Lifestyle

Awesome Hamper Company reveal the UK’s “Relaxation Hotspots” and tips on how to relax at home.

Top-Rated Spas in the UK, Based on TripAdvisor Data PLUS: Expert Advice on Relaxation Tips and Techniques, Including Specific Advice for Parents

UK’S TOP-RATED SPAS / ‘RELAXATION HOTSPOTS’

The team at The Awesome Hamper Company analysed TripAdvisor data to determine the best-rated spas in the UK in a bid to discover which locations in the UK are ‘relaxation hotspots’.

Of the 100 venues analysed in the research, 20 had the highest possible average rating of 5 stars.

These top-rated spas included:

  1. The Youth Sanctuary (Manchester)
  2. The Spa at The Athenaeum (London)
  3. VJW Holistic Therapies (Huddersfield)
  4. The Lorrens Ladies Spa (Torquay)
  5. Alexandra House Holistic Health & Wellbeing Spa (Huddersfield)
  6. Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre (London)
  7. Oceana Day Spa (Bournemouth)
  8. My Little Farm Spa (Liversedge)
  9. Devona Spa (Aberdeen, Scotland)
  10. The Spa Dunamoy (Ballyclare, Northern Ireland)
  11. Beautissimo Spa (Elland)
  12. Bodhi Tree Spa (Chalfont St Peter)
  13. Sheldon Spa (Sheldwich)
  14. Westfield Day Spa (Mauchline, Scotland)
  15. The Grange Spa (Pointon)
  16. The Spa at Breedon Priory (Wilson)
  17. Beauty Cocktail Spa (Horsham)
  18. Vita Skin Spa (Winchester)
  19. Wood Fen Lodge Spa (Little Downham)
  20. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental (London)

With 697 of its reviews being 5 stars (94.8%, out of 735 total reviews), The Youth Sanctuary in Manchester took the top spot. The Spa at The Athenaeum in London took second place, with 423 five-star reviews (also 94.8%).

VJW Holistic Therapies (Huddersfield), The Lorrens Ladies Spa (Torquay), and Alexandra House Holistic Health & Wellbeing Spa (Huddersfield) made up the remainder of the top 5, and Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre (London), Oceana Day Spa (Bournemouth), My Little Farm Spa (Liversedge), Devona Spa (Aberdeen, Scotland), and The Spa Dunamoy (Ballyclare, Northern Ireland) rounded off the top 10.

The other 10 spas which secured the top average rating of 5 stars included Beautissimo Spa (Elland), Bodhi Tree Spa (Chalfont St Peter), Sheldon Spa (Sheldwich), Westfield Day Spa (Mauchline, Scotland), The Grange Spa (Pointon), The Spa at Breedon Priory (Wilson), Beauty Cocktail Spa (Horsham), Vita Skin Spa (Winchester), Wood Fen Lodge Spa (Little Downham), and The Spa at Mandarin Oriental (Hyde Park).

 

Alex Gill, director of The Awesome Hamper Company, commented:

“Everyone needs a bit of pampering from time to time. With Mother’s Day (Sunday 19th March 2023) just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to take a moment to yourself and unwind. Also check out the range of pamper hampers are the perfect option to create your own spa day experience from the comfort of your own home.

RELAXATION ADVICE

The Awesome Hamper Company also collaborated with a private practice psychotherapist and a parenting expert to discuss relaxation advice, with specific insight and tips for parents. Parenting expert Simone Machell shared some ways to help relieve this stress – “firstly, self-care, you can not show up as the best version of you or the best parent, if you are not taking care of yourself. I always encourage parents to introduce a morning routine whenever they can. Even if it’s only 5-10 minutes at the start of the day where they think of themselves. Parents can often forget about their needs and wants and this can lead to stress and burnout. If you are a parent, it’s important to take time for you”.

What to incorporate into this will be different for every person as it should be things that you enjoy, but some things to think about would be;

  • Meditation – there are lots of free meditations available online
  • Gratitude – List at least three things you are grateful for before you get out of bed
  • Journaling – Ask yourself how you are feeling and set an intention for how you want the day to go
  • Movement – This can be as simple as dancing to a favourite song to put you into high vibrational energy, or it can be a run or a gym workout

Private practice psychotherapist Quint Boa explained that “the brain is ‘plastic’ so it’s best to build in a time to relax at a set time every day. This means that when its ‘my time’ to relax you can get into it quicker. Things like meditation are easier to get into and get ‘better’ because ‘the brain’ is expecting it as they are practised regularly.

Psychologically a lot of stress is built up through ‘spotlight’ focused thinking (e.g. life’s never ending to do lists, and of course social media), so it can help to adopt ‘floodlight’ thinking. To take a step away from the day to day and look at life as the big picture (e.g. hug a new born baby, or write a gratitude list). 

“There is a huge physical component to this, so exercise is important. Lots of the adrenaline that is built up because of ‘flight / fight / freeze’ of stress can’t leave the body unless it’s metabolised. As a first step it’s important to get your heart rate up for twenty minutes to flush out the hormones. And ideally do this four times a week”.

Quint finished by saying that “the really important thing is not to relax through alcohol, or ‘eat your feelings’ through unhealthy food. While the short-term benefits may work out it’s not a long term solution”.

For more information, visit: https://www.awesomehamperco.co.uk/blogs/news/relaxation-hotspots-expert-chill-out-tips-the-top-rated-spas-in-the-uk