There are thousands of spa offers out there but it is essential to pick the right type of spa – full of quality facilities and relaxation areas, a controlled amount of guests, professional treatments and therapists, a high standard of food and of course the wow factor is a must.  Your spa choice can speak volumes.

Our top ten UK spas for Valentines are:

The Spa at Pennyhill Park Hotel

The Spa at Pennyhill Park – Bagshot, Surrey

Perhaps one of the most impressive facilities and the only complete thermal experience spa in the UK.  This is one of the country’s leading five red star resort hotels which has deservedly attained a multitude of awards for its facilities, service and standards.  You and your loved one will have plenty to do, from sensory relaxation lounges, herbal saunas, aromatic laconium, a tepidarium, ice cave and an abundance of pools in-door and out.

Luxury Spa Days £180 pp / £230 pp / £235

Two Night Luxury Spa Break £820

Garden Spa at Barnsley House

Garden Spa at Barnsley House – Cirencester, Gloucestershire

This is a stunning Cotswold Manor House hotel spa retreat straight from the pages of a period drama but with a beautifully elegant and contemporary interior to the hotel  and modern glass spa complex.  There is a very natural feel to this spa with its extensive views outside, use of natural stone and hanging aromatic herbs.  A lovely sized facility with steam room, sauna, relaxation rooms and fantastic outdoor hydrotherapy pool.  Definitely a loved-up destination.

Luxury Spa Days £200 pp

Ockenden Spa at Ockenden Manor

Ockenden Manor – Cuckfield, Sussex

Tucked away at the end of a little country lane in a very pretty little Tudor village of Cuckfield you will find the romantic hideaway of Ockenden Manor.  In December 2011 a magnificent contemporary spa was added inside its 19^th Century walled garden that seamlessly blurs the lines between old and new and complements the heritage of the main house.   The Spa is full of facilities with a natural underground spring that feeds the Spa’s river-stone floored indoor pool with a swim through to heated outdoor area.  There are also flotation tanks and experience showers, outdoor hot tubs gym, sauna, steam rooms and a wonderful roof terrace relaxation area with views over the South Downs.

Luxury Spa Days £110 pp / £160 pp / £180 pp  and Mother to-be £210

Kallima Spa at London Syon Park

Kallima Spa at Syon Park – Syon Park, London

Just outside central London in the estate of the Duke of Northumberland is the Waldorf Astoria’s newest London hotel in Syon Park.  A remarkable contemporary 5 star hotel with an exquisite state-of-the-art spa.  Enjoy bespoke spa experiences where you uniquely book the time only and then treatments are decided upon by your needs and how you feel on the day with the guidance of highly qualified therapists.

Luxury Spa Days £265.20 pp /  Luxury Spa Breaks £406.80 per couple

The Spa at Blythswood Hotel

Blythswood Hotel – Glasgow, Scotland

A newly opened and thoroughly modern luxury spa in a gorgeous five star boutique townhouse setting.  An impressive wow-factor spa with clever lighting effects that have a lovely calming effect.  Facilities wise you have a thermal suite, various experience rooms, two relaxation pools, relaxation lounge and café areas.

Luxury Spa Days £99 pp / Luxury Spa Break £219 pp

Stoke Park Spa by SPC

Stoke Park Spa – Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire

All girls will know the Bridget Jones Diary scene with Hugh Grant falling out of the row boat.  You can create your own romantic break at the same instantly recognisable location at Stoke Park. This is a renowned sporting estate and private members club with a separate grand spa building with a warm and comfortable feel.  On the flip side it is also the location in Layer Cake where Daniel Craig was shot at the end of the film – not quite as romantic but the boys will like it.

Luxury Spa Days £199 pp

Temple Spa at Cotswold House Hotel

Temple Spa at Cotswold House – Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire

Try a perfect day of looking round one of the Cotswold’s prettiest villages combined with a luxury spa day with afternoon tea.  Cotswold House Hotel is a quirky and ultra stylish boutique regency style building in the heart of the town.  Through the gardens is their bijou spa where you can enjoy a wonderfully day in a completely relaxed setting.  Treatments are exceptional and here you will enjoy a more intimate experience, with less facilities but acres of charm.

Luxury Spa Days £175 per couple / Luxury Spa Breaks £330 per couple

The Spa at Bovey Castle

The Spa at Bovey Castle – Dartmoor National Park, Devon

For a heavenly breakaway, Bovey Castle is a magnificent country estate in the beautiful Dartmoor Park where you can enjoy ancient Indian healing techniques from this flagship spa for product house, Sundari in the UK.  An idyllic location with dramatic views to the park from the indoor infinity pool.  Despite its grandeur the hotel is totally unstuffy and makes for a perfect retreat for indoor relaxing and various outdoor activities.

Luxury Spa Breaks £189.50 per couple

Calcot Spa at Calcot Manor

Calcot Spa at Calcot Manor – Nr Tetbury, Gloucestershire

This is a very special destination – a much loved spa set in 220 acres of grounds of this pretty 14^th Century manor house.  Its appeal is its reassuringly warm approach and welcoming atmosphere.  Modern and stylish yet built for comfort, you can enjoy outdoor and indoor swimming with sauna, steam room and gym.  There is also an Ofsted registered crèche to off load the kids too.

Luxury Spa Days £200 pp

The Spa at Holm House

The Spa at Holm House – Penarth, Wales

Fancy a unusual romantic hideaway? Holm House hotel and spa has just 12 bedrooms and a bijou spa facility.  The hotel is just yards from the Glamorgan Heritage Coastline and a stone’s throw from Cardiff’s bustling city centre.  It is a definite must to stay at and then to enjoy a spa day as the bedrooms are superb, treatments by Aromatherapy Associates amazing.  Just lie back and relax by the small indoor pool, take a brisk stroll to the beach and enjoy great food at the restaurant.

Luxury Spa Days £90 pp / Luxury Spa Breaks £250 per couple

For more luxury spa experiences in the UK and Worldwide see www.designspas.com.

We unveil the 10-point essential guide to looking great, feeling healthy and improving your lot in 2012.  Spas have been used for thousands of years for their positive proven health effects and to negate the effects of stress – why not revel in the true health care benefits spas provide through heat, massage and buoyancy:

The Spa at Pennyhill Park Hotel

Steam

Steam instantly opens pores and induces sweating – which is natures toxin releaser – leaving the skin softer, cleaner and ultimately healthier.  Holds a whole myriad of benefits from respiratory to the elevation of the heart rate, increases the blood flow which in turn increases metabolism.  It is great for weight loss and the steam also acts as a natural joint relaxer  - perfect for arthritis sufferers and individuals with bone or muscle problems.  Respiratory wise it opens up the lungs and bronchial tubes and is great for asthma and other breathing disorders thanks to the temperature and the water vapour.  Also shown to have great effects on our physiology by increasing mental calm and act as an antidote to insomnia and other sleeping problems.

The Spa at Blythswood Spa

Steam with Oils

As above benefits but with increased and targeted effects with the combination of steam with essential oils from natural ingredients such as lavender and eucalyptus – lavender acting as a mild sedative, helps against agitation and for mild pain relief, and eucalyptus great for colds, sinus infections and bronchitis.

The Herb House Spa

Heat

Dry heat is normally more tolerable than steam and directly heats the body and accelerates the body functions.  You relax but your body reacts by sweating as though it has performed vigorous exercise.  Sweating again to rid the body of toxins and also acts to loosen up the muscles and joints and perfect for stimulating weight loss, albeit temporarily.

Banyan Tree Phuket

Massage

Massage has a number of physical and emotional benefits. During massage treatments, tension, stiffness and sore muscles are worked at to help you relax and relieve pain. Stress and tension are rubbed away and as certain muscles are massaged, specific emotions are released.  Massage will increase the lymphatic flow which will detox and increase circulation whilst allowing your muscles to relax due to the release and removal of lactic acid.

Sandy Lane Barbados

Relaxation

The relaxation areas in spas will allow your body time to absorb the oils used in your treatments and essential to balance the mind, body and soul.  These spaces, either silent or for quiet talking are to get you into a calm frame of mind and to enjoy the soporific effects of great therapy post-treatments.

Raw & Cured at the Herb House Spa

Health Foods

Stimulate good habits this year with healthy ingredients and cooking techniques with drinking plenty of water to flush through toxins and to keep you hydrated.

Blue Harbour Spa

Treatment therapy

The combination of treatment process, natural and synthetic products to heal and treat various disorders.  Various materials used for their effects of preserving heat and to have a positive impact on blood circulation, detoxification as well as to cure pains and injuries with some anti-inflammatory effects and help against soft tissue ailments, as well as products to soften skin texture, draw out impurities and support natural exfoliation.

Banyan Tree Al Wadi Ice Room

Cold

Radical new treatments are shown to reduce pain and inflammation of muscles and joints and to release endorphins.

The Garden Spa at Barnsley House

Thalassotherapy

The medical use of water for a wide range of natural treatments for their highly positive effect on the skin, relieving stress and improving overall well being.  Elements of the water such as magnesium, calcium, sodium and sulphates are believed to have beneficial effects on the pores of the skin. The other components such as various types of seaweed contribute positively with their antibiotic, bacterialstatic and antiviral properties.

As a result the thalassotherapy may help you to relax but also fights with the symptoms of aging, reduces the cellulite and rejuvenate your body. The marine and ocean environment will melt away the stress of everyday life and treat positively your body and mind. Thalassotherapy helps with diseases, such as respiratory diseases (e.g. asthma and bronchitis), circulatory diseases (e.g. arteriosclerosis and hypertension) and muscle atrophy, as well as has anti-inflammatory effect on rheumatism and arthritis.

The Stableyard Spa

Quality Time with Loved Ones

A time you can spend dear with no distractions and completely at harmony with each other.  Worth it in itself.

Take a look at the best spas in the country offering the greatest health benefits with www.designspas.com   

TEN OF THE BEST DINE & SPA DESTINATIONS IN THE UK

Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa – Bagshot Surrey

Pennyhill Park Hotel & The Spa

Very few destinations hold this hotel’s pedigree – A Michelin starred restaurant which is also one of three hotel restaurants in the UK with the accolade of five red star AA Rosettes.  The spa is the largest spa facility in Europe and the only total thermal experience spa in the UK. Although the hotel has a lovely café facility at the spa and a Brasserie we recommend a stay with dinner from the tasting menu in the Latymer restaurant.

Design Spas Day Spa Packages from: £180pp

Design Spas Overnight Spa Breaks from: £820 per couple for 2 nights

Dining benefits available at this property.

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

Barnsley House – Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Barnsley House

A super elegant and stylish contemporary hotel and restaurant in a stunning ‘period drama’ style Manor House.  The Garden Spa is a thoroughly modern glass structure with its floor to ceiling windows, use of natural stone and aromatic herbs hanging from wooden beams – just the setting alone will make you feel replenished.

Design Spas Day Spa Packages from: £200pp

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

Limewood –  New Forest, Hampshire

Limewood Hotel

One of the country’s most chic boutique country house hotel’s renovated with a modern, light and airy feel.  A true definition of the modern classic.  The Dining Room Restaurant is understated style where you will feel comfortable whether or not you are formally dressed with creative British cuisine.  Their Herb House Spa is a refined and luxurious 22,000sq ft design over three floors featuring a forest sauna, rooftop herb garden filled with fragrant fresh herbs, outdoor and indoor wet facilities and spacious treatment rooms.

Design Spas Days and Spa Break offers available

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

Cowley Manor – Nr Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Cowley Manor

An astonishingly grand stately home now hotel with ultra swish and flamboyant interior.  The Cowley Manor Restaurant is a feast for the senses proudly focusing on its local produce.  The C-Side Spa is a befitting palatial modern glass structure with cutting edge facilities.  Adorable bedrooms make for a  memorable stay.

Design Spas Overnight Spa Breaks: £295 per couple

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

Chewton Glen – New Forest, Hampshire

Chewton Glen

A distinctively English leading five star hotel ideal for first class pampering.  The immaculate Vetiver Restaurant is a three AA Rosette destination restaurant in its own right.  The spa has topped the best spa lists globally for many years for its numerous facilities and magnificent classical pool area and hydrotherapy pool.

Design Spas Days and Spa Break offers available

Dining benefits available at this property.

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

The Bath Priory – Bath

Bath Priory

A sublime five star country house hotel in the heart of Bath full of old English charm and character.  It has the feel more of a private home than hotel to make any visit feel relaxed and precious. The restaurant is overseen by two Michelin starred chef, Michael Caines MBE and the Garden Spa is very comfortable and intimate with a wonderful pool area.

Dining benefits available at this property.

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

Ockenden Manor – Cuckfield, Sussex

Ockenden Manor

A fine Elizabethan manor house hotel tucked away in a picturesque tudor village.  Michelin starred dining is served in its ultra smart and cosy restaurant which overlooks the South Downs National Park.  Its spa is newly opened in the grounds of its 19^th Century walled garden and seamlessly blends the modern fully equipped spa retreat  with the main house.

Design Spas Day and Spa Break offers available

Dining benefits available at this property.

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

The Grove – Chandler’s Cross, Hertfordshire

The Grove

A luxury five star grand country house resort full of contemporary glamour.  Colette’s is the fine dining restaurant offering (there are two others in case you prefer a less formal) and has recently been awarded a well deserved three AA Rosettes.  The Sequoia Spa is set a short distance behind the main hotel and offers a state of the art facility with striking originality such as black mosaic ozone friendly indoor pool and appealing quirky spa furnishings.

Dining benefits available at this property. 

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

Lucknam Park – Chippenham, Wiltshire

Lucknam Park

One of England’s finest five star country house hotels.  A totally unspoilt and absolutely immaculate Palladian mansion in 500 acres of parkland which houses its spa in a stunning walled garden and also offers its own equestrian centre.  There are two restaurant choices of the Park Restaurant for fine dining or its very modern Brasserie which is attached to the spa.  The award-winning spa has everything needed and more so.

Dining benefits available at this property.

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

Coworth Park – Ascot, Berkshire

Dorchester Coworth Park

Coworth holds the ultimate pedigree as part of the world’s foremost five star hotel group – the Dorchester Collection.  A Georgian country house lavishly restored with a stylish contemporary interior.  Michelin starred dining in its ornate fine dining restaurant is phenomenal.  Their ground breaking eco-spa is set a short distance from the hotel and is an architectural wonder.

Dining benefits available at this property.

Reservations or enquiries call:  01276 489065

Banyan Tree Seychelles

Launch day has arrived for the much awaited spa booking channel – Design Spas, purely dedicated to booking the finest spa packages at the world’s leading spas.

Here at designspas.com you will find fantastic gifts and experiences to add a touch of panache to every Christmas stocking or discerning wellbeing regime.

We reveal the success stories in the spa industry and unveil fantastic pamper packages.  Think the perfect welcome with champagne on arrival, exclusive tailored treatments with added extras to impress and make any spa day precious and its lucky recipient revitalised.  From the moment of booking, to receipt of our beautifully gift-wrapped confirmations and through to the big day you will enjoy a wonderful sense of occasion.

Join us online to discover:

*** UK spa days exclusively from £60 per person to £325 per person ***

*** International spa breaks exclusively from £1,159 per person ***

*** Luxury spa gift vouchers, beautifully presented to the recipient to a value you require ***

*** Luxury spa experiences packages, either open dated or dated at your favourite destination ***

*** Dedicated bookings team or an efficient online request system ***  

*** Free Design Spas Club to enjoy express check-ins and inform of any special requests or preferences ***

Representing quality over quantity, your enjoyment is our goal.  See our December spa collection with more spas be adding shortly.  Excellent pricing means packages are irresistibly affordable for any astute spa shopper.

www.designspas.com – you will be amazed and what you can exclusively enjoy.

Design Spas luxury spa booking gift site launches

The world’s most exclusive spa site launches tomorrow 01^st December with the express purpose of providing the ultimate experiences at the finest spa destinations.  Featuring lavish pamper days and spa breaks the site is a breathtaking new booking and gift service for those wanting something extra special.

Its forte is in the detail with sublime spas such as The Spa at Pennyhill Park, C-Side at Cowley Manor or international the One&Only or Banyan Tree resorts.  Add these with an excellent combination of treatments, added extras and gorgeous gift-wrapped confirmations to make any gift or break irresistible.

Tessa Shreeve, Managing Director of Design Spas says of the site, “Relaxation time is so rare these days that you want quality assurances.  Our site pays homage to those truly great spas and creating perfect occasions”.  She openly admits that finding a quality spa from the broad brush of venues listed as spas could be very hit and miss, but as a marketing agency boss with over 20 years experience in luxury hotels, spas and sporting clubs it was merely a matter of time before this was launched. Adding, “It’s all about the finishing touches.  With our treatment packages on offer we proudly conjure up a magical combination for spa aficionados, those requiring a well-deserved break or those looking for the ultimate gift”.

The launch sees a tantalising amount of worldwide choices from £60 upwards to £325 for a day spa experience and breaks away from £125 per person.  The emphasis is on quality rather than quantity although more spas will be added shortly.   With wise pricing it means it’s affordable for most pockets for a special treat, Christmas present or as part of a discerning wellbeing regime.

For international bookings Design Spas are proud to work with the haute couture of travel agents, World by Design, who provide an unmatched individually tailored holiday service around the world to take care of your transportation requirements and holiday needs.

Next time you are thinking of a break or for a present perhaps for this Christmas season, discover what is available at Design Spas – you will be amazed and what you can exclusively enjoy.

Discover us online at www.designspas.com or call 01276 489065 to make a booking or discuss Christmas spa ideas.

Luxury spa shopping at its best.

Following a year of collaboration with leading luxury restaurant and hotel site – Design Restaurants, the debut of Design Spas,  its luxury online spa guide featuring the finest spa packages from around the world is due for mid-October 2011.

Spa enthusiasts and gift buyers with a desire for finding the best quality spas and treatments are able to book truly exceptional day or holiday spa breaks on the up-market site from its comprehensive list of domestic and international spa destinations.  Features include bespoke spa packages, stress free reservations online or offline through a dedicated customers services team, full venue information to assist your choice, gift packaging and confirmations to give you a sense of occasions and complete indulgence, advanced search facility parameters for those wishing to make their selection by various criteria, facilities or product houses.

Managing Director, Tessa Shreeve comments, ‘The site and offers are just so compelling that spa bookers will now be spoilt for choice with our five star line up’ adding “ Its going to be about providing a difference and performance ultimately for our loyal spa followers and luxury partners we have built up through various spa initiatives with Design Restaurants.”

Bookings will be available from late October, ready for the Christmas gift booking seasons at www.designspas.com, or call 01276 489065.