There’s nothing like treating yourself to a pamper, especially when you’ve been busy, a little time to yourself goes a long way!
Recently I was invited to spent a day at the Eforea Spa in the Hilton at the Ageas Bowl in Hampshire* to rest, relax and unwind. Take a look at my day…
I’m not going to lie, I had to pinch myself, invitations like this don’t happen to me and it was THE BEST DAY. The Eforea Spa is a real hidden gem on my doorstep and after a wonderful night’s sleep in the Hilton I woke up ready for a day all to myself.
It’s not often you get to say that either, a whole day to yourself is rare and I wasn’t going to waste a second of it. I’ve had a lot on my plate lately, and this whole day set me on course to feeling like myself again.
Why don’t I do this more often? It’s so beneficial and makes me feel more rested, more motivated and like I can cope with anything. Almost like it builds some resilience into my ability to handle things – it enhances my emotional buffer zone. 😂 Well that got deep and meaningful quickly, and probably sounds like a bullsh*t phrase from a psychology magazine but, I don’t care because that’s how it makes me feel. Anyway I digress!
After checking in and heading to the pool to look around the different saunas, aromatherapy steam rooms and hydrotherapy pool (there’s a lot to keep you occupied!) I made my way to the transition room for my treatments. This room can only be described as the ‘spa’s library’, it’s very quiet with big comfy velvet chairs, a fire, all the latest magazines and a well stocked tea and drinks section. I didn’t want to leave!
The lovely folk at the Hilton and Eforea Spa had booked me in for an Elemis Face and Body Sensation treatment – a facial and back, shoulder and leg massage. I’d never tried the Elemis treatments before but had heard great things from others, and the reputation of the brand is good too, so I was really excited to experience it.
The treatment room was comfortably warm, the treatment bed heated and the lights not too bright. It was a very relaxing place to have a facial and massage, I had to stop myself from falling asleep!
Emily who did my treatments was excellent, she went through some important bits before a really firm massage (just how I like them!) and she checked in as we went along to make sure I was happy. I really was but, I was so relaxed that I think it came out as a sound effect rather than actual words! 😂
After over an hour I emerged serene and far less stressed than I went in. The facial had left my skin glowing and I felt I was walking taller after my back massage felt like it had straightened out my spine. Emily also marked up a booklet showing me everything she’d used during my treatment, and she’d tailored all the products to suit my skin type which was such a lovely added extra – it made me feel really looked after. Plus I could then go and treat myself to my favourite products if I wanted to take a little bit of my spa day home.
It’s been a few weeks since my treatment but my skin since then had been in much better condition, the Elemis products really made a positive impact.
Afternoon tea was next on the agenda, and a glass of fizz, tea and cake was just the ticket after my treatments. The scones were so good!
For the rest of the day I split my time between the thermally heated loungers, hydrotherapy pool, steam rooms and saunas. A few other bloggers I knew were there on the day and it was really great catching up with old friends and new faces. Oh and yes I did brave the outdoor hot tub, I know, in this weather – I promise you it was worth it!
The thermally heated loungers were definitely a highlight for me and the pool was great as it had so many different jet elements so even at busier times you didn’t miss out.
There was also a gym and a quiet room with hanging pods you could climb into for a nap. I didn’t brave one but they looked so amazing – I’ll have to go back and give it a go another time. The room was a lot darker than the picture suggests and would have been the perfect place to hang out in – pun intended!
I was really impressed with the spa, Elemis treatments and loved every minute of a day that really allowed me to escape, de-stress and gave me a boost just when I needed it. Now I know it’s so close I’ll be looking to book another day in very soon. Thank you to the whole team at the Eforea Spa for making my day so perfect, I left feeling like a new woman. 👌🏻
*PR gifted experience – all opinions are my own though otherwise what’s the point?
