yes, you can eat it, apparently! While the face mask did its work, Sheron gave me a hand and arm massage.
Sheron removed the face mask, then treated me to a session of steaming and extractions. Not comfortable but very effective. I do love this "workaday" aspect of a facial. I can put up with the discomfort of having nasty whiteheads or blackheads removed as my skin always looks so much better afterwards. Plenty of massaging was followed by another mask to soothe and repair my skin. Sheron then gave me a lovely deep neck and shoulder massage. Finally, she removed this mask and applied moisturiser.
How did you feel afterwards?
Very relaxed, very clean, and -- when I looked in the mirror -- very pleased. My neck looked ten years younger. Sheron told me that this was the combination of the drainage massage and the intensive moisturiser she had used.
What happens afterwards?
I went back to the stylish relaxation room which overlooks the roof garden. Here there were huge sofas and low armchairs, jugs of iced water with lemon and lime and mint and cucumber, and home-made biscuits. There was plenty of reading matter: mostly large hardback books on gardens, art, golf and Ascot, rather than the usual dog-eared magazines. I was happy just to rest and stare at the countryside through the huge windows.
Long-term effects
The Dr Alkaitis Organic Skin Food Facial is the most "healing" facial I have ever had. Usually, after extractions, there is a day or two of redness. But there was no sign of blotchiness. Indeed, the tiny broken blood vessels on my face, which I have had for years, were much improved. My skin looked clear and plumped up; this effect was still noticeable a week later. The Dr Alkaitis facial is one of those treatments that would truly make a difference if you had the time (and budget) to have a series of treatments at, say, two-week intervals.
Was it worth it?
The Good Spa Spies generally use a rule of thumb of "a pound a minute" for spa treatments. Prices at Coworth Park work out at rather more than the average rate. However, mine was a very special treatment with noticeable improvements, delivered very professionally, in luxurious surroundings, so, yes, I felt my treatment was worth it.
What else could you have?
There are several luxury brands available at Coworth Park: Carol Joy London, Kerstin Florian, and Aromatherapy Associates.
As well as the usual range of massages, facials and manicures, there are some well thought-out special treatments. Since Coworth Park is just 20 minutes from Heathrow, the Traveller's Tonic, which includes a eucalyptus steam inhalation, stretches and massage, will be popular. Stressed executives may find the Insomniac's Dream will help them unwind and get a good night's sleep, since the full body massage uses oils of vetivert, camomile and sandalwood, all of which are calming and grounding.
At the other extreme, the Men's Fast Facial gives an express deep clean, a facial massage and moisturise. We also like the sound of the English Rose Wrap which uses oil of damask rose to renew skin, soothe emotions and lift spirits.
The Spa taster day includes two hours of treatments and a light lunch or tea in the Spatisserie.
What do you wish you'd known before you went?
To choose better weather! The grounds at Coworth Park are perfect for long walks; the spa should be appreciated in the sunshine and the flower meadows will be stunning in early summer. Mind you, sitting by the log fire in the drawing room enjoying afternoon tea while the harpist plays is not a bad way to spend a damp and dreary winter afternoon.
Any special features?
Apart from the sheer luxury and delightfully glamorous and amusing interiors? Well, the food is pretty special. John Campbell, a two Michelin-starred chef, is in charge at Coworth Park and everything (but everything) is freshly made in-house. Dress up and enjoy the fine dining!
We started with elderflower champagne cocktails (you can't get much more English than that!) while we pondered over a menu of one-word descriptions. I always find this frustrating. (Lamb? Yes, but what bit and how is it cooked?) However, this gave our waiter the chance to describe each dish in great detail. As he did so, I found myself wanting it all! I also wanted to peek into the kitchen to see all the poaching, braising, rolling, slicing and grilling that was going on.
My starter of sweetbreads with lemon curd and hazelnut sounded challenging, but was heavenly. My best beloved ate every last scrap of his ravoli with crab and denied me even a taste, but the smile on his face declared that it was sublime. I then had a julienne of lobster with coconut cream polenta, whisky jelly and lobster bisque, which was rich but perfectly balanced. Such stunning food deserves good wines, and the sommelier happily dealt with our request for wine by the glass to complement each course.
Who do you think would like it?
Serious spa bunnies who want top notch treatments in lovely surroundings.
Foodies, of course.
Families, as Coworth Park offers a dedicated Kid's Concierge to suggest outings and an activities programme during school holidays. There are communicating family rooms within the Barn complex, and great comfort food served in the Barn restaurant: cottage pie, fish and chips, home-made soups. Just what you need after a day of exploring the estate.
Riders: you can even bring your own horse! Or book a hack or a lesson on their ponies or horses. There are plenty of Polo events if you prefer to watch.
Why did you give the spa this rating?
We gave Coworth Park 5 bubbles. The spa is not "all singing, all dancing". There are no heat and ice experiences or bubbling baths. Instead, there is a focus on a tranquil spa, with a very good pool, in restful surroundings. What they do, they do very, very well.
Our only hesitation is about allowing children in the pool at all times. In school holidays, this may be a problem for anyone who wants tranquillity. The pool is on a different floor to the treatment rooms and relaxation area, which will help, but there is a danger that the tranquillity will be lost.
See more on how we rate the spas
Would you go again?
We found it very hard to leave! I would love to go in the spring or summer to enjoy long walks in the grounds. If I wanted a special destination for a birthday or anniversary, Coworth Park would be high on my list.
We visited Coworth Park in February 2011
See also:
* Contact details for Coworth Park
* How to find the perfect relaxation experience
* Facials: How to choose the right one for you
|
|
|