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Review: The Grove - Sequoia Spa

I have been using Thursdays to blog about the products that I love. However since I stopped breastfeeding I've had the opportunity to leave the house a bit more. I have some great outings coming up in the diary so I've decided to keep Thursday's as a review or showcase day but incorporate some places too.

A few weeks ago I posted about my ideal mummy 'me' time and how important I felt it was for me. Last weekend I decided to go one better than my usual lush bath. I asked J to keep Sunday afternoon free for daddy and daughter bonding time and I booked myself in for a spa day.




As this is such a rare treat I thought I'd book the nicest spa I'd heard of. Sequoia Spa located at The Grove. The Grove is a 5 star hotel and resort boasting beautiful grounds, first class accommodation, golf course, top notch restaurants, a beach (yes you read right - a man made beach), and of course a wonderful day spa. The hotel itself calls for a whole separate review. I'll save that for when J takes me for a romantic weekend away *hint hint if you're reading this*, for today's post I will focus on my day at the spa.

Not long after exiting the M25, I spotted the majestical gates of The Grove and turned in getting very excited for my day and what it had in store. When following the driveway, I realised how big the property was. The driveway extends as far as the eye can see and is set amongst a lush green landscape. Very serene. As the driveway came to an end I passed over a narrow bridge and after going through it the resort presented itself to me in all its glory.

There are a lot of buildings around so I had to navigate my way through the car park and find the spa entrance. I chose a parking spot and set off on my way, baby free and swimsuit in hand. I walked down the cobblestone path, descended the staircase and through the doors of the Sequoia Spa.





When I reached reception I gave them my name. They found my booking straight away and one of the ladies led the way down a strange long hallway.


The walls of this hallway were completely mirrored and reflected off each other time and time again. At the end of this hallway was the change rooms. I got a quick tour of the facilities and then taken back to the change room to prepare for my afternoon.


Nothing had been forgotten in this change room. The details are impressive, from the hair dryers & GHD hair straighteners, to the vanity kits including a toothbrush set, deodorant, body moisturisers, even a swim suit dryer and plastic bags for your wet costumes. There was an abundance of lockers operated by a card I was given when I checked in so I stashed my belongings, got changed into my swimsuit, put my robe and slippers on and off I went.





I had 20 minutes before my scheduled massage, so I started in the relaxation room. I tell you what - I would pay to use this room on its own. The lighting is low and ambient and the room is lined with very comfy beds complete with their own night light, bed side table, private space, blankets and v shaped pillows. You can pour yourself a tea, grab a magazine and admire the gorgeous feature in the middle of the room that continuously blows bubbles.

And breathe...


When it was time for my massage my name was called and I had to leave my cosy bed. Outside the relaxation room Mia introduced herself to me, she would be my masseuse for this visit. She took me to my treatment room, sat me down on a beautiful chair in the corner and conducted my consultation.

Mia took time to understand what I wanted out of this massage and how I wanted to feel when she was finished. I asked her to keep the massage soft and relaxing and told her that I wanted to feel refreshed. She chose a couple of different oils and asked me to inhale both and pick one. I ended up going with a restorative bath & body oil from the Espa skincare range and Mia told me this would be very soothing and that it was just like a hug in a bottle.


Mia then left me to make myself comfortable and lie on the massage table before coming back in and commencing the massage. She started off by getting me to inhale 3 deep breaths of an oil which really helped me relax and then she started on my back. She listened to my wishes and kept the massage very soft but just hard enough that it was loosening the muscles and for me to feel the effects. She got into every crevice of my back and also worked on my shoulders and arms. The massage was over far too quickly and left me feeling amazing.


After my massage I was free to use the facilities for as long as I wanted. I struck it lucky and was able to soak in the vitality pool all by myself. This pool is like a giant jacuzzi and has buttons all over that set off an abundance of jets around the pool to work different parts of your body. I particularly loved the giant taps.


I soaked in there until I was wrinkly and then took myself over to the main pool. This pool is a feature in itself. I found a perfectly positioned deck chair right next to the window and it was here that I was able to lay back, close my eyes (think I even had a bit of a snooze) and shut off my brain to the world. I lay here for 40 minutes in a state of pure relaxation.


With respect to the spa goers I didn't take my own picture of the pool, the above was taken from the spa's website.

I finished off my afternoon with one more tea in the relaxation room before heading back to the change room to beautify myself before heading home.



The Service
The staff at Sequoia were the super friendly and professional and made me feel very comfortable. The initial reception, Mia my therapist, and the ladies wondering around the facilities to make sure everyone was OK were all lovely. Big thumbs up from me.

The Treatment 
I am normally quite picky with my massages and can get funny about someones hands being all over me, however Mia listened to exactly what I was looking for in a massage and delivered it plus more. My 40 minute massage was so good it felt like it was over in 10 and left me wishing that I had booked a longer one. My back muscles immediately felt loosened and relaxed. I'm still feeling great 3 days after the massage, even after carrying an 8 month old around everywhere.

The Facilities
Apart from the fact that I got lost a couple of times because it is a bit of a maze in there, the facilities are right up my alley. From the well thought out set up of the change rooms, to the ambient relaxation room, steam room and sauna areas, the more private vitality pool and the grand swimming pool. You could spend a whole day there just taking advantage of the facilities.

The Price
I paid for the massage and the use of the facilities separately.
My tension release back massage cost £90.
The use of the facilities cost £50.
For a 5 star experience I was happy with this price. I left feeling a million pounds and completely refreshed.

At the end of the day it was so nice to go home to J and baby girl and enjoy our Sunday evening together before the revolving week started again. I really enjoyed my experience. It was so nice to get some really quality me time, and even nicer to come home and hug baby girl after my brilliant day.

K x

There's still time to enter my giveaway for a Tommee Tippee weaning pack. It's running until 7th May. Find out more about it here.

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12 comments

  1. Oh my god this sounds amazing, what I would give for a spa day by myself. Amazing and the relaxation room and pool look incredible.

    Helen - #ukbloggers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Havyou should do it. It's good for the soul. That relaxation room really was incredible. Next time I might allow myself an extra hour just so I can have a nap x

      Delete
  2. What an amazing way to spend your relaxation time. This spa looks like a luxurious heaven.

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  3. It sure is! I really loved my afternoon there x

    ReplyDelete
  4. That sounds like an amazing way to spend a Sunday afternoon! A well deserved break! Jealous much? Me?

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    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehe every mum should spoil themselves now and then. You should do something for yourself too! X

      Delete
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