January: Pennyhill Park
Tuesday 1st January 2008 by Elizabeth Richards
Feeling in need of some R&R? Is a bit of 'me time' just what the doctor ordered? Or are you after a gift for someone who has everything?
A spa break, whether it's for an hour of an evening or a long weekend away, always does the trick so tune in monthly for our resident Spa Expert's pick of the very best spas selling their experiences online.
 For January, The Spa at Pennyhill Park got our vote.
Where is it?
Pennyhill Park Hotel & The Spa, London Road, Bagshot
Surrey, GU19 5EU
www.ExclusiveHotels.co.uk 
The line
An award-winning spa in the grounds of the world class Pennyhill Park Hotel estate.
The scene
Located within a sprawling wing of this sumptuous hotel, The Spa offers luxurious respite from the frantic pace of life and has been styled accordingly with simple neutral tones, marble floors and masses of space.
With 21 five-star therapy rooms, eight indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, an outstanding thermal suite and sensory relaxation lounge plus private VIP Suite, there’s no crowding, no queues and no claustrophobia. Huge windows offer views across the landscaped gardens to the hotel while communal areas are light and airy: even the locker room – complete with swinging sofa and private changing cubicles – is undeniably vast.
Who goes?
A steady stream of A listers, sports stars and celebrities as well as local ladies, business travellers, groups of friends and tourists staying at the hotel. Unpretentious and comfortable, this is also the perfect mother-daughter spa.
The menu
A huge array of five-star treatments and rituals for men and women to treat body and face including Reiki, Reflexology, St Tropez tanning, stone therapy, pre-natal and detoxification.
The names
Choose between Terrake and new holistic Australian brand Li’Tya.
We tried
The Terrake Terra Magica Sculpting massage, £80 for 60 minutes (£65 for spa members). Massage is perfect for restoring harmony to mind and body so if you’re feeling tired, stressed-out or tightly strung after the Christmas festivities, start the new year in style with this blissful one hour treatment.
A variation on the traditional full body massage, this is a thoroughly hands-on experience with the therapist using her own body strength to deliver a variation of light and firm strokes for tension melting rebalancing results. Treatment rooms are warm and intimate in rich tones with tiny tea lights while the relaxation room – snug beneath the eaves – has super-comfy gel beds, soft duvets and no outside noise.
The results
Emerging warm and rested, a three day lingering tension headache was cured and knotted shoulder muscles resolved.
Special mention
Factor in a night or two at the hotel as you’ll want to devote plenty of time to Thermal Heaven – the UK’s most advanced thermal sequencing experience – with its herbal saunas, laconium, tepidarium, plunge pool, aromatic schnapps steam room and ice cave.
Gift vouchers
Gift vouchers – either monetary or for a range of spa packages – are available online with same day dispatch when ordered before 12 noon Monday to Friday. Full refund available within seven days of purchase. Vouchers are also available to buy at the hotel and spa receptions.
Visit www.ExclusiveHotels.co.uk
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