Lifehouse Spa and Hotel

Swinging down gentle backroads through the Essex countryside and emerging at Lifehouse Spa and Hotel is like being teleported to Scandinavia. A cubic vision in light, white, glass-walled minimalism, it is a far cry from Thorpe Hall, the Georgian-style manor that belonged to Lord and Lady Byng around a century ago, now reduced to ruin.

But the location is just as peaceful, setting the scene for one of the region’s best adult-only spas and a restaurant serving local produce with a dash of Italian finesse.

I am here for the spa, of course, but before I cocoon myself in its warren of treatment rooms and pools, I decide to ease gently into my stay with a stroll through 12 acres of beautifully restored English Heritage gardens, bringing a shot of ivy-draped romance to the contemporary architectural lines of the hotel.

Scandi-style rooms

Calm and understated, the rooms at Lifehouse are sleek, bright and modern, with Juliet balconies pale wood furnishings, comfortable beds and little bursts of blue, green or pink in fabrics. The look and feel are restful. There is no wardrobe but there is space to hang up your clothes and spa robe. Tiled bathrooms have walk-in showers and nice touches like plant-based Grown Alchemist products.

Upgrading to a ground-floor Garden room gives you a patio that opens into the lovely grounds. Or opt for a Signature room for more space, pretty views of the gardens through floor-to-ceiling windows and a Nespresso maker. In a step to be eco-friendly, there are water stations throughout the hotel, so bring your refillable bottle.

Precious spa time

Frequently scooping awards, the spa is right up there with the best in Essex. The design is crisply contemporary, with white walls, halo-shaped lights and a modern spiral staircase leading up to treatment rooms. Bookings are made at the central reception desk next to a shop where you can stock up on products from Clarins to Grown Alchemist, Elemis, Made for Life and Temple Spa. There is also OPI nail bar, where you can have a manicure while sipping prosecco.

Loungers frame the indoor pool which is big enough for a proper swim and there’s also a jetted hydrotherapy pool, steam room, sauna and ice-cold plunge pool. Come at quieter times (first thing in the morning or early evening) for a less-crowded feel. Facilities are open from 6:30am to 9:30pm on weekdays or 10:00pm at weekends.

The range of treatments is vast. I opted for the Clarins Sensory Escape, a blissful, deeply relaxing 70-minute treatment combining slow, rhythmic massage with essential oils and concluding with a facial that left my skin glowing. Holistic treatments include a Made For Life mindfulness massage with luscious organic products, shiatsu, reiki and private Alchemy crystal sound baths. To improve sleep, the Wellsystem dry-wave massage bed works wonders.

Overlooking the gardens, the gym is kitted out with the latest cardio equipment and there’s also a long list of fitness and relaxation classes, from Pilates to Spin, Tai Chi and Hatha yoga.

How the garden grows

Lady Byng was quite the botanist, filling the lake-dotted grounds with rare specimens from a towering eucalyptus to a handkerchief tree and giant Californian strawberry tree.

Spring has brought the gardens into full bloom during my stay, and with borrowed wellies I spend a mindful hour or so rambling along pathways past rockeries, ponds, bridges and flower filled lawns. Winston Churchill, Peter Pan author J. M. Barrie and Queen Mary adored the views here and I can see why. The seasons are mapped out in flowers with snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells in spring, followed by roses in summer and colourful foliage in autumn. Pick up a map at reception to really do the grounds justice.

Essex meets Italy on a plate

Food is an afterthought at some spa hotels but not here. Lifehouse has raised the culinary bar since executive chef Ugo Simonelli took over the stove, blending fresh, sustainably sourced local produce with the clean, bright flavours of his native Italy. In the evening the lights are softly dimmed in the glass-fronted bistro facing the gardens, creating an intimate vibe.

Starters like Essex asparagus soup with sourdough and Bungay butter taste profoundly of the seasons. But more impressive still was hand-rolled ravioli filled with smoked Scamorza cheese, served with sprouting broccoli and lemon-chilli crumb. Both mains – a stone bass fillet in a bouillabaisse sauce and dry-aged beef sirloin with Jerusalem artichoke, smoked baby leeks and truffle jus – were delightful. The pick of the desserts nod to Italy, my blood orange panna cotta with perfect wobble being a fine example.

For something more relaxed still, there is the bar, a chic spot for a cocktail, craft beer or coffee. In summer, you can nurse an aperitif on the terrace.

Breakfast is a hot and cold buffet with cereals, fruit salad, yoghurt, pastries and Italian salami as well as ham. You can also help yourself to a full English. Unless you fancy a lie-in, time it to arrive before the 9:00am rush.

Beside the seaside

While you’re in the area, try to squeeze in a blow-away-the-cobwebs stroll at Frinton-on-Sea, a 10-minute drive or train ride away. Backed by beach huts, the two-mile beach with its gently shelving sands is one of the prettiest in Essex.

The Details

Lifehouse Spa & Hotel, Frinton Road, Thorpe-le-Soken, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO16 0JD, England.

Tel: +44 (0)1255 860050

Website: www.lifehouse.co.uk

Email: info@lifehouse.co.uk

Thorpe-le-Soken is about a two-hour drive from London. To reach the hotel by road from London, take junction 28 of the M25 onto the A12 and follow signs for Chelmsford and Colchester. Join the A120 signposted Harwich and Clacton, then the A133 for Clacton and Frinton. Follow the B1033 signposted to Weeley, Frinton and Walton. Once you reach Thorpe-le-Soken, follow signs for Lifehouse Spa Resort.

If you’re arriving by public transport, direct trains run hourly between London Liverpool Street and Thorpe-le-Soken in 1hr17min. From here, it’s only a five-minute drive or taxi ride. You can book the meet and greet service for £7.

Type of Hotel: 4-Star Spa Hotel

Number of Rooms: 89 rooms (Contemporary, Garden, Signature and Signature Garden rooms); Wi-Fi is complimentary.

Price Band: Moderate with Double Rooms including breakfast starting at £189. Dinner from the à la carte menu is from £50 per person for three courses.

Insider Tip: Visit the website for money-saving spa packages, from overnight stays to short breaks including dinner and a treatment.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9/10

Author Bio:

Kerry Walker is an award-winning travel writer and guidebook author.

Photographs courtesy of Lifehouse Spa & Hotel