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Thorpe Park Hotel and Spa, Leeds - 4 bubbles
The well-equipped spa and pool area makes Thorpe Park, a modern hotel, busy with business travellers and conferences, stand out from many others. The excellent customer care, high standard of treatments, well-maintained facilities, and peaceful relaxation room make this a spa worth visiting. A really good value spa, too!
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?
Thorpe Park Hotel is a low, modern building in the middle of a business park. So, no real grounds, and certainly no impressive historic architecture. Thorpe Park is the sort of hotel often used for conferences. The barrier entry to the car park and hefty daily parking charges reinforce this feeling. Overnight guests pay £3 to park. But staff welcomed us warmly and sent us off to find the lift to our room, which was clean and comfortable.
What's on offer?
A 13-metre swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, and poolside showers. Plenty of seating by the pool, and some outside seating on the terrace.
Also on the ground floor is an air-conditioned gym and activity studio. The seven spa treatment rooms and relaxation room are upstairs, one level above the pool.
The changing rooms are spacious with plenty of places to sit, and the four hairdryers each have a seat and a large mirror. There is a spinner for your swimsuit and plastic bags for damp costumes.
Which treatments did you have?
I had the ESPA total body care treatment (85 minutes, £82), which includes full-body skin brushing and exfoliation, a deep massage, and a face and scalp massage with natural oils.
What were the treatments like?
Heavenly. Caroline, my therapist, certainly knew her stuff. She made sure to check that everything was just as I wanted it: the temperature, how I wanted to feel at the end of the treatment (uplifted), the strength of the massage, even the temperature of the shower.
As with many ESPA treatments, Caroline offered me two oils to smell before we began. I preferred the more aromatic one, which turned out to include eucalyptus. Caroline described it as soothing oil, and suggested that my body was telling me what I needed. Yes, soothing sounded good!
The exfoliant smelled of spearmint, and was rough enough to work, but smooth enough not to make my skin feel sore. Caroline's massage was good and deep, and focused on my tight and tense back and neck area, as I had requested. The Hydrotherm treatment bed I was laying on has a hot water pad that supports your body and keeps it warm: a bit like lying on a giant hot water bottle. The support felt lovely, though the pad did make a squishy noise whenever I turned over.
The facial massage was a gentle finish to the treatment.
What else could you have?
A range of ESPA facials including the Concept facial and age-defying facial, as well as massages and wraps. You can also try reflexology, sports therapy massage, and Jessica manicure and pedicures. There are specific treatments for men and for mums-to-be.
There are spa days, as well as spa breaks on offer.
Food facts
If you're having a spa day, you eat your lunch on the terrace next to the pool.
Dinner is served in the main restaurant; ours was very good. The home-made chicken liver pâté had plenty of really dry sherry in it, the venison was tender, and my strawberry champagne sorbet was fruity rather than sweet -- just as it should be.
Was it worth it?
The spa at Thorpe Park offers good value. My treatment was complete indulgence. My rather dry and flaky skin was transformed into smooth and nicely textured skin, and I felt relaxed and rested.
We loved
The large and well-maintained facilities. Everywhere is very clean and well maintained. The pool area and spa are ten years old but they certainly do not look it.
The pleasant relaxation room which has wooden steamer chairs, each with a thick mattress for comfort. We enjoyed an "inhalation bowl" containing the same oils as had been used during the treatment, so you can relax, sip a herbal tea and breathe in the aromas. A nice touch.
We were impressed by the supervision of the pool area. One group of guests insisted on bringing their toddler into the Jacuzzi and then into the steam room. On each occasion they were reminded politely but firmly that children under 16 were not allowed to use these facilities.
We didn't love
The noise from the reception area during my treatment. Gossipy guests were comparing treatments very loudly. I liked their enthusiasm, but would have preferred them to whisper it.
Having to go from the treatment room to a shower room through the reception area. Usually they book the total body care treatment into a room with a shower but the spa was pretty busy, and we had booked at the last minute, so I had to journey to the spa changing room shower. Caroline went ahead to prepare the shower for me and made sure that the reception area was quiet before I ventured out in my robe. So book well ahead! The spa at Thorpe Park is well known locally and well used.
The fact that the motorway is very close, so you hear the constant roar of traffic if you sit outside. However, there is not much anyone can do about that, and the building is well insulated so you don't hear the noise when you're inside.
Who do you think would like it?
Anyone who wants a good-value spa day or break.
Conference goers using the hotel, who may stumble across this great spa unexpectedly.
Girlfriends who want to try out their "girls night in" package; overnight stay, tapas-style supper, use of the facilities, plus ice cream, chocolates and nibbles in your room while you watch your favourite chick flick and a goody bag to take away. You can book treatments as an extra, and the package costs from £85.
Anyone schlepping south to north or vice versa who needs a one-night stay. Thorpe Park is the perfect spot to break the journey, and a massage will see you fit to travel again the next day.
Locals who join the health club, or go late-night shopping in the business park, as they can take advantage of the evening spa specials.
Why did you give the spa this rating?
We gave Thorpe Park Hotel and Spa 4 bubbles. The spa has good facilities, excellent treatments and there is plenty to do on a spa day or stay. My treatment was very good and all the staff we met went out of their way to be warm and welcoming to everyone. Our hotel room was comfortable and the food in the restaurant was delicious.
See more on how we rate the spas.
Would you go again?
Certainly. If I lived nearby, I would join the health club -- along with the other 1,200 locals who know a bargain when they see it. (In the early mornings and at weekends, the gym and pool area are likely to be very busy.)
I would happily stop here again on my travels, knowing that I would have an excellent meal, a comfortable bed, and a good spa treatment. Thorpe Park may not be grand but it is certainly a bargain.
We visited Thorpe Park Hotel and Spa in August 2011.
See also:
* Contact details for Thorpe Park Hotel and Spa (Shire Hotels)
* The Good Spa Guide's favourite family-friendly spas
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