Review of Whatley Manor (Aquarias Spa), Malmesbury

Whatley Manor (Aquarias Spa), Malmesbury - 5 bubbles

Sybaritic Spy and Spouse were invited to sample La Prairie treats at the Aquarias Spa in this country-house hotel in the Cotswolds. She found that Whatley Manor offers a superb day-spa experience, an even better stay experience, and a very affordable evening spa experience. We had trouble getting her to leave.

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?

The approach to the hotel is down a long drive lined with elm trees and edged by dry-stone walls that apparently took two Cornish craftsmen a year to build. As you reach the building, the sign directs you to drive towards a pair of huge arched wooden doors. We sat open mouthed, enjoying the scene that was revealed as the doors slowly opened: a Grade-II listed Cotswold-stone manor house, with a lavender- and rose-fringed courtyard.

How did they welcome you?

By the time we had recovered enough to drive into the courtyard, someone was waiting to greet us and take us inside. And they greeted us like a much-awaited and welcome guest. Someone took our car keys, whisked the luggage off to our room, and moved the car to the car park. Magic!

While all that was happening, we had a tour of the hotel, and ended up at our room, which was huge. I had to count the windows; there were five overlooking the courtyard and down onto the gardens. There was plenty of space for the four-poster bed, some Japanese-inspired furniture, an elegant sofa, and a TV hidden in a cupboard that automatically turned to face the bed when switched on.

What happens next?

We headed for the spa to enjoy the pool and the thermal suite before our treatment time.

The Spa at Whatley Manor is the Aquarias Spa. Aquarias Spa is in a carefully constructed extension to the hotel; you can reach the spa by going down a flight of stairs, along a walkway, and up another flight of stairs. This keeps the spa and the hotel as two quite separate areas. It also means that even if it is raining, your spa experience needn't be dampened.

The spa has a large lounge which serves drinks, afternoon tea and light lunches. If you are here for the day, you don't have to risk rubbing shoulders with fully dressed guests when you are in your robe.

The circular hydrotherapy pool looks out through large windows onto the gardens; there are also doors to a decking area where you can sit on loungers and enjoy the sun.

The pool has underwater loungers, swan pipes, and a powerful central Jacuzzi area. You can swim out into the sunshine and back into the indoor pool, stopping to enjoy the outside bubble area on the way. There are comfortable loungers inside and out, and plenty of fluffy cream towels to hand.

Up a flight of stairs (or in the neat small lift for anyone with mobility problems) is the thermal suite. The thermal suite includes a caldarium, laconium, Finnish sauna and chamomile steam room, plus two "experience showers". You can wander from heat experience to cooling shower and on to the next heat experience. During our visit, they were renewing the salt showers and the chamomile steam room. We are taking them at their word when they say that they will be back in action very soon. There is also a small gym with a PowerPlate for anyone feeling energetic.

The relaxation area is a huge tepidarium with tiled, reclining seats that are heated to just the right temperature to help you lie back and relax. It's almost monastic in its stone-and- tile simplicity, and quiet. Just right for serious relaxing.

We also tried the Wave Dream Sensory Room. You watch moving images on the ceiling and walls, and listen to soothing sounds drift around you as you lie back in huge chairs. It was interesting, but far too chilly to stay long, so I headed back to the tepidaruim to await my treatment.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the La Prairie Platinum Rare Facial (90 minutes, £260). This treatment was new to Whatley Manor at the time of my visit as La Prairie had only just launched this luxury facial worldwide.

What were the treatments like?

I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this treatment. I've had La Prairie facials before and loved them, but how could this facial be any better than their caviar facial which is in my top five best-ever treatments?

Well, there are two therapists for a start. I had Jodie and Heather; Jodie looked after my face and Heather (lucky girl) my hands and feet. Jodie and Heather explained what they would do in a nicely rehearsed double act, then left me to get on the couch. When they returned, they worked together, starting with hot cloths on my shoulders and feet which they moved around at exactly the same time. They did everything in unison, without talking.

The next stage was exfoliation, massage and moisturisation. As well as being a facial plus hand and foot treatment, the La Prairie Platinum Rare Facial is a multi-sensory experience. Combining touch and smell, hot and cold, rough and smooth, it blanks out all other thoughts. Often at some deep level during a treatment, I am mentally rearranging my diary or listing the emails I must send. But during this treatment, the sensory overload was so strong, and so delightful, that I simply could not think of anything else. You can't worry over problems while one person is slathering your face with silky smooth creams and massaging your tense neck muscles, and another is massaging your toes!

At one point, Jodie used a warm cloth to remove a product from my face, just as Heather applied a cold cream wash to my legs. The cream felt icy cold and the cloth felt suddenly very hot. The three-minute peel on my face tingled as it worked, but I was distracted from any discomfort by the oils Heather was massaging into my legs. The wonderful smells (jasmine in the massage oil and fragrant salts in the foot spa) all added to the complexity of the treatment and encouraged me to let go and drift.

At one point, Jodie laid a fine gauze coated with moisturiser over my face. Then she used smooth "thermoglobes" to massage the moisturiser into my skin. The globes were warm and, as they moved, made a gentle, soporific, sloshing sound… which is when I fell asleep for the second time!

The only awkward spot in this treatment is at the beginning, when you put your feet into a foot spa propped on the couch. It felt odd having the foot-bath on the bed. To get my feet into the water properly, I needed to half sit up. I think it would be better to begin the treatment with the foot spa while sitting in a chair. It takes a few minutes for the therapists to explain everything and they could happily do that while you soak your feet in preparation for the treatment. It would avoid having to lift your feet high enough to get them into the foot-bath, which does leave you feeling strangely vulnerable as air breezes around your nether end. Heather very niftily slid a rolled cushion under my legs; this helped make me feel more secure and, when she took the foot spa away, supported my legs nicely.

How did you feel afterwards?

After an hour and a half of concentrated attention from two such brilliant therapists? Completely relaxed and floaty.

What happens afterwards?

You need to avoid water and heat treatments after the La Prairie Platinum Rare Facial, so I had planned my day to make sure I could do just about nothing for a while. All I had to do was lounge about beside the pool and look in a mirror every now and then to admire my skin!

Long-term effects

My skin was fantastically plumped up. I hadn't really noticed how dry and unattractive the skin on my arms and legs had become (sheer neglect) but I could see that these areas were now plumped and smooth. The deep lines above my lips were much less noticeable. The skin on my neck looked heaps better as well.

Was it worth it?

With just 23 rooms, Whatley Manor feels more like a private house than a hotel. A private house with its own Michelin-starred chef on hand, plenty of luxurious touches and, of course, a great spa. The hotel is pricey, but luxury like this doesn't come cheap. Start saving, spa bunnies: it's worth it. The spa days are fairly priced for the range of facilities and quality of treatments.

The Relax and Restore day at £148 includes use of all the facilities, a 60-minute treatment, and lunch in the spa lounge. The Couples Indulgence day at £248 includes the serail mud chamber treatment as well as lunch and use of the spa. Real romantics may want to push the boat out and book the couples suite for a three-hour treatment at £530 for two.

Look out for Whatley Manor's special offers. When we visited, they were offering an evening spa experience at £38 for two. On our visit, a group of friends was meeting up for the evening, planning to spend three hours enjoying the pool and the thermal suite while catching up with each other. They told me that they come regularly and consider it a great way to spend time together, while relaxing and de-stressing.

What else could you have?

A range of La Prairie treatments; Aquarias is "the only La Prairie five star Art of Beauty centre outside London". Choose from the popular caviar firming treatment or the indulgent three-hour Swiss Bliss face and body treatment, or opt for one of the treatment packages, such as the Aquarias La Prairie Signature Experience which includes a salt and oil body polish, a flower bath, a four-hands massage, and a "fresh mint tea ritual" to close.

You can choose from a range of facials, Ressource Minerale massages, and scrubs, wraps and reflexology. There are specific treatments for mums-to-be, too. If you want some finishing touches, there are Jessica manicures and pedicures, and waxing and tinting are also available.

The spa offers a serail mud chamber with its own steam room and showers; if you've never done this before, it's great fun, and very sensual. A serail is a very small hammam or steam room. The treatment allows you and your partner (friend or lover) to slather each other in mud before sweating out impurities in the serail whilst the heat and mud combination detoxifies your skin and soothes away stresses and strains. A "rain shower" signifies the end of the treatment as you wash the mud off.

What do you wish you'd known before you went?

To listen to other Spa Spies who told me I would want to spend more time in the spa, in the gardens, and in the hotel.

Any special features?

The gardens: 12 acres of delightful greenery from a rose garden to formal terraces, to a stunning pool with modern sculpture to a terrace kitchen garden. You can also head down to the river, Sherston Avon, where things are wilder and there is a chance to spot kingfishers.

The couples treatment room: this has two treatment beds, a cushioned lounger, and a hydrotherapy bath that is lit by candles and strewn with flower petals!

The top-of-the-range La Prairie products and the treatments that have been developed especially for Whatley Manor.

Who do you think would like it?

Couples: Whatley Manor has to be one of the most romantic hotels and spas around.

Foodies: Don't miss the two Michelin-starred Dining Room. The food is pretty spectacular. A range of amuse-bouches and foams appear between courses. I had to bribe my husband to let me try his lamb (which is raised on the estate), offering him a taste of my excellent turbot in exchange. His egg-custard tart with cherries was rich and creamy while my summer berries came with a raspberry pavlova covered in white chocolate. Heavenly! (The Dining Room is closed on Monday and Tuesday. The second dining room, the Swiss restaurant, is very Swiss with tiles, lots of wood and small patterns, and serves much simpler food. Breakfast is served in the Swiss restaurant and on the sheltered terrace beside the kitchen garden.)

Day spa-goers: The heat experiences and the pool are delightful and there is plenty to do before and after treatments.

Gardeners: The gardens are uplifting and inspiring. A good walk down to the river Avon is just the right conclusion to day of lounging by the pool so you can work up an appetite for dinner.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Whatley Manor keeps its 5 bubbles. It's a seriously good spa that offers plenty of thermal experiences, excellent treatments, lovely food, and plenty of space to unwind and relax. Everything is good quality and the whole spa is spotlessly clean.

See more on how we rate the spas