LIFEHOUSE COUNTRY SPA RESORT

A RELAXING TIME

Nestled in the pretty conservation village of Thorpe-le-Soken, Lifehouse Country Spa Resort is fast becoming the place to be. Launched in December 2010 Lifehouse has already attracted a number of celebrities, among them the actress Lynda Bellingham, Katie Piper founder of the Katie Piper Foundation, singer Alexis Jordan, Konnie Huq host of 2010 Xtra Factor, Zoe Salmon former Blue Peter presenter and a number of the cast of the reality show The Only Way Is Essex.

Set in 130 acres of magnificent gardens and grounds (including 12 acres of listed gardens) and with its close proximity to London (80 minutes by train) and a mere 10 minutes by road to the delightful seaside town of Frinton-On-Sea, it is little wonder that so many are now flocking to this little bit of Essex.

The gardens and grounds have a long and illustrious history having once been owned by Lord and Lady Byng when the site housed the very impressive Thorpe Hall. Lord Byng was a personal envoy to King George V who along with Queen Mary was a visitor to the gardens as were other notables of the day such as Winston Churchill and Rudyard Kipling.

Thorpe Hall has long since been demolished and although some of the old walls still remain, for the most part it has been replaced by a very modern, contemporary building. The building itself is quite unpretentious and can only be fully appreciated once you have spent time both within its walls and viewing it externally from the gardens, you soon begin to appreciate the architects attempts to mix the old with the new and to blend the entire building in with the beautiful grounds in which it is set.

I recently spent a day at Lifehouse, this was to be my second visit and I was keen to establish if the spa was indeed as good as I remembered. I had spent the previous week doing some pretty heavy work in my garden, so I was in need of a little relaxation and pampering.

Check in at Lifehouse is very relaxed, a member of staff will talk you through the procedure, give you your itinerary for the day along with your voucher for your free welcome drink, and a card which works as a key for your locker in the changing rooms and for charging any extras to your bill, such as drinks, food or additional treatments. If you are new to Lifehouse you will be offered a tour of the facilities, this is a good way to familiarise yourself with the surroundings and a chance to ask any questions.

I had a room for the day (subject to availability on a day break) which meant I didn’t need to use the communal changing rooms. There are 89 bedrooms in total which are classed as good, great or best. My room was a good size with two large single beds, dressing table, TV, desk, tea/coffee making facilities, wardrobe space and a good sized bathroom with a large shower which operated electronically at a touch of a button, providing the water at a pre-determined temperature. There were also dressing gown and slippers for use within the spa.

Having changed into my swimming shorts and donning the dressing gown and slippers provided, I made my way to the ’Strawberry Tree’ juice bar (all bars and restaurants have a horticultural theme as do the two accommodation blocks, Mulberry and Willow). I exchanged my voucher for a cup of coffee and relaxed, checking my itinerary for the day.

The ‘Strawberry Tree’ is situated on the first floor near ‘The Hub’ which is the reception desk where you are required to check in for any treatments. The 35 treatment rooms and 15 manicure/pedicure stations are also situated here. I was booked in for a Serenity Treatment at 11:00 so at 10:50 I checked in and was given an electronic buzzer which would sound when my therapist was ready for me. I took my buzzer with me to the ‘Relaxation Zone’ and whiled away ten minutes on one of the three electric massage chairs. These chairs have various massage settings which include a zero gravity setting whereby the chair tilts backwards, lowering your head and raising your feet whilst pads inflate on the headrest, back and sides.

At 11:00 precisely my buzzer was activated and I made my way to ‘The Hub’ where I was greeted by Jess my therapist who then escorted me to one of the therapy rooms. Jess asked me a number of questions regarding my health and expectations of the treatment. I explained that I had suffered a slipped disc many years ago and that I still suffer from back pain as a result, Jess bears this in mind when she starts my back massage and started off gently, increasing the level of pressure to a point that I was happy with. It is this level of personal detail and care that installs trust and confidence in your therapist and encourages you to return.

After my back, neck and shoulder massage, Jess massaged my scalp before treating me to a facial which entailed hot and cold face towels as well as oils and lotions. I came away from my 50 minute session feeling wonderfully relaxed and refreshed. Jess gave me a glass of water and recommended that I drink plenty of water to hydrate myself and then escorted me to the ‘Relaxation Zone’ where I rested a while before making my way to the library.

As I had been booked in for lunch at 12:45 in ‘Water lilies’ restaurant I intended to try out the free internet service in the library prior to my meal. However, on arrival at the Library, I discovered that it was closed between 12:00 and 13:00 for a meditation class. (Lifehouse provide various activities throughout the day ranging from garden walks to dance lessons).

As I was unable to use the library at this time, I went to ‘Water lilies’ and enquired if it was possible for me to take my lunch earlier (it was now 12:15). The staff were more than happy to oblige and I was immediately seated by the window overlooking the gardens. A two course lunch with water is included in the day package and you can pay for wine, tea/coffee and deserts as extra. I opted for two courses and had Parma Ham with a Baked Fig and Blue Cheese for starters and Free range Chicken Caesar salad with Crisp Parma Ham, marinated White Anchovies and a Parmesan Crisp for my main course. It was delicious and well presented. Having eaten in the restaurant once before, I can say that the standard of food served here is of a very high standard, worthy of any top restaurant.

After an excellent lunch I made my way once again to the library where I spent ten minutes or so on the computer accessing the internet (this is a great service for guests and the library is an ideal location).

At 13:15 I entered the ’Swim Zone’ where I spent the next two hours swimming, resting and making use of the steam rooms and sauna. Unfortunately the hydrotherapy pool was closed for maintenance which was a great shame . I had really enjoyed the pool on my previous visit, it is probably the best pool of it’s kind that I have experienced , it certainly beats your average Hot tub.

I made my way back to my room to shower and get dressed before going to the ‘Orchids’ bar for my pre-booked cream tea at 16:00. I arrived a few minutes early and informed the young lady behind the bar that I had pre-booked a cream tea and she asked me to take a seat. As I did so a large group of people entered and took up seats in the restaurant, I discovered that this was a party who had been on a escorted tour of the gardens and were now taking afternoon tea. My own pot of tea arrived very quickly and I was informed that my scone would soon follow. After waiting 15 minutes I enquired as to the whereabouts of my scone, the young lady went to check on it, returning to say that it was on its way. Another 15 minutes later and my scone had still not materialised and the young lady once again went in search of it, returning with my scone, pot of jam and a dollop of cream. The young lady apologised for the delay and offered to get me a fresh pot of tea. It may have taken 30 minutes to arrive but it was well worth the wait, the scone was delicious.

After my cream tea I decided to work off some of those extra calories with a walk in the garden. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to explore all 12 acres of listed gardens but what I saw was most impressive and it was a wonderful end to a fantastic day.

Packages at Lifehouse Country Spa Resort range from day stays to overnight stays, golf breaks, ‘Bridal bliss’ packages as well as exclusive club membership which is limited to 350 members. Prices range from £65 per person for a spa day to £340 per person for a two night package on full board basis. A popular choice is the Classic stay which costs £175 and includes full board, 50 minute full body massage, overnight stay and full use of facilities.

Other facilities not already mentioned include a gym (known as the playground), a hair salon and a retail shop which sells products used within the Spa, and various treatments including Lifehouse’s Signature Treatment: Oriental Bathing Experience (OBE). This treatment is inspired by traditional oriental bath houses and is a two hour experience for up to 3 guests at a time at a cost of £120 per person. A Sleep Pod is also available which can be hired for £25 an hour.

For further information please visit www.lifehouse.co.uk