10 hours ago
Inside the new spa woodland pods that have opened in the UK that make you feel like you are abroad
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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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.
