We all know the health and wellness industry has been one of the hardest hit by this year’s lockdown, but I for one am very pleased that spas are finally re-opening. Tom and I were invited back to one of my favourite spa hotels in the North East, Seaham Hall, to experience the Duo Spa Day at their Serenity Spa post-lockdown.
Keep reading to get a free glass of bubbles when you book using my code!
Seaham Hall is a gorgeous luxury hotel on the County Durham coast. We slept over once and even though our stay was years ago now, the hotel room is still the most beautiful hotel room I’ve found in England to this day.
Take a look at my (old but still useful) review of a night at Seaham Hall Hotel if you’re interested in booking a night there.
The onsite Serenity Spa is a Far East themed oasis on the windswept coastline. Having had massages and other treatments of varying quality during my travels in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia, I appreciate the spa’s grasp of the region’s ancient wellbeing traditions.
I have to admit that I was apprehensive about visiting a spa in the current circumstances, but thankfully we had a positive experience and felt perfectly safe and comfortable during our relaxing couples’ spa day.
Here’s what to expect when you book a spa day at Seaham Hall.
Changes at Seaham Hall’s Serenity Spa
Masks are of course required in all public indoor areas at the spa, with the exception of the pools and restaurant. We wore our masks as we were accompanied into the treatment room and then took them off inside the room.
All staff wear masks and some wear visors. I’ve noticed a lot of local restaurants aren’t requiring that staff wear masks so I was pleased to see that Seaham Hall have chosen to take this precaution to protect both their staff and customers.
Social distancing measures are in place, with a one-way system signposted very clearly. This is all explained when you check in with reception.
There are Ishga hand sanitiser dispensers dotted around the spa. Oh, what a treat it was to find such a luxurious hand sanitiser amid a world where the cheap, nasty stuff has become the norm! My poor hands were so grateful.
In terms of the number of guests allowed in the spa at any one time, I found it very quiet. There was a handful of other people using the spa but it was easy to keep our distance without feeling like the only people in the place. There are signs clearly stating the recommended maximum capacity in all of the pools, which guests can read and use to make an informed decision.
Some of the thermal rooms are closed (eg the sauna and steam room) – I imagine that’s because they can’t be effectively sanitised between users. We didn’t miss them at all!
Treatments included in the Duo Spa Day package
As part of the Duo Spa Day package, we received two treatment each: a 45 minute Rasul Mud treatment followed by an hour-long Drift Away massage. We also had access to the spa for the whole day, so we arrived at 9am and left around 4pm – mainly because I was so relaxed I couldn’t keep my eyes open and wanted to go home and nap.
The Rasul Mud Cleansing Ritual for two takes place in a private thermal suite. It’s a DIY treatment and it’s lots of fun for couples! The lovely spa therapist explained how to use each of the products that had been carefully laid out in order of use before we entered the suite, then left us to it.
Once you’ve both exfoliated with the scrub and rinsed it off in the double shower, you sit in the heated chamber and let the products melt into your skin. When the time is up, a warm rainforest shower begins to pour from the ceiling. It was such a unique experience and one I’d definitely recommend to couples who fancy a date with a difference.
We loved the privacy of the suite and had a giggle, caking ourselves in the mud. The face mask they’d provided didn’t smell too good but it certainly worked its magic – my skin has been terrible lately and I noticed a marked improvement in my ‘mascne’ afterwards.
After a blissful hour nodding off on the heated recliners and gazing out at the foliage surrounding the spa, we were taken to a double treatment room for hour long massages.
The Drift Away massages now focus on the back of your body only, so the therapists really get a chance to work any knots and tension out of your shoulders.
Having not had a massage in more than six months, we both emerged from the treatment room walking on air.
Our meal at Seaham Hall’s Ozone restuarant
The Duo Spa Day package entitles each of you to a two-course meal in the spa’s Ozone restaurant. The menu is comprised of pan-Asian dishes and everything is always fresh and very tasty.
You can see into the kitchen area as you enter and say hello to the chefs. We could tell the kitchen was absolutely spotless, so any angst about dining out post-lockdown was soothed.
We shared a starter of crispy tofu bao buns with a sticky sweet chilli sauce. It’s not like Tom to rave about a vegan dish, but even he was impressed! The bao buns were satisfyingly pillow-y and the tofu’s texture was perfect. The dish is freshened up with cucumber and pickle.
For our mains, I went for my go-to at the Ozone restaurant: chicken pad thai. Tom had schezuan beef stirfry which he thoroughly enjoyed.
We shared a creamy cheesecake for dessert. It was served with a refreshing berry sorbet and the generousportion size made it perfect for sharing.
After our meal, we took a dip in the outdoor infinity hydrotherapy pool in the new(ish) zen garden. We had the entire space to ourselves!
The spa has also acquired heated waterbeds since our last visit and if you watched my Instagram story during the visit, you’ll know how much we loved these.
I was worried that safety measures would destroy the spa experience and infringe on the zen-like atmosphere, but that wasn’t the case at all. We loved our spa day at Seaham Hall and it was just what we needed amid the stress of house renovations, wedding planning and general work woes!
As mentioned at the beginning of this post, I was hosted by Seaham Hall and its Serenity Spa on Durham’s Heritage Coast.
The Duo Spa Day is available Mon – Sun, and includes access to the immersive spa facilities from 9am – 5pm, a Rasul Mud Treatment for two, a 60 minute Temple Spa Drift Away Massage for two in a double treatment room, and a two-course lunch in the Pan Asian restaurant, Ozone.
Prices start from £325 / £162.50 pp. Enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbles for two with your meal when quoting “WhileI’mYoung” at time of reservation. T&Cs apply / subject to availability. To book, call Seaham Hall on 0191 516 1400 (www.seaham-hall.co.uk).
More North East England travel posts
My guide to a weekend in Newcastle
My favourite restaurant in Durham
An unusual place to stay in Durham
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