Luxury by the lake (From The Northern Echo)

Luxury by the lake

5:56pm Wednesday 15th February 2012 in Lifestyle

Gazing out over the lapping waters of the lake at Wynyard Hall proves the perfect way to relax for Lucy Richardson – and that’s even before she has indulged in a beauty treatment at its new spa.

IT’S no wonder the Duke of Wellington visited so often if this is the view he woke up to. The 5,000-acre Wynyard Hall estate may be only two miles from the surburbs of Stockton, but its grandeur is so aweinspiring I half expect Mr Darcy to emerge from the lake in his dripping wet breeches.

The idyllic setting is exactly what Allison Antonopoulos, managing director of Wynyard Hall, thinks sets the new spa apart from its rivals.

In only eight months, the old Victorian boathouse has been transformed into a tranquil haven that perfectly complements the majestic four-star hotel next door.

The relaxation room, or conservatory, swathed in calming colours of cream and sage green, is the perfect place to stare out over the water or enjoy an afternoon tea. Next door is a beauty salon featuring mineral make-up by bareMinerals and polishes by Jessica Nails System, offering the ideal place to just lie back and be pampered. Therapist Natalie Dobie explains that only 20 guests are admitted at any one time inside the new facility, and only four inside the sumptuous spa. This has a salt inhalation room, Rasul mud chamber, herbal sauna and outdoor jacuzzi, which makes the most of the stunning setting.

Decadent beauty treatments using products from top brands Elemis and Karin Herzog are available, ranging from a Luxurious Chocolate Anti-Ageing Detox to a Visible Brilliance facial.

At five months pregnant (and with no plans to slow down yet), I jump off life’s treadmill and into a cocoon-like treatment room for a Nurturing Mother-To-Be Massage. Lying on my side on a comfy beanbag while Japanese Camellia Oil is caressed into my back and legs induced a state of bliss that can only be compared to drifting off on a giant marshmallow – delicious.

The Elemis body moisturiser (recommended by Victoria Beckham for preventing stretch marks), combined with Natalie’s gentle massage, helped melt away the tangle of knots in my shoulders.

After transforming the inside of Wynyard Hall, bought by her famous father Sir John Hall, into one of the region’s premier wedding venues, Allison says making over the boathouse has been an exciting project and she is thrilled with the end result.

“The main reason I was so keen to position the spa here was the sense of total peace and tranquillity,” she says. “We were determined to create a place where guests could feel the strains and stresses of their lives melt away and that’s exactly what we have achieved.

“With some of the best product houses, dedicated therapists and luxurious surroundings, we can safely say all guests will experience sheer indulgence, but I do believe that what sets us apart from other spas is the setting, which is truly idyllic.”

• Wynyard Hall Spa, Tees Valley, TS22 5NF. Call 01740-644811 or visit wynyardhall.co.uk