Spa break: Ockenden Manor, West Sussex :: Spa breaks UK

Ockenden Manor Hotel, West Sussex - spa breaks UK - fashion & beauty - allaboutyou.com

It sounded like a very inviting challenge; to take a 24-hour escape from London to Ockenden Manor Hotel & Spa in the pretty village of Cuckfield in West Sussex. The attractively-worded invite offered an hour-by-hour description of events, before returning to the city refreshed and ready for life. Feeling like the most relaxed version of Anneka Rice it’s possible to imagine, I grabbed a friend and took the New Year challenge.

Hour 1: Board train from London Victoria or London Bridge, or jump in the car and head down the M23 to Ockenden Manor Hotel & Spa in the pretty village of Cuckfield.
Living in East Croydon my start-off journey was even more relaxed and I caught the Victoria train 15-minutes closer to my destination. Haywards Heath is the closest station to the hotel, from there it’s about 10 minutes in a taxi (£8) to Cuckfield.

Cuckfield is the sort of place you find vintage designer shops and old-fashioned sweet shops; the moneyed sitting along the nostalgic. A quick peruse of the estate agents will tell you that houses here sell for over a million pounds, but you are talking grounds and swimming pool for that money.

Hours 2 - 3: Disappear into the beautiful spa. Take a refreshing dip in the outdoor swimming pool and relax …
The spa is in the grounds of the hotel, a large modern red and glass building which is a big contrast to the ivy-clad grey-stone manor hotel next door. The spa reception is light and airy and seems to be pretty much created from glass, through which we can see the large indoor and outdoor pools, Jacuzzis and sun-loungers.
And once we’re changed into robes and swimming gear, the winter sun is warm enough to sit outside on the outdoor pool terrace – well, once we’re installed in the Jacuzzi!

Hours 4 – 6: Serious Me-Time: succumb to an hour of pure indulgence, with either an ila, Ren or Temple Spa treatment. Rehydrate with a fruit smoothie. Read a book without having to stop half way through the chapter. Take a stroll around the 9 acres of the hotel’s beautiful gardens including the pretty walled garden with its wild flower meadow. Or play a game of croquet on the front lawn.

We’re booked in for a Nordic walking session in the morning, so forgo the delights of the gardens and croquet in favour of relaxing spa treatments and ‘rehydration’ with a couple of glasses of Champagne!

The Anada face therapy uses techniques from Shamen women in Mexico who believe that the energy of light is deeply rejuvenating; working with energy centres of the face it is designed to heal and revive and leave skin looking radiant. And it’s certainly super-relaxing, I drift off the land of nod at some point during the proceedings. No, I’m sure it was nothing to do with the Champagne …

Hour 7: Leisurely preparations for a dinner to remember.
We’re staying in the spa building, which has rooms upstairs from the main area, so no need even to change out of our robes as we pad upstairs in our slippers. The bedroom is a big light filled space with a contemporary design, warmed up by fabric prints and pretty soft furnishing. There are wall-to-ceiling sliding glass doors leading out to a roof terrace, nice landscaped with ‘break-out’ areas with sun-chairs and loungers. Shared with six other bedrooms in the spa suite, there are thoughtfully-created secluded corners if you’re feeling private.

Inside there’s a flatscreen TV, espresso machine and an ipod dock for our entertainment.

Hour 8 – 10: Gastronomic bliss at Ockenden Manor’s Michelin-starred restaurant, followed by a digestif in the elegant lounge.
We’re back over to the lovely old manor house for dinner that evening and so, yes, we finally have to get out of our robes. This is elegant fine dining and everybody has spruced up for the occasion, though there is no strict dress code here which adds to the feeling of happy relaxedness. After dinner we have a drink in the cosy wood-panelled bar before bed.

Hours 11 – 19: Retire and slumber for the optimum 8 hours sleep; awake ready for the day and refuel with a hearty breakfast.
Back in the lovely old restaurant again for breakfast and we do need the refuelling, despite putting away the full four courses last night (plus a delicious fish amuse bouche that, for me, was one of the highlights of the meal). Because this morning we’re off for a six-mile hike across the West Sussex countryside!

Hours 20 – 23: Choose a Restorative Pilates, Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Pilates or Nordic walking class through the surrounding countryside (classes available depend on day of the week).
This being Sunday, there is no Pilates or yoga, so Nordic walking it is! Ben is our guide for the morning and gives us a quick ‘how-to’ in the art of co-ordinating arms, legs and sticks – tricky at first, but it soon kicks in – and we’re off through a beautiful landscape of woodlands, rivers, old country estates and wide open fields. It’s muddy so stout walking shoes or hiking boots are an essential but the walk has been thoughtfully curated to finish up at a local vineyard – where we have a restorative glass of vino and then a taxi picks us up and takes us back to the hotel (both wine and taxi are included in the package price).

Hour 24: Check out and travel back to The Big Smoke feeling refreshed and ready for anything.
Yes, this is the sad bit but we have greatly benefited from our trip to the countryside, feeling both rested (the spa) and invigorated (the walk).

How much does it cost?

The 24-hour escape from London starts from £455 based on two people sharing a standard room and includes dinner, breakfast, an hour’s spa treatment, an isopod floatation tank session and a fitness class each (Yoga, Pilates, Zumba or Nordic walking depending on day and availability). Single occupancy starts from £280 per person. For reservations – please contact www.hshotels.co.uk or phone 01444 416111.