Review of Alveston Manor (Macdonald Hotel), Stratford Upon Avon

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Vital Spa at Alveston Manor (Macdonald Hotel), Stratford upon Avon - 3 bubbles

A Good Spa reviewer was invited to stay overnight at Alveston Manor in Stratford-upon-Avon and to spend a Cedar Spa Day at their Vital Spa. Her conclusion? A no-frills health-club spa attached to a good hotel, with fantastic food in a great location. A great place for a relaxed, spa-inclusive mini-break.

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?

Alveston Manor is, in many ways, easy to miss; partly because it's hidden behind trees, but also because it's on a very weeny roundabout. As you're driving in over the river bridge, you get a bit caught up in the road system and your attention is grabbed by the petrol station opposite, rather than the hotel, which is set behind trees and a green-banked car park. The building at first glance seems unremarkable, though long, low and Tudor, with a few flagpoles outside the front. I think we get so used to seeing fake "historical-esque" buildings in the UK that it didn't register as impressively as it should have. I felt differently about it when I left.

However, as soon as you go into the small front reception, you get a hint of its special-ness. Having been brought up in this very historically-intact part of the country (my first Saturday job was at Warwick Castle!), it is easy for me to forget just how fortunate we are to have so much genuine, well-preserved original architecture in the area. It's easy to overlook low, beamed ceilings, sloping floors, leaded windows, small doors and random room placement that tells you that you're in a building that has been living and changing for hundreds of years.

While I was standing being checked in - which didn't take long because it was all so smoothly done - I caught sight of an old, framed document explaining the history of Alveston Manor: how it had been listed in the Domesday Book, was the site of two of the first bowling alleys dating back more than 300 years, and that the first performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream took place on its Cedar Lawn!

I love this kind of stuff. It made me feel as if I were staying in a kind of adult's Narnia. I could see uneven floors and open fires beyond, so I took my first steps through to try and find my room.

How did they welcome you?

The receptionist of the hotel was really professional and friendly and, most importantly to me, speedy. She knew I was coming, it was on the computer, the room was ready, there was no fuss about deposits or endless questions about my stay or breakfast preferences. It surprises me how rare it is to have a straightforward check-in, and I'm now just grateful for efficient service like this.

What happens next?

I wandered off in the vague direction of my room. Alveston Manor is a bit of a rabbit warren, and big and sprawling. The bars and restaurant are in the main, mainly Elizabethan building, but beyond that are the rooms, stretching off into the beyond - long corridors, staircases and annexes. I got lost. But there were plenty of staff around, and one helped me to find my room and checked I had everything I needed.

My room: My room was a good size, clean, fresh-smelling and supplied with everything I could need in the way of body wash, tea, coffee and nibbles. The bed was, happily, enormous. There was a comfortable bathroom and you could have the complete breakfast menu served in your room, as well as in the restaurant downstairs. As I was very tired and felt I knew Stratford pretty well, I decided to have an early night.

Breakfast: I went down to the restaurant for breakfast. The restaurant has different areas and you could sit where you wanted - in my case, a bit away from everyone else as I feel it's not appropriate to inflict my unkempt hair and face on the public any sooner in the day than absolutely necessary.

There was a full breakfast bar with cereals, fruit and so on. You order cooked breakfast separately. This, in my experience is a Good Thing. I never feel quite happy about my scrambled eggs having been waiting for me to arrive. Toast, too, was prepared for you and brought to you. No hanging around by huge circulating toasters.

I have a few basics that I order in hotels and restaurants which I think are good clues to the quality of the place. Poached eggs are one of them. They were perfect. The bread rolls - another clue - were fresh and soft, and came in a few different and tempting varieties.

Having checked out and put my bags into the car, I went down to the spa.

The spa: Vital Spa is a new building attached to the back of the hotel, with its own entrance and car park. It functions as a members-only health club as well as a day spa. You can get there through the hotel, and arrive in the health club reception, which is light, spacious and well staffed. The staff were immediately welcoming and relaxed, and directed me upstairs to the spa reception. Again, I was welcomed efficiently and professionally.

The receptionist asked me to fill in the health form, and to choose my lunch - there was a light, medium and indulgent selection, so that you could be as virtuous as you wanted, or otherwise. I chose to have a plate of smoked fish from Loch Fyne and a fruit platter.

After this, the receptionist showed me around... The facilities: The gym is on the top floor of the spa/club, large, well stocked, airy, light and with staff on hand to help. Downstairs is a 60ft pool (1.2m throughout; it's for swimming, not diving), with a sauna and steam room adjacent. The whole pool area is faced by a floor-to-ceiling glass wall, which makes the place feel very spacious and open. They also have a sunbed and beauty salon.

I'd decided to have my treatments first so that I was relaxed for the rest of the day. I got changed into my robe and slippers - the changing rooms are spacious and very clean - and went to the relaxation area to wait for my therapist.

Which treatments did you have?

I had a Cedar Spa Day, which included a mini-facial, soothing back massage, and a file and polish. Full use of the facilities all day came as part of the package, as did lunch in the restaurant.

What were the treatments like?

The treatments were fine.

The mini-facial was good and quite relaxing. It included the usual cleansing, scrubbing, mask and moisturising but no special features such as hot towels or head massage. It was what it said it was - a mini-facial, no frills. The back massage came before the facial and it was nice but nothing special.

Having said all that, I did feel relaxed afterwards.

It was my first ever "file and polish". This probably sounds ridiculous but is true. Somehow in all the spa-ing I've done, and the foot massages I've had, I've never had anyone "do" my toenails before. I chose a colour and away she went. It was the same therapist I'd had for my other treatments, who was very competent and easy-going. We talked a bit about the local area and various things. I would have been happy to say nothing but when she asked me after a few minutes whether I'd had a good Christmas - it was the end of February - I realised it was probably more comfortable if we had a bit of idle chit-chat. Which was okay.

How did you feel afterwards?

Good. There is a very comfortable atmosphere around Alveston Manor and it sort of seeps into you. That on top of the treatments was all I needed to feel quite content. I wasn't "blissed out" or "stoned with pleasure" on the treatments but I was definitely relaxed and felt very peaceful.

What happens afterwards?

After my treatments, I wandered back to the relaxation area and read magazines for a bit longer, then tried out the steam room and sauna. Both were a good size and clean. Neither had any special features, just plain health-club fare. I didn't want to swim by this time because I didn't want to mess with my facial. I was conscious, too, of having to get dressed to go for lunch so I heaved myself back into the changing rooms and made myself as presentable as possible, then set off down the long corridors to get back to the restaurant. The lunch: The lunch did not disappoint. Simple but very good quality, the plate of smoked fish was very generous. And it was probably the best I've had. I was full after just that, so not wanting to weigh myself down too much, and keen to hide back away at the spa, I left without having pudding.

Long-term effects

My skin wasn't noticeably better but I think facial-effects are cumulative. But the file and polish was good and left my toes looking better than they have probably ever done. And a month later, the polish and nails are still intact and looking good. Which I think is impressive, and certainly exceeded my expectations.

Was it worth it?

Yes. This isn't a "wow!" of a spa. It's not a "lose yourself in pampering and luxury" spa. But the whole package, which includes spa, is a great one, and location, hotel and spa all work together very well.

What else could you have?

The spa is well set up to cater for weekend or short-break guests. They have specific treatments for men as well as women, and "Beauty days" themed to your stay. Vital Spa uses Decleor products and offers a full range of aromatherapy-based massages, facials and other treatments, as well.

Their membership package looked a good deal; I think I would very likely join if I lived nearby. Your membership gives you a monthly discount on treatments and on products, a complimentary beauty gift every month and, of course, unlimited use of their excellent facilities.

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

That their food was so good. If I'd known, I'd have arrived earlier and left later!

I'd also have had my lunch first before my treatments so that I didn't have to get dressed and trek down to the hotel restaurant mid-spa.

Any special features?

The location: Stratford on Avon is a great place to visit. It is touristy, but with good reason. History, entertainment, a great range of restaurants, bars and shops, interesting trips and beautiful surrounding countryside. Plus, you can take yourself off for the day on a barge, or for the afternoon in a rowing boat. Or just laze around in their parks. Perfect activities for après spa!

The hotel itself: The history of Alveston Manor is intriguing enough - historic purpose-built bowling alleys, for goodness sake! Listed in the Doomsday Book in the eleventh century and with a whole treasure box of different identities and residents down through the ages, enough of the style of the old building still exists for you to easily imagine past adventures there. As with a lot of 'living buildings' it's a ramshackle of different periods - from Elizabethan beams to underground vaults used by monks in the twelfth century to the modern spa building.

The staff: Efficient, highly professional and courteous, but very relaxed, approachable and genuinely friendly. From hotel reception to spa, I felt really comfortable the whole time I was there.

The food, the food, the food!: I didn't eat that much when I was there, but everything that was served to me was simple, unpretentiously presented and excellent. And the service was attentive without being intrusive, and efficient. Perfect.

Who do you think would like it?

Anyone looking for an interesting UK spa break with lots of features. You get a good spa and health club, a hotel with excellent service, great food and a great location - lots to do and a relaxing, central pad to plan it all from. A perfect weekend or few days away, and you could be really confident of having a very relaxed time.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

I was really torn about rating this spa. For the whole experience of hotel and spa, I would definitely have given it 4 bubbles.

There were lots of things that were right about the hotel, not least the architecture and furnishings, as I've said.

The quality of service, room, facilities and food was excellent throughout.

Plus, once I'd checked in, I really did feel like a guest, not a cash dispenser. Once I was in, no-one asked me to pay any extra or discussed money with me until I checked out. Breakfast was breakfast - even in some 5-star hotels I've stayed in, "up-ing" your breakfast requirements from cornflakes to a boiled egg takes you into a new price bracket. I think this is terrible in terms of customer relations. Breakfast freshly prepared and served is such a winner with me that it set me up to enjoy the rest of my day.

But when it comes to the spa alone - and this is the Good Spa Guide! - I went with 3 bubbles. The spa is fine, but it isn't special. It's clean, relaxed, has a big pool, good-sized adjacent sauna and steam room, and an impressively-stocked, light, spacious, and well-staffed gym. The changing rooms were also very clean and well stocked with towels and hair dryers and products. There was plenty of water available. The treatment rooms were a good size and gently lit and clean. The treatment was good and so was my therapist.

But there was nothing "ooh" about any of it. It felt like a health club with spa treatments. The relaxation area was more like a waiting area. It wasn't secluded, and is just an open area off the corridor, although the spa is separate from the health club.

I also felt a bit of an odd-one-out as most of the people seemed to be there for the health rather than the spa side.

And I was really disrupted by having to get dressed and go all the way to the hotel restaurant halfway through my spa day when I just wanted to flop around with no make-up and bad hair in the spa, or lounge around the pool; lounging space was a bit hard to come by. I wonder whether it might be a better idea for the restaurant to bring your food up to the spa as a kind of high-class personal picnic, so that you could eat, still wrapped in your robe, in the relaxation area.

See more on how we rate the spas

Would you go again?

Yes. I'd go back with my partner for a few days. And really look forward to it, too!

This spa review is due an update as we visited in 2006

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