Spa of the Week: Beaverbrook, Surrey

Beaverbrook, the sprawling former estate of press baron Max Aitken, AKA Lord Beaverbrook, is a must-visit.

With interiors by Soho House’s Susie Atkinson, impeccable service, and world-class food – the hotel’s Japanese grill at The Dining Room is headed up by ex-Nobu head chef Taiji Maruyama – this is five-star country house luxury less than an hour from London.

It’s the new spa, though, opened late in 2018, which has made the hotel even more special.

Famous for

Set in the former coach house, the spa is an actual work of art. Designed by famous glass artist Brian Clarke, the stained glass windows and tilework have been created to mirror the surrounding Surrey countryside and Beaverbrook’s very own gardens. Each therapy room is themed around a locally grown plant or flower – I had my treatments in the ‘apple’ room which featured pretty glass mosaics in the door and on the floor under the massage table. The result is a riot of colour, at once both uplifting and calming.

The spa has six treatment rooms (including a couple’s suite), a hammam, steam room, sauna, relaxation room with a roaring fire, fitness studio, beauty room for manis and pedis, boutique and indoor and outdoor pools. For when the post massage munchies strike, there’s a deli serving healthy salads and wood-fired flatbreads.

The treatment menu, devised by the spa’s therapeutic director, Liv Gussing, is small but perfectly formed and includes everything from holistic packages to facials and biodynamic massages – all using their own Coach House oils. A.S Apothecary, PINKS boutique, Therapi, Proverb, Oshadi, Kure Bazaar, Oway and Lola’s Apothecary are the other natural skincare brands used at the spa.

The treatment

All treatments begin with a complimentary 15-minute foot massage and consultation, during which the therapist will really take the time to get to know you and any sensitivities or aims you have. It’s an in-depth chat, nothing cursory about it.

I had two treatments during my stay at Beaverbrook. First up was the Honey Facial (1 hour 30 minutes), which promises to cleanse, stimulate collagen and minimise thin lines. The honey, and some of the other products used during the facial, contain propolis, which is essentially bee glue used to fill in gaps in the hive. This has great anti-inflammatory properties (one study even found it can help heal burns) and, having discussed with the therapist my struggles with eczema, particularly on my hands, she gave me an extra hand massage using the honey. It calmed my skin instantly.

The facial was wonderful – soothing, relaxing and left me with plumper skin than when I went in – but, it was the Biodynamic Bodywork treatment with head therapist Lino Zinchi which really blissed me out. More than a massage, Lino uses a combination of acupressure, dynamic movements and massage to unlock tension, and re-align the body. Working on the back of the body first, Lino went from head to toe and back again with a mixture of long sweeping movements and focussed pulsatory touch. Once on your front, there was loosening of the hips and arms, plus a head massage which nearly brought tears to my eyes, it was that good.

Verdict

The team at Beaverbrook has worked hard to make sure that the treatment menus are effective as well as relaxing. If you only have the time or money for one treatment, go for a body treatment. The Biodynamic Bodywork was a class above a traditional aromatherapy massage.

With the deli, fitness centre and pools, you could happily while away hours, if not days, in the Coach House. A very welcome addition to the UK’s spa scene.