Spa holidays: Indulgence without the guilt

Indulging in rich food during the Christmas period is an appealing prospect, whereas hitting the gym to lose those extra pounds after Christmas is not.

A spa holiday, however, is a way of continuing the indulgence of the festive period into the new year without the associated feelings of guilt.

England has hundreds of tempting spa holiday destinations. For a stress-free start to the new year, Enjoy England has put together details of some of the tastiest spa holidays treatments.

Spa holidays in Chester: The Chester Grosvenor Spa
The Chester Grosvenor Spa is famed for its fruity treatments, and particularly the strawberry herbal back cleanse. Forty-five minutes of pampering costs £45.

For more information see: www.chestergrosvenor.com

Spa holidays in Durham: Seaham Hall
Seaham Hall's Karin Herzog Coco Facial is effectively pampering by chocolate. The treatment uses minerals found in the cocoa treat, which are anti-oxidant and moisturising to help cell growth and renewal. It is also accompanied by the alluring aroma of chocolate, which is known for its anti-depressant qualities. A 90 minute treatment costs £85.

For more information see: www.seaham-serenityspa.com

Spa holidays in Surrey: Pennyhill Park
Visitors to Pennyhill Park can treat themselves to a champagne and mandarin manicure for £72 per hour, which uses natural ingredients of organic champagne and mandarin. The spa is also famed for its schnapps steam room, which uses aromas based on . . . schnapps.

For more information see: www.exclusivehotels.co.uk

Spa holidays in London: Bliss
A feet pedicure in hot milk and almond oil is the order of the day at Bliss. The treatment starts with an intensive dry-buffing with a diamond-sided flexible fibreglass callus fighter. Feet are then softened in steamed whole milk and almond oil. An hour long pedicure costs £55.

For more information see: www.blisslondon.co.uk

Spa holidays in Staffordshire: Eden Day Spa, Hoar Cross Hall
Treatments at the Eden Day Spa include an Elemis coconut and milk wrap. Warm milk is poured over your whole body before you are cocooned in a foil wrap while the face and scalp are massaged. The treatment takes about 55 minutes and costs £48.

For more information see: www.edenhallspa.co.uk

Spa holidays in Kent: Rowhill Grange Hotel & Spar
Another wrap treatment is on offer here, but this time it is in chocolate fondue. First the body is scrubbed with sweet sugar cane, and is followed by the chocolate body mask. A heated wrap then melts the chocolate into the skin, while a mask re-hydrates the skin leaving it smooth and glowing.

For more information see: www.alexanderhotels.co.uk/rowhill_grange/

Spa holidays in Berkshire: Fredricks
Fredricks offers a range of flotation rituals which allow the customer to pick from a range of treatments including treatment, rosebud or orange blossom. These are slathered on the skin before dry floating – on a warm waterbed – which enables the skin to more effectively absorb the benefits.

For more information see: www.fredricks-hotel.co.uk

Spa holidays in Hampshire: Bath House Spa, New Park Manor
The Bath House Spa offers a range of fresh organic treatments that include a fresh organic seasonal mask – strawberries for summer, pumpkin for winter – which also uses products such as wildflower honey, rose quartz crystal and delicate floral oil. The treatment takes 70 minutes and costs £70.

For more information see: www.newparkmanorhotel.co.uk

To find out more about any of the treatments and spa holidays visit: www.enjoyengland.com/relax