Review of Vale Resort, Hensol

Vale Resort, Hensol - 5 bubbles

The Vale Resort is a destination with quality hotel accommodation, two championship golf courses and the largest spa in Wales. The luxury spa boasts an amazing array of treatments, three exceptional relaxation zones and state-of-the-art leisure facilities. The Vale Spa encompasses everything you would want in a spa. Every detail of your spa journey has been planned to perfection. Expect to be impressed!

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 Vale Resort is in Hensol, just a short drive from Cardiff city centre, into the stunning Welsh countryside. At the end of a long driveway you'll find the resort with its modern building and enormous car park.

What's on offer?

Accommodation:

There are a variety of room options available. All are spacious and contemporary in style, with extremely comfortable beds. Most have their own private balcony with superb views over the Lake golf course and surrounding parkland. All rooms are fully equipped with the high standard of amenities that you would expect of a 4-star hotel.

Leisure facilities:

There's a family-friendly health club with a supervised crèche, day nursery and a juniors club.

The airy and bright gym features an impressive variety of 80 cardiovascular and resistance machines all fitted with the latest Technogym key system. The spacious changing rooms have a dry changing room for gym-users only.

The 20-metre indoor swimming pool is kept child-free during timetabled slots throughout the day. The other wet facilities are near the pool, including a mood-lit steam-room, traditional wooden sauna and relaxing Jacuzzi.

The fully air-conditioned fitness and dance studios offer a full timetable of 60 classes every week. There are three floodlit tennis courts and three state-of-the-art squash courts available for the really energetic.

The resort has two 18-hole championship courses, both of which have played host to PGA professional championships. There is a 16-bay driving range and putting greens, a coaching academy, golf shop and clubhouse.

The spa:

When we visited, The Vale Spa had just had a substantial refurbishment. The new design encompasses everything a spa should feature and so much more! There is a clear demarcation between spa and health club, with the swimming pool being the only shared facility. Once you are in the spa, you are guaranteed tranquillity.

Your journey beings in the spa shop and Chai Café. This area is bright and contemporary with funky modern furniture and bright product displays. Before I went through to the spa a member of staff gave me a drawstring bag containing a soft white robe, slippers and towel.

The changing rooms are certainly the most glamorous and luxurious this spa spy has come across. In the centre of the room was a huge cream-leather bench and around the walls were bright-purple, key-code lockers. There were three vanity stations, positioned to overlook the pool, each fully stocked with Clarins products. Even the toilets were decked out in contemporary-glam décor, with bright, stripey Paul Smith-esque walls.

The Thermae Suite offers a selection of thermal experiences. It boasts a traditional sauna complete with birch twigs for body brushing, and two experience showers with hot and cold "rainforest" settings and coloured lighting to further stimulate the senses. There's an ice fountain to rub handfuls of ice flakes into your tired limbs to boost circulation. Or you can try rubbing in one of the natural salts, muds or Clarins lotions on offer to cleanse and moisturise your skin. The spa also has a floatation tank, hydrotherapy bath, Jacuzzi and steam room.

There are 19 luxurious treatment rooms, including three dual rooms for enjoying with a partner or friend. Manicures and pedicures take place in a bright, contemporary lounge overlooking the pool, complete with more sofas to relax on, and four fish pedicure pools.

Relaxation is taken very seriously here, with themed relaxation zones offering a variety of sensory experiences to help you unwind. The "chill-out zone" is a huge room with deep, soft leather sofas. You can sit back and simply contemplate, or pick up one of the latest magazines on offer. The "float zone" is a dimly lit room with six huge warm-water beds and a calming water feature. The "sleep zone" is an Indian-inspired slumber lounge. In this tented room there are comfy beds, silk quilts and coloured candles burning, to help you drift away. There is also a scented chromotherapy room where you can sink into a comfy lounger whilst rebalancing your energy.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the Sundari Odati Treatment (70 minutes £70).

What were the treatments like?

One of the dual rooms available at the Vale Spa is a deluxe Sundari room. This vast, tranquil room has dark wooden floors and cabinets, and silk wall-hangings and throws in the same Indian ornamental patterns as the Sundari packaging. In the corner of the room is a beautiful walk-in shower with mosaic tiling. Scented candles burned around the room and gentle Indian music played in the background.

My therapist Francesca began by explaining my treatment, starting with the Sundari product range and how it has incorporated the ancient Ayurvedic philosophies. Then she explained the treatment and ran through my consultation form to prescribe my dosha, and devise my treatment accordingly.

Francesca began with a foot ritual to start the process of relaxation. Next, Francesca performed a warming back massage using Sundari neem and triphala oil, which has a lovely musky smell. She then smoothed on a gentle cleansing gel for dry skin, followed by a lemon cleanser containing small granules. After each stage Francesca washed my back with a warm towel and dried it with a super-soft towel.

Francesca applied a neem and green tea mask on my back, then covered my back in a plastic sheet and pulled the covers over me. While the mask was penetrating my skin, Francesca massaged the backs of my legs. The plastic covering made me feel very warm, so I was relieved when Francesca unwrapped me to wash the mask off. Francesca finished my back by applying a musky smelling, hydrating moisturiser.

Next, Francesca turned me over and performed the most amazing face massage I have ever experienced. She used a fragrant oil with rose and orange, and used her fingertips to massage. I managed to drift back into consciousness during the final scalp massage.

What else could you have?

There is an almost endless choice of treatments at the Vale Spa. The spa uses Clarins and Sundari products for all the treatments and therapies. There is an interesting selection of facials, massage and body treatments.

The Clarins Luxury Elixir Facial is exclusive to the Vale Spa.

The Sundari treatments offer traditional Auyurvedic therapies with dosha-specific products. There are also other holistic experiences that include reflexology, Reiki and aroma massage.

There is a specially designed spa menu for men, and finally those finishing touches: manicures, pedicures, tinting, waxing and make-overs.

Food facts

Light spa lunches and tasty snacks are served in the Chai Café, which has a bubbly buzz to the atmosphere. I highly recommend the superb Caesar salad.

Dinner is served in the Vale Grill Restaurant which offers an à la carte "Best of Wales" menu. Alternatively, you can have a more informal meal in the Vale Bar or Golf Club Bar. I can recommend the tasty Welsh black fillet steak, which I enjoyed whilst gazing out over stunning countryside.

Was it worth it?

Spa breaks and spa days at the Vale Spa are very reasonably priced. You are guaranteed excellent treatments by highly trained staff. There is plenty to do, so you will probably need more than one day to get full use of the facilities.

We loved

The fabulous Sundari treatment, and my highly skilled therapist.

The relaxation zones are a creative way to ensure spa-goers can relax.

We didn't love

There was a lack of signage, so you can end up wandering in circles.

Who do you think would like it?

Anyone who loves to spa!

Why did you give the spa this rating?

We gave the Vale Resort and Spa a well-deserved 5 bubbles. Vale Resort have carefully considered what is good to include in a spa journey. The result is a creative space with a spa experience to satisfy your every need.