Inside the new spa woodland pods that have opened in the UK that make you feel like you are abroad
PURE BLISS Inside the new spa woodland pods that have opened in the UK that make you feel like you are abroad
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I HAVE been on more spa breaks than I care to admit – and I may have found a new favourite.
Moddershall Oaks, a luxury spa set in glorious Staffordshire woodland, was just a ten-minute drive from Stoke-on-Trent.
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Moddershall Oaks is a luxury spa set in glorious Staffordshire woodland
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I get to try the new Golden Glow spa facial package
But as we pulled up to this leafy, quiet spot, I knew the boutique size would mean fewer people and more peace, all for me.
Family-owned, this spa hotel has just ten rooms in the main building, as well as 14 newly-added, luxury woodland pods dotted around the site.
When staying in an overnight spa suite, you're greeted with a welcome drink on arrival and have access to facilities from 3pm until 4.30pm on your day of departure.
First things first, we settle in our room, which has a patio looking out onto the stunning hills – and, lucky us, brilliant sunshine, too.
My treatment is booked for 4pm and I get to try the new Golden Glow spa facial package.
For 25 minutes, my skin is blessed with scrubs, a wild honey mask and calming oils, as well as a gentle head and shoulder massage, all to wash away life's stresses.
I then rejoin my partner in the main spa area, where there is a hydrotherapy pool with heated tiled loungers, reflexology footbaths, a 10m pool and a steam room.
The hydrotherapy pool certainly packs a punch, which makes a change from other spas I've been to where the pressure can be quite weak.
What I love most is that it's not busy at all.
I finish the indoor experience off with the toasty relaxation room where phones are not allowed, which I wholeheartedly welcome, so I'm forced to switch off.
Colcot & Spa is great for families with playbarn and pools
But there's lots more to explore outside, including a more bustling spa pool, access to a Kelo sauna and a gym.
What made this retreat extra-special was the private outdoor heated spa pool.
You get a 30-minute slot to yourselves, and there's even a button to request service.
It's blissfully refreshing to sink into the warm bubbles as the spring air hits your freshly-treated face, with the evening sun slowly setting behind the distant trees.
For a moment, I don't feel like I'm in the UK at all.
The spa breaks at Moddershall Oaks also come with a two-course dinner – and it's not like any old set menu either.
There's a huge selection of familiar favourites like beer battered fish and chips, but I've gone for the slow braised Staffordshire beef – the meat is so succulent and you can't go wrong with a massive Yorkshire pudding.
We retire to our suite and the treats continue.
Rooms feature plush furnishings with king-size or twin beds, a separate lounge or seating area and a private deck or patio so you can soak up the woodland and gardens.
And the unique, hobbit-style woodland pods feature a circular design and round windows, with eco-friendly bubble spa showers and freestanding roll-top baths.
After the best kip I've had in ages on the comfy bed, it's off to the restaurant for a hearty cooked breakfast.
I've gone for eggs Benedict, which were done to perfection, while the other half stuck with a trusty full English, which didn't disappoint.
Moddershall proved just the right combination of boutique luxury and peaceful retreat.
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