A Relax Spa Day at The Malvern

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The persistent hammering on the door started at around 4.35am. Assuming the dog needed to go out, I reluctantly rolled over and followed her downstairs. Opening the door to a howling gale, my gaze was drawn to the wildly flapping back gate. The fence post had become detached from the wall and our garden had become a security disaster. After such a terrible start, only total relaxation could rescue my day.

The Malvern Spa

The Malvern Spa is based on the outskirts of Malvern, at the foot of the beautiful Malvern Hills. It boasts luxurious accommodation, a state of the art health club, tranquil treatment rooms and a relaxing thermal spa.

I visited The Malvern around 18 months ago, but it has had an extensive update since my last visit. I went with high hopes, as I loved it last time. But the update has totally changed the whole atmosphere of the spa. And it is more luxurious than ever.

The Relax Spa Day

I headed to the Malvern with the lovely Joy from Pink Oddy for a Relax Spa Day. This consisted of lunch, a cream tea, a hot or cold drink and full use of the spa facilities and thermal suite. We each had a 30 minute treatment as well, both opting for the hot stone massage.

On arrival, we headed to the bar for a drink and a catch up before we started. I needed a caffeine hit after my ridiculously bad night’s sleep. Next, we grabbed our cameras for a few photos of the gym. We didn’t have time for a workout or class, but I tried both out on my last visit. The gym is full of ultra-modern equipment in a light, airy atmosphere. The class timetable is varied with plenty of classes to suit every fitness level and exercise intensity.

Our next stop was the thermal suite. In all honesty, I could have spent all day in there. There are two saunas, a steam room, a salt grotto and various showers. An ice fountain sits in the middle of the thermal suite, with several foot spas behind it. The hydrotherapy pool starts indoors and extends outside. It has a variety of jets in different areas of the pool, from a standard jacuzzi to a jet that you can swim against.

The treatments

There is an extensive treatment menu available at the Malvern. But for me, there was only one option. Last time I went, I had a hot stone massage. And it was so good, I had to go for the same thing again. The hot stones totally relax the muscles during the massage, making it less painful to get the knots out. It completely relaxed me too, and seemed like the quickest half-hour ever.

Treatment rooms are cozy and comfortable, with a heated bed in the centre of the room. The oils used are chosen to complement your treatment. When the massage came to an end, I was shown to a relaxation room. The room is quiet and dimly lit with a water feature and drinking water available. Throughout the spa they use Malvern spring water, which was traditionally associated with the famous Water Cure.

Lunch and cream tea

The spa was quite busy today, which I noticed more when we headed to the dining room for lunch. Staff were wonderfully attentive, but our food took over half an hour to arrive. When it did arrive, it was healthy and tasty. I went for the mango and quinoa salad, while Joy decided on the polenta cakes.

After lunch, we adjourned to the Grand Salon for a cream tea. Our hot drinks were brought over straight away, but the scones seemed to be forgotten. I eventually went and asked the lovely spa host Fiona, who got them brought through for us. They were definitely worth waiting for.

One of the things I love the most about the Malvern is that their customer service is second to none. Whilst there was a delay with our food, the way the staff handled it was perfect. Throughout our stay, Fiona went out of her way to be helpful. When our lunch was late, the waiter apologised for the delay. And when they realised we’d been waiting a while for our scones, we were given a complementary glass of Prosecco each.

Use of The Malvern Spa

If you’re visiting the Worcestershire area, The Malvern boasts luxurious accommodation. For locals, there is a membership option available, with access to the fitness and thermal suites, exercise classes and the hydrotherapy pool. And if you just like the idea of a relaxing day of complete luxury, there are numerous spa packages available. Head to The Malvern website for more details.

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