Spa. We’ve been to some incredible ones and some not so much. Eden Hall is a new one on our radar and the sister to Hoar Cross Hall, just a hop, skip and a jump from Brum. We popped along in the stressful run up to Christmas for a bit of R&R.
The historic building is handsome and a bit like a rabbit warren with relaxing nooks and crannies at every turn. Despite the car park being full, the spa felt busy in a healthy way, but not crowded. Once checked in and nestled in a fluffy robe – take your own slippers or flip-flops or buy a pair from the spa shop – we headed straight for a door marked Slumber Room.
Lined with beds – single and double – to relax on as well as a handful of hanging sleep pods, it was a super chilled space that immediately induced a restorative catnap. We didn’t realise how stressed we were until we stopped and took a breath and could have stayed put all day, but that would have made for a very short article.
GOOD AS GOLD
We were booked in for the Good As Gold package which included use of all the facilities – they’re extensive – a three-course lunch and a 55-minute full body treatment that included a golden almond oil, hence the name. We always like to use facilities before having a treatment as it seems a waste of good product to have a treatment then jump into a pool and wash them away, so we headed for the thermal rooms and pool first.
There’s a salt inhalation room, rose steam room and herbal caldarian as well as more standard sauna and hydro jets. It’s a beautifully warm section of the spa – the sort of heat that makes your shoulders drop immediately. There’s invigoration from massage jets or soothing in the form of the salt inhalation room and everything in between.
Clearly we were craving relaxation as we headed for soothing and chilled at every turn. The salt inhalation room was our top pick. The 25-metre pool was a winner and a great place to chill out although we preferred the beds in the Slumber Room if lounging’s your jam. There’s a well-equipped gym too that we didn’t use as we were focused on R&R.
PRODUCTS CHOICE
The treatment rooms use mainly Elemis and Clarins and recently Dr Levy which is more of a medi-spa brand well worth checking out. The Gold As Gold treatment we tried is available throughout January, February and March and is slightly different using a number of techniques and different products such as the Natural Spa Factory almond oil and Spa Find salt scrub.
The name of the game with this treatment is circulation boosting and detoxifying. A healing turmeric salt scrub felt amazing followed by a massage which was really quite deep in a good way. I’m not sure the last time I had my calves massaged other than a quick daily slick of moisturiser and it felt well overdue. My shoulders were really tight and there was a fair bit of cracking and creaking that released some tension.
Afterwards, I felt totally relaxed and my skin felt smooth and nourished. The post treatment relaxation room was almost entirely made of glass, so I got a big shot of vitamin D as I sipped a fresh peppermint tea. A view over the grounds revealed a group of people braving the cold chatting in the outdoor hot tub.
LUNCH ANYONE?
Lunch was a big deal and not constrained by the need to be healthy although there were plenty of nourishing options. It felt like a more indulgent experience than puritanical. We rocked up earlier than my lunch booking on the off chance we could be squeezed in and despite being fully booked, the staff were charming and efficient. There’s a buffet style bar for starters and/or sides which was great – gorgeous breads, smoked salmon, salads, roasted vegetables, etc. You get the picture.
The menu was small, but balanced and appealing. We plumped for a delicious ham hock terrine followed by a sticky teriyaki salmon with pak choi followed by a dreamy rhubarb crumble tart with custard. Happy days. Most people were having a tipple over lunch. We didn’t, but there was an extensive gin menu that winked encouragingly and a great wine list. Definitely worth a look.
While there are no rooms at Eden Hall, it’s easily close enough to Birmingham to make the trip in a day and well worth the effort. The Good As Gold package we sampled costs £140 during the week and £150 at the weekend. While it’s not an insignificant amount of money it felt well worth it. If you’re feeling a bit meh post-Christmas and in need of some self-care, take a look.