Review of Imperial Hotel, Torquay

Imperial Hotel, Torquay – 4 bubbles

In the lower depths of the Barcelo Imperial Hotel on Torquay seafront, you'll find this well-equipped health club and spa with a good combination of fitness facilities and effective Decléor treatments. Whether you're in the market for muscle-bulk or satin skin, you'll find yourself amply catered for.

First impressions?

What's on offer?

Which treatments did you have?

What were the treatments like?

What else could you have?

Food facts

Was it worth it?

We loved

We didn't love

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

The Health Club and Spa is buried in the basement of the Imperial Hotel, which overlooks Beacon Cove on the Torquay seafront, near the marina. There is a separate entrance, but if you approach through the main hotel entrance, you're in for a lengthy, twisting-and-turning journey of discovery down corridors past guest-rooms.

To the right as you approach reception, a glass-walled gym is occupied by cyclers and iron-pumpers. The reception area itself is awash with the bracing scent of chlorine as it looks out on to the heated indoor pool, and then there are saunas, steam rooms and changing rooms. It's as much a workout venue as a therapy spa.

What's on offer?

As well as those heat rooms and pool, there are a couple of therapy rooms, and a bright, white-tiled relaxation room, where you can make yourself a hot drink, help yourself from a fruit bowl, change into your robe and flip-flops, sit on loungers reading er, the Reader's Digest and listening to Radio 2, or step out through sliding patio doors on to a small terrace area overlooking the bay. This had a table and chairs, and sadly a fair few squashed-out cigarette ends on the floor (mmm, health).

Which treatments did you have?

I had a "Tranquillity" back, neck and shoulder massage (£31, 25 minutes), followed by an Express Energy Men's Facial (£27, 25 minutes). These were carried out by the same therapist, Fran, using Decléor products, which are less intensely aromatic than many other big brands, which might appeal more to guys.

What were the treatments like?

Fran invited me into Beauty Room 2, where I lay face-down on the table and waited. When she came back, Fran went through the areas of concern I'd indicated on my consultation form. I explained this was my first massage in nine months, so she might expect my back to be as knotted-up as the Christmas tree lights.

The massage was comprehensive and thorough. Fran located some of the worst areas of tension around my shoulder blades, and applied a series of lateral moves across them, different to those I've experienced before. She worked down both sides of my spine, gently folded my arms across my back one-by-one and ironed out tensions down each side. She then worked on my lumbar region and the muscles in my neck. Fran asked me whether the pressure she was applying was OK, which it most certainly was, being on the firmer side.

At the end of the massage, Fran invited me to turn on to my back, and then prepared me for the facial. After a refreshing wipe, she put some eye pads on me, and then applied a cleansing lotion. That was followed by a light, non-oily face mask, which she allowed to sink in, and then an exfoliant. This was much gentler than the one I use at home, which feels like the sort of product you could surface a road with. The next stage was an eye mask and (new one on me) lip mask, which she applied around my mouth. It evidently finds its way to the lip tissue, to prevent drying. After applying the final stage, an all-over moisturiser, Fran covered me with a quilt, said she was going to leave me alone for a while, and invited me to have a little snooze.

What else could you have?

Three-hour spa days including lunch, and the full range of manis, pedis, eye therapy, waxing and mum-to-be treatments.

Food facts

I had a pint glass of (concentrate) apple juice with ice, and helped myself to a few red seedless grapes in the relaxation room. At the end of the treatment, Fran handed me a cup of ice-cold water. There is a full lunch menu, which I was offered before my treatment, but eating immediately before a massage didn't seem like such a good idea.

Was it worth it?

The prices are reasonable, considering that the hotel is quite luxurious.

We loved

The well-provisioned relaxation room, our efficient, unhurried massage and the distinctly more glowing complexion than we went in with.

We didn't love

The treatment room is not quite dark enough. There's a roller-blind at the window, but with the sun streaming through, the result was a bright orange room rather than a softly lit one. Also, the music, a CD of wistful electric guitar solos against MOR pop backing, was distinctly too loud. If I'd wanted to take a catnap at the end, I don't think I could have done.

Who do you think would like it?

The Torquay smart set. Well-heeled hotel guests. Also people who are serious about fitness. The men's changing room was full of guys who'd evidently just been giving it hell in the gym.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave the spa at the Imperial Hotel a good 4 bubbles. The facilities are good, the staff very personable and dedicated, and it's a very swish place to have a treatment.

See more on how we rate the spas.