All parents need a little time to themselves to recharge batteries. Admittedly these opportunities are few and far between, but when they do arise, you want to make the most of it, and what better way to achieve that than a visit to one of the Peak District’s spa days?
Losehill Spa is actually the only spa within the Peak District National Park boundary, so on a rare kid-free day, we treated ourselves to a visit.
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About Losehill House & Spa
As the name suggests, in addition to the spa, Losehill House and Spa is also a beautiful hotel with its own accommodation and restaurant. Built over a hundred years ago, the hotel has 22 rooms and suites so it’s a relatively substantial hotel, making it quite a rarity in the heart of the Peak District.
Its location close to Hope and Castleton, in between Win Hill and Lose Hill, means it’s easily accessible but still manages to retain an ‘away from it all’ countryside atmosphere.
We visited in December when the hotel seemed fairly quiet, although there were still plenty of friendly staff on duty to welcome us on arrival.
The Losehill Spa experience
It’d be a treat just to stay and dine at the hotel but we were focused on the spa packages during our visit.
Note that if you’re booking the half-day spa package, it must be done over the phone and not online. If you’re just intending to book the spa packages and treatments on their own, this can be done via the website.
We booked the half day spa package which costs £110 (Monday – Friday) and £125 (Saturday – Sunday) and includes:
- Pot of tea or cafetière of coffee on arrival
- 1 hour spa usage
- Two-course light lunch
- 50 minute spa treatment (choice of Thalgo Discovery Facial, Men’s Ocean Facial, the Face & Body Discovery or the 3 Algae Back Ritual or any Pregnancy Treatments)
- Complimentary robes, towels and flip flops provided
We paid an extra £10 per person for a full one hour body massage.
Arriving to Losehill Spa
Set in a dramatic location overlooking Win Hill, Losehill House and Spa fits perfectly into its surroundings. Located a few hundred metres from Hope along a narrow country lane (take care as there aren’t many passing areas), keep an eye out for the brown side leading to a decent sized car park.
On arrival, the friendly staff will check you in and run through the day’s itinerary before leading you into the lounge area for complimentary welcome drinks of tea or coffee. It’s a contemporary lounge area, relaxing and comfortable, with expansive views out through the large windows.
The Spa
The spa facilities include a small swimming pool, dry sauna (which didn’t get especially hot during our visit with no obvious temperature controls), decking area and a medium-sized outdoor hot tub with views over Win Hill.
There are separate changing rooms for men and women with showers and lockers, plus you’re provided with complimentary robes, slippers and towels. Everything feels fresh and modern in the spa, with plenty of seating around the pool area.
During our visit, we were quite fortunate to be the only guests using the facilities so we encountered no issues with sharing the hot tub and sauna. If you visit during a busier time, the facilities could perhaps quickly feel crowded.
Treatments
If you’re booking the half-day spa package, you’ll be asked to choose between a reduced set of treatments (see above).
If you’re booking spa treatments on their own, there’s a large selection of available (some are self-explanatory, e.g. Full Body and Scalp, although others, e.g. Island Ritual less so). It’s recommended to speak to staff on the phone if you need further details, or check the website for a fuller description.
It was a genuine treat to enjoy a full one-hour massage in the upstairs spa area, with soft lighting and music, expert hands, and total bliss. The staff are relaxed and professional, with a strong focus on wellbeing and explaining the upcoming treatments.
We both had a full body and scalp massage which took one hour, but felt like ten minutes!
Lunch
A light lunch is included in the price of the half-day spa day and it’s a nice end to the day. After perusing the menu in the lounge, you’ll be shown to your table overlooking the grounds. It’s a light and airy room with a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of space between the tables.
It’s important to note that the lunch is light with fairly small portions, although this might be exactly what you need after a revitalising spa session. The package includes two courses (an extra course is £8.50) but doesn’t cover any drinks or extras like breads. Whilst not uncommon with these types of packages, we felt something as simple as bread and bottled water could have been included in the price. Extras side dishes such as potatoes or vegetables were about £5.50 each which seemed on the high side too.
That aside, the food was fantastic. We had a small but perfectly formed starters of crayfish cocktail and goats cheese, with turkey and vegetable wellington for mains. It was very tasty and perhaps, in hindsight, the smaller portions weren’t a bad thing with Christmas approaching!
How to book Losehill Spa
You can book individual treatments online, but for the spa day package, you need to email or call to arrange specific times. Payment needs to be made over the phone to confirm your booking.
If you want to really make the most of your visit, how about staying over night at the hotel? Losehill House Hotel & Spa has to be one of the most romantic Peak District getaways there is if you’re able to find some babysitters for the night.
Click here to check rates and availability to stay at Losehill Hotel & Spa
Final thoughts on visiting Losehill Spa
From the moment we arrived in the almost hidden location, we felt relaxed and rejuvenated, and that was before we even before started on the spa day.
We were lucky to visit on a quiet day as we had the spa facilities to ourselves for the entire hour which was a huge bonus. If you plan to visit during peak season, keep in mind that the pool, hot tub and decking aren’t especially spacious if you have to share.
The spa treatments were an ideal opportunity to relax and switch off for an hour and we almost floated down to the restaurant for the tasty but light lunch.
If you’re looking for a treat in a stunning Peak District location, Losehill House and Spa is highly recommended; just don’t tell the kids!
You may also like to read:
Things to do in Castleton
The most romantic Peak District hotels and getaways
Classic Mam Tor loop walk