Calcot and Spa
The lowdown
Spavellous for
Spa info
Recently refurbished Calcot Spa is a delight – not least due to it having one of our favourite outdoor hot tubs of any UK spa, with a roaring log fire backdrop, and best reclined in with a glass of fizz.
Calcot’s spa is a great choice for some perfect pampering, with well-kept facilities and a range of indulgent treatments to soothe soul and wrinkle. It boasts a good-sized (16m) swimming pool, which is bathed in natural light, plus sauna, steam room and the pièce de résistance outdoor hot tub. And, with 220 acres to play with, including a couple of well-maintained tennis courts and outdoor gym, there’s a lot to do within Calcot’s ‘playground’. Whether you’re lucky (and wealthy!) enough to be staying over, or are booked in for a spa day package, you’re pretty much guaranteed to come away feeling perfectly pampered and relaxed.
Treatment highlights
Calcot spa offers Aromatherapy Associates, Elemis and CACI treatments, with a full menu of nurturing and indulgent options, ranging from facials to top-to-toes treatments.
We recommend:
The Aromatherapy Associates Garden of England Rose Restore massage – a great choice if you’re looking to feel truly pampered and relaxed, and you get to choose your own music to add to the enjoyment.
The facial equivalent is the indulgent Rose Renew facial. This 85 minute treatment incorporates a back massage, so is perfect for anyone torn between facial and massage.
For lovers of a more hi-tec facial, choose from the Elemis BIOTEC and CACI treatments that use technology to deliver targeted skincare results.
rooms
wining & dining
The food carries on the ‘something for everyone’ theme with two dining options:
The laid-back pub-style Gumstool Inn serves bistro classics like burgers, local steak and fishcakes, and the smarter but unstuffy Conservatory is a hit for more gourmet, modern British and European fare.
Both eateries feature seasonal food with some of the ingredients sourced from their own organic farm.
why so spavellous?
Because of its high-quality all-round appeal, friendly feel and properly relaxing spa. We last carried out a review of Calcot with toddler and parents-in-law in tow and they all loved the place, with no-one feeling like they were compromising in any way.
The hot tub/open-fire combo creates a lovely outdoor relaxation space rain or shine. Plus the range of professionally-delivered spa treatments make you feel fabulous.
Calcot is one of just a few UK spas that offers OFSTED-registered childcare. The fun-filled Playbarn for younger children, and the ever-popular Mez for over 8s, with its smorgasbord of screens, ranging from wiis to its own in-house cinema.
spavellous tips
If you’re booking a spa day, try to book any treatments towards the end of the day so you can use the pool and hot tub first and not undo the enduring benefits of any aromatherapy products used.
If you don’t have children in tow, choose one of the 12 adult-only rooms in the main hotel.
spa-goers say
‘I loved the space and the grounds were perfect for my morning run and the pool’s long enough to do lengths’
‘Probably best to avoid visiting the spa at ‘family swim time’ if you’re looking to chill’