Monday, 20 November 2017

Very 'Hygge' Christmas Spa Day At Rockliffe Hall

A spa day is one of life's luxuries and absolutely an oh-so special occasion. So when I was invited to the *Five Star* Rockliffe Hall Golf & Spa Hotel for their specialist 'Very 'Hygge' Christmas Spa Day', I was completely delighted and could not wait to attend to be truly indulged in a day of pampering and relaxation. Rockliffe Hall is perfectly located in the County Durham countryside, so it is within driving distance to Durham Cathedral if you're wanting to explore some of the region's exquisite historical architectural design and also the Yorkshire Dales for those who are looking for a city escape and for some fresh, clear air. 
For anyone who has not read about the Danish lifestyle art of Hygge, allow me to explain. 'Hygge' is a Danish word referring to the art of taking pleasure in the little moments of our daily lives and not rushing through everything at a million-miles-per-hour. Danish people are referred to as the happiest of them all and it is because they make enjoying the moment a priority in their daily lives. You could say that ‘Hygge’ is to the Danish what ‘joie de vivre’ is to the French. However you look at it, we could all do with a Hygge shot in our daily lives, and at this seasonal time, Rockliffe Hall's Very 'Hygge' Christmas Spa Day promised to be the perfect way to do so.


Upon arrival at Rockliffe Hall, we followed the drive way up to the spa. Rockliffe is surrounded by acres of stunning countryside and has its own private golfing grounds too, so is the perfect luxury location for an idyllic escape, as there is something here for everyone to enjoy. (Rockliffe Hall also has a state of the art gym which can also be used whilst on your spa day, if you like to work out before you relax and fully unwind.)

We were greeted by Rockliffe's incredibly welcoming staff and accompanied upstairs to the Brasserie where we filled out our spa day form for our afternoon treatments and selected our two-course lunch options from their menu. Rockliffe's Very 'Hygge' Christmas Spa Day begins with a hot chocolate with mini-marshmallows (for anyone else who loves mini-marshmallows out there, these ones were pink, white AND peach, which I thought was extra special!) and cookies (the cookies were freshly baked and just out of the oven so they had maximum cookie goodness which was sheer perfection!) In relation to the Danish wellbeing lifestyle, baking is something that is homely and reconnects you with fond memories and generally happy times, so naturally they fit into a day which is tailored around making you feel your very best! This particular spa day package also includes a 60 minute Neom well-being treatment of your choice to create that happy feeling which is synonymous with Hygge. Once the forms were completed, we were taken down to the spa and given our complimentary robes, towels and flip flops and our spa day was officially ready to commence.
As soon as you step into the spa, there is an immediate sense of wellbeing and ultimately true relaxation, as the ambiance is that of tranquillity. The main pool area, surrounded by cosy loungers where guests and members can relax, read, listen to their headphones as well as gaze out across Rockliffe's beautiful country grounds, with the trees silhouetted against the skyline is the perfect holistic setup. The pool - which is 20 meters long and 1.2 meters deep so the perfect depth for me - is also heated so you can comfortably walk in and begin swimming with ease, but not so hot that you can't do a proper swimming workout without getting too warm, if that's what you would like to do. Honestly, it was perfect. The stained glass, mosaic-like windows add a beautiful hue to the pool side area as the sunlight streams in.   
~ Visit Rockliffe Hall's website to read about their Very 'Hygge' Christmas Spa Day which is available from November 1st - December 22nd 2017 ~

relaxing poolside at Rockliffe Hall's award winning 5 Bubble Luxury Spa
To the Hydrotheraphy pool... beyond the frosted doors of the main pool area lies Rockliffe Hall's Hydrotherapy Pool which is great for easing muscle tension and limbering up your body, as the bubbles simply dissolve away your troubles. I would describe this pool like walking into a bath, as it is honestly that warm! Think thermal springs in Iceland and you get the idea. There are water features which cascade a powerful waterfall down into the pool, which you can sit under to get a 'water massage' on your back and shoulders, or you can simply sit back in the more gentle bubbles and enjoy the warmth and chat, which is what we did.

The hydro pool in full bubble mode
Around the hydro pool are separate rooms which work harmoniously with the warmth of this kind of spa facility. There was a Tepidarium, a spa facility which stems from the ancient Roman baths, which is a mosaic tiled room with beds which is filled with warm, not very hot, dry air which gently cleanses the body and brings you a real sense of wellbeing. The warm, dry air also helps to enhance your body's immune defences, as well as relieving stress. Additionally, there was a sauna (a hot, dry room which is renowned for rising your core body temperature and releasing the body's toxins), a Caldarium and a Tropicarium too, both of which work similar to the sauna but can be infused with essential oil vapours and have steam to improve and decongest your airways. At the other end of the spectrum, there was an ice room or "The Igloo" which was filled with cold air and snowflakes which can be massaged over the body to leave it feeling refreshed between steam rooms, aid the lymphatic system and close the pores after being in the steamy / dry heat of the Tepidarium, Caldarium, Tropicarium or the sauna. There were also foot spas which filled with water and gave your feet some bubble treatment too. After enjoying some time in the hydro pool, we returned to the main poolside area to swim and read ahead of lunch in the Brasserie.

If you have been to a spa before, then you will already know that most people go to lunch in their robes and slipper, which is exactly what we did too! We were given a choice of tables and selected a window seat so that we could enjoy the view across the country grounds as we lunched, as it was such a beautiful sunny day. You would hardly know that it was mid-November as the sun shone in and warmed us. I had pre-ordered a side of chips and the soup of the day, which was a really nice onion soup which came with bread rolls and whipped butter and an ice cream and sorbet selection for dessert and my guest selected a Margarita pizza which was so rustic and you could tell it was house made, it was like taking a lunch tour to Italy (it was pizza perfection!) and a truly delicious sticky toffee pudding with hot toffee sauce, vanilla ice cream and a mini toffee milkshake which came with it as part of the dessert. Truly indulgent. I tried some of it and it was honestly one of the most delicious desserts I have ever tried and I would 100% recommend ordering it if you go to Rockliffe Hall.

Locally sourced produce is served on their á la carte menu. You can read more about The Brasserie here.

~Connect with Rockliffe Hall Hotel and Spa on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest~

Clockwise from the top: Strawberry sorbet, luxurious vanilla ice cream and peach and passion fruit ice cream scoop.

What dreams are made of. Sticky Toffee pudding, the ultimate cosiness dessert. Perfect for a Hygge spa day!
Over lunch our conversation included the fabulous Neom Organics wellbeing rituals we were going to be treated to that afternoon and what it all involved. Neom Organics, a spa brand which specialises in delivering holistic treatments to balance and sooth the mind, body and soul has the belief that small steps lead to a big difference in your wellbeing. Their Neom wellbeing treatment involves a science of scent test, where your treatment begins with smelling four candles, each of which have been infused with different essential oils which hold properties linking to one of four specialist areas: Happiness, Energise, Sleep or De-Stress. Your treatment is determined by which of the four scents you are intuitively drawn to, as whichever one that is, is the treatment which your body requires.
Once I smelled each candle without knowing what treatment correlated to each one, I instantly knew the scent I found most appealing and it turned out it was the De-Stress treatment, so I was ready to be relaxed! This treatment involved starting with a relaxing foot bath and then a massage where the Neom Intensive Skin Treatment oil is drizzled over the skin and a specialist massage to the key stress relieving points of the head, face, neck and back to leave you feeling tension-free for a calm, new version of yourself to be uncovered. So it was a fully body and also a facial and head massage all in one. My beauty therapist Fiona was really friendly, fabulously good at the whole treatment and needless to say, I was left feeing complexly blissed by the end, so the de-stress massage was definitely the right choice for me!
After the treatment, I was brought a cup of herbal tea and you also get told that you need to stay hydrated over the next day as a massage eliminates toxins from your body, so it's essential to keep it refreshed with plenty of water. I was recommended the Neom Organics De-Stress candle and the de-stress spray. The spray can be spritzed into your bedroom or onto your pillow and helps to aid restful sleep due to the natural oils which hold holistic, relaxing properties. I was then taken through to their relaxation room, given another cup of the herbal infusion and allowed to relax on one of the soft lounger chairs which gently vibrate to maintain your sense of serenity, before heading back to the pool to continue the Zen feeling well into the afternoon.


In the treatment room. Low lighting is used to induce feelings of calm and relaxation. Relaxing music is also played if you would like it to be (I chose for it to be played) to enhance your treatment experience.

A place to have a drink by the pool, talk with your friends and read beside the main pool area at Rockliffe Hall
How do you unwind and bring little moments of hygge into your day-to-day life, especially around the festive season? Have you visited Rockliffe Hall's spa before? They regularly hold different themed spa days which fit upcoming occasions, so make sure you keep an eye on Rockliffe Hall's website for full details when they are released and sign up to their newsletter. Let me know if you plan to go for their Very 'Hygge' Christmas Spa Day or treat someone special to it as an early Christmas present! Bilgi x

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