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Daily Mirror
19 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Beautiful UK holiday spot is 'total relaxation' right by world's fastest zipwire
Sky's the limit - damp weather didn't put Fiona Whitty off the most perfect of family breaks in North Wales As my beauty therapist Lilly gently moved warm Himalayan salt rocks around my back, I closed my eyes. But as I let my body slip into relaxation mode I was jolted awake by a piercing honk. Then another. And another. Lilly giggled as she felt my muscles tense. 'I'm so sorry,' she whispered. 'That's Percy. He gets very excited when the sun comes out.' Bleary-eyed, I conjured up an image of a lazy gardener with a throat problem who abandons the lawnmower for a sunlounger whenever the weather picks up. But Percy, it turns out, is the resident peacock at one of North Wales' newest hotspots, the Marian Resort and Spa. And, boy, does he let you know it. Percy's honking aside, my 60-minute hot-rock relaxing massage at the Serenity Spa aptly summed up our stay at Marian – a glorious mix of pleasure, leisure and rest. It was utter bliss. The Marian Resort and Spa, which opened just last year and is a short drive inland from the popular seaside resorts of Rhyl and Prestatyn, has fantastic facilities that can also up the pace when needed. My husband Tim and I plus three of our kids – Freddie, 16, Rosie, 19, and 22-year-old Max – made the most of the well-equipped gym and wide selection of fitness classes, with a gruelling circuits class, bums, legs and tums and a soothing yoga session proving particular hits. Daily dips in the large indoor pool – with floor to ceiling windows inviting in wonderful views over Denbighshire – followed by a chill on the soothing heated loungers also went down well. We stayed in a sumptuously sized 'luxury' lodge with an en-suite, a spacious lounge/diner and walk-in shower in the main bathroom. The large private hot tub was an added, and well-used, bonus. READ MORE: Inside the new £400m UK train line that will never be used by normal passengers The kitchenette had a toaster, microwave and fridge but there was no oven or hob – designed to encourage parents' full relaxation. It didn't take long to enjoy the freedom of not having to think about meals. Mind you the wide choice of dining on the resort itself made that very easy – as did the reasonable prices. In the clubhouse, The View Restaurant served a hearty Welsh breakfast, which can be included in your package, with favourites such as sausage, bacon, black pudding and scrambled eggs alongside cereals, yogurts and pastries. Come the evenings the lights were dimmed and delectable dishes like pan-fried sea bass with brown shrimp butter and samphire, salmon and prawn linguine with a parmesan crumb, and the awesome crispy Asian beef salad were served. For starters, the homemade soup of the day was always a winner – my favourite was chickpea and aubergine – while for dessert the sticky toffee pudding with chunks of honeycomb was pretty unbeatable. Outside of a great-value DBB rate, all of these were available on a pocket-friendly midweek two-course set menu for around £20. And, as the name suggested, tip-top views over the Vale of Clwyd and out towards the edge of Snowdonia and coast came with every meal. Elsewhere the relaxing Lounge Bar was perfect for a light lunch of salad or sandwiches – or a huge portion of fish and chips for hungrier ones. Meanwhile the Sports Bar and Grill offered all-day comfort food like burgers – or my son Freddie's go-to, chicken wings followed by hickory BBQ ribs. We also loved the daily specials here like Tuesday's Pie and Pint and Thursday's Curry Night, both just a tenner including a pint or soft drink. The Cocktail Bar was also perfect for a pre- or post-dinner tipple. Drinks were well priced too, with a bottle of house wine in the restaurant for £22, pints for around £5-6 and a two-for-one cocktail hour in the Lounge Bar every weekday evening. The resort was cleverly designed to provide an upmarket yet welcoming feel without a ridiculous price tag. We managed to chill yet feel pampered at the same time. Away from the resort, adventure innovators Zip World in Snowdonia beckoned. They're constantly pioneering new thrills, including the world's fastest zipwire and a trampoline-style underground park. We opted to try out a couple of activities at their Penrhyn Quarry site, set in the rugged terrain of a former slate quarry. First up was Aero Explorer, a 'zip coaster' that's like nothing I'd ever seen before. Dangling from a 480-yard-long overhead track, you're flung around bends and loops at speeds of up to 30mph. At times we spiralled like corkscrews and at other points we felt like we were going to fly right off. It was terrifying and hilarious in equal measure, a truly unique experience (from £22 for two goes, Next up was another novelty – Zip World's Quarry Karts, the UK's only mountain karting adventure. You're sat in a three-wheeled go-kart as you power down a slate mountain for almost two miles, tackling obstacles like tunnels, banked bends and chicanes. It was scary – there were sheer drops beside us at times and we were going at up to 25mph – but a wide and low wheelbase provided stability. To be fair, the biggest danger for me came from Freddie trying to overtake me at every chance. If you can take your eyes off the track for a few seconds (I couldn't) you'll also be treated to serene views of mountains and the quarry's turquoise lake (from £40 for two goes). More fun was had on a trip to Rhyl. The rain- and wind-lashed beach at the famous resort looked uninviting so instead we nipped into SC2, a leisure centre that's home to Ninja Tag. Dubbed a cross between Total Wipeout and Ninja Warrior, it's an indoor assault course that's like an adult version of a kids' soft play area. Its range of thrilling obstacles included rope bridges, huge balls to hop across, slides to clamber up and a spider wall that's traversed by pressing your hands and feet along the sides of the tunnel. Along the way you score points by scanning your wristband on various probes – usually placed precariously out of reach – for a leaderboard place. My competitive kids went for it like mad and emerged exhausted and drenched but laughing their heads off (from £11, It was an apt ending to a break full of fun and thrills… and complete and utter relaxation. Book the holiday A one-bedroom lodge at Marian Resort and Spa near Prestatyn, Denbighshire, starts at £89 a night; B&B £111; DB&B £151.
Telegraph
20-03-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
And relax…on a Spanish island that sparks all the senses
The sun-drenched island of Tenerife stands amid the great cleansing tides of the Atlantic Ocean, its fertile slopes rising up into the skies against the backdrop of the volcanic peak of mighty Mount Teide, which rises to more than 3,700m above sea level. This brooding peak is the inspiration for many of the blissful, one-of-a-kind treatments you can enjoy in the island's leading spas. At the Ritz Carlton Tenerife, Abama, set on the island's sunny southern coast, you can settle in to its luxury spa for Earth, Wind and Fire, a massage combining the skin-boosting benefits of lava sand exfoliation with the soothing warmth of heated volcanic stones. After your treatment, walk across volcanic rocks as part of the Kneipp circuit to improve your blood circulation, then sink into the water circuit, with its bubble jets and herbal steam bath. Also in the island's south, Bahía Wellness Retreat at the Bahía del Duque hotel offers rituals that make use of the island's aloe vera and banana leaves to replenish the skin. The hotel's 360 Programmes include a four-night Stress Free retreat with mindfulness coaching, meditation and one-on-one yoga tuition, in addition to thalassotherapy, while the Fit & Detox four-night programme features a physiotherapy assessment, personalised training plan, an energy massage and lymphatic drainage. A stay at the Serenity Spa at Royal River hotel calms both body and mind with its range of dreamy massages, always beginning with a lavender foot bath and Chakra head massage. In Tenerife's lush north, you could head for The Oriental Spa Garden at Hotel Botánico, where massages take place al fresco in the spacious subtropical garden. Choose the Canarian Ritual for a sea salt and lemon peel, body wrap with aloe vera and massage with volcanic stones, then join a yoga and meditation class or soak in the outdoor hot tubs. Or try Océano Health Spa Hotel, for thalassotherapy treatments using local sea water and masterful massages featuring techniques such as dry brushing, cupping and lymphatic drainage. It's no surprise that Tenerife, surrounded by its Atlantic waters, is a haven for hydrotherapy treatments. At the YHI Spa at Hacienda del Conde hotel in the island's north-west you'll find an infinity pool overlooking the Atlantic as well as a series of hydrotherapy pools, heated to muscle-melting temperature and offering bubble jets and contrast showers to revitalise circulation and skin. Back in the south, Gran Meliá Palacio de Isora features a saltwater swimming pool so large it's said to be Europe's longest, plus a water circuit that includes not only hydromassage jets and a Kneipp circuit but also chromotherapy (colour and light therapy) and a meditation area. Tenerife's wine isn't just the perfect way to ease into the evening after a day of treatments. The grapes grown in the volcanic soil here are said to be rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties, among other qualities, which has led to a boom in vinotherapy treatments at a number of resorts on the island. What could be more indulgent than a drop of the good stuff being used as part of an invigorating wellness session? If you're seeking more than just a treatment or two, you could linger a while longer and indulge in a wellness retreat. Alternatively, at Océano Health Spa Hotel you could book the Océano Relax programme of massages, algae wraps, reflexology and yoga, or discover the teachings of renowned Austrian doctor F X Mayr on a detox programme that focuses on the abdominal region and includes therapeutic massages alongside medical consultations. There are also numerous yoga retreats around Tenerife, including MBestcare on the south of the island. Daily yoga sessions are held in a range of inspiring, mindful surroundings in the coastal setting of a luxury four-star hotel, with massage treatments that further boost the welcome feeling of inner peace. And for your après-spa The relaxing vibes reach far past the spas of Tenerife, an island where the pace of life slows and the landscape conspires to soothe and smooth away the wrinkles of life. There are plentiful natural rock pools to bathe in here, with the best known a short stroll from the town centre of laidback Garachico, as well as ancient natural rainforests to walk through, in the protected natural rural park of Anaga. You could choose to take a sunset cruise too, perhaps spotting whales and dolphins as the sun melts into the Atlantic, or to shop. Nothing beats a potter around a local market for fresh, healthy produce and regional crafts. The Mercado de Nuestra Señora de África in capital Santa Cruz is a fantastic spot for a relaxing retail experience. The choice is up to you, and you're sure to depart the island feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Tenerife beyond the beach With multiple airlines flying direct to Tenerife from the UK every day, it's time to find out more, plan your travel and book your trip with the Tenerife Tourism Corporation
