The Devonshire Spa, Bolton Abbey: Spa Day review.

It goes without saying that the last 2 years have been... challenging, to say the least! The covid-19 pandemic swept the UK like nothing I have ever experienced before and kept us from living our normal lives for much longer than I anticipated.

I turned 30 last February, when we were still in lockdown, which meant that instead of being able to celebrate this milestone birthday, I spent it alone with a takeaway. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, however it definitely wasn't what I had planned for my 3oth!

For my birthday this year, I wanted to make up for lost time and so my mum offered to pay for a Spa Day experience for the both of us. I do love a good pamper, and the chance to relax was definitely something I needed! So, I did some research and found The Devonshire Spa. Based in the heart of Skipton, in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, The Devonshire Spa is one of the most exclusive retreats in the county of Yorkshire (my home!). It is an adult only retreat (my favourite- sorry kids!) with a team of friendly and hospitable staff, relaxation spaces, 4 generously sized treatment rooms, all the usual spa facilities and a cosy lounge with views over the stunning Yorkshire Dales. It looked beautiful so I called straight away and booked the Brunch Package spa day, which came with a treatment included and full access to the facilities from 10-4.

Picture from google.

I initially booked The Secret Spa, which involved your own private Bell Tent complete with outdoor dining and a log burner for relaxing in, however we have had some pretty vicious storms of late here in the UK so the tents unfortunately were not available on the day of our visit. They called me a couple of days before to let me know, offering the option to either rebook or to add on a complimentary extra treatment- The Rasul Chamber experience. I jumped at the chance to do this- and more on that later!

The drive to the location took us through some pretty little towns in the north west of Yorkshire and when we arrived, we were greeted straight away by the friendly staff. We were given complimentary robes and flip flops and there was ample changing space upstairs with secure lockers for your belongings. We were also given an itinerary card which told us where we would be and at what time. I loved this element, as not only did it keep things flowing and structured, but it ensured we had ample time to enjoy everything the spa had to offer- and all to ourselves too!

So as you can see from the image, our first stop was the Spa lounge (this would have been the Bell tent, but the storms stopped this from happening) for our Brunch. Now here is a confession- I have never, in my 31 years of life, had brunch before. I know, I know- where have I been?! This meant I wasn't 100% sure what to expect but when the little boxes were brought over, I was pleasantly surprised! Meats, cheeses, bread, crackers, olives, chutney, yogurts and pastries galore! I was spoilt for choice! I was also offered a bottle of Prosecco as the staff knew it was my birthday, but as I don't drink alcohol, I opted for a fresh glass of apple juice instead. I absolutely loved tucking into the food- the pastries were divine- and I was definitely full after. You would be after this feast!

After we had our Brunch, we were able to relax a little in the Spa lounge before heading to our first 2 stops- the Sauna and the Steam Room. I love a good sauna, and it has been a while since I used one so I was looking forward to getting in there and relaxing. Benefits of a Sauna include detoxification, increased bloodflow and circulation, relaxation of the mind and body as well as being left feeling invigorated. I don't usually sweat, but boy was I sweating in there- in a good way! The steam room afterwards was less sweaty, but came with it's own benefits including clearing congestion, improving skin health and relaxing the joints. We spent an hour in total in both of these areas and I definitely felt refreshed afterwards!

After the sauna it was time for the complimentary Rasul Chamber experience, which I was really excited for! We were led to a private room, which locked from the outside so that nobody could get in but we could get out. There was a small changing area to hang our robes up and then a second door leading to the chamber. Inside the chamber, there were little seats to sit on, glasses of water and 3 pots of mud. One was for the lower body, one was for the upper body and the last was for the face and scalp. There were also calming lights in the ceiling and relaxing music playing. We first covered our bodies in the mud, before eucalyptus infused steam was pumped into the chamber to help our pores absorb the mud as well as clear our sinuses and help us to relax. The lights changed colour during this time for a full sensory experience. After around 25 minutes, the steam changed to a shower for us to wash off the mud, leaving our skin soft, conditioned and glowing. Once the shower turned off, we were then allowed as much time as we needed to dry off and exit the chamber. This was such a relaxing experience, I absolutely loved it- it definitely made up for the bell tent not being available!

After the Rasul treatment, we were then able to enjoy the gorgeous pool, which was the perfect temperature. I am not much of a swimmer, so I stayed at the side mostly just treading water and doing a couple of lengths but it was still absolutely lovely to have the pool to ourselves. We then moved to the jacuzzi and wow, was that relaxing! I didn't want to get out, it was so warm and inviting. It has been a long time since I have been in a jacuzzi but I now wish I had one at home too!

Once we had finished our time in the jacuzzi, we were given a little time to shower and get changed ready for our treatments. Mum went for the Signature Massage whilst I went for 'A little bit of everything' This consisted of an invigorating back exfoliation followed by the application of a warm and purifying mud mask to the back to cleanse, detoxify and hydrate. Whilst the mask was setting, I was treated to a leg and foot massage before the mask was removed and finished off with a stimulating back, neck and shoulder massage. Pure heaven! I was almost asleep 5 minutes in! There was the sound of the wind outside, but that just made it even cosier!

After the treatment had finished, we were given some water and plenty of time to get changed and collect our things. We were never rushed and the staff were the perfect mix of making sure we were ok and letting us do our own thing, which I thought was amazing too.

This was my first spa day experience and it has really given me a taste for being relaxed and pampered- who wouldn't want that? I would highly recommend a visit to The Devonshire Spa and I have no doubt I will be returning too- hopefully I will be able to experience the bell tents too!