USP The Grove describes itself as “London’s country estate” and indeed,
despite being just 18 miles from Central London, the grounds of the hotel
would not look out of place in the Cotswolds. This makes a wonderfully
convenient place to escape to for tranquillity and pampering. The Sequoia
spa is adjacent to the hotel and offers a tempting menu of treatments. This
summer it launches a Beauty and the Beach package. The original walled
garden surrounding the hotel’s outdoor pool will become an urban beach
resort complete with six beach huts - each with bespoke interiors and
chandeliers by Fox Linton - three of which will house different spa stations
offering indulgent treatments.
AMBIENCE Facilities include a vitality pool with therapeutic saline
water and hydrotherapy jets; crystal steam rooms, saunas and tropical rain
or cold mist showers. All treatments begin in the relaxation room. I could
live quite happily in this space. It’s so safe and warm that within five
minutes, your aches start to melt away. It’s also where you finish off any
treatment sessions before easing you back into the outside world.
QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE With the prospect of warmer weather on its way, I
decided to give myself a treat to help prepare for skin-baring season. My
therapist, Ivana, began by offering me a delicious mint tea, and then talked
me through the treatments and helped me to choose the oils and products for
my Espa holistic back, face and scalp massage with hot stones (£150).
The treatment started with the application of Espa’s refining skin polish on
my back. This gentle exfoliator removed all the dull skin that my jumpers
had been hiding for months, and which as soon as the weather gets warmer
will need to look presentable in tea dresses. The massage that followed was
blissful. The alternation between massage and hot stone was seamless and at
the end, to borrow a cliché, I was floating. I’ve had a number of shoulder
and back strains for the past year, due to poor posture finally catching up
on me, and this treatment made me feel ache-free for the first time in ages.
Sequoia has a list of new treatments designed to help smooth out the lines,
cracks and flaky bits hidden under tights and jumpers. These include
ultimate body wraps and advanced facials that claim to firm and lift. My
session ended with an Espa facial, including the application of an essential
mineral mask. Finally, the feeling of having paper-thin skin with a hint of
grey was gone. My cheeks were rosy, my skin felt cleaner than it had for a
year and ready for spring.
IN CROWD It’s accessibility from London means it’s a favourite haunt
for yummy mummies, celebrities and the socialites looking for a little time
out from their hectic diaries. The hotel grounds also contain a golf course
that hosted the World Golf Championships last year, so attracts many
executives combining deal making with lowering their handicap.
FOOD AND DRINK Sequoia has its own café-style eatery located in the spa
garden room; I had a delicious lunch of sushi and crab tartar. Lunch is also
available in one of the main hotel's three restaurants. Or simply relax with
a pot of Earl Grey in one of the hotel’s stunning sitting rooms.
WALLET WATCH Day packages start from £200 but individual treatments
range from a Balinese body massage at £105 to an Espa body wrap at £70.
NEED TO KNOW The Grove Sequoia Spa, Chandler's Cross, Hertfordshire,
WD3 4TG (01923 294294; www.thegrove.co.uk
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