Being a hotel blogger definitely has its perks. Even if I don’t get invited to stay over, it usually means I’m encouraged to try out the spa area for the day to relax and pamper myself. I’ve been lucky enough to review a whole range of UK spas on my blog, from Fishmore Hall in Ludlow to Champneys Springs Spa, and I’ve been lucky to work with some pretty amazing places over the past couple of years. I honestly think having a spa day is one of the best ways to treat yourself, so each time I get invited, there’s always something to look forward to. With Bank House Hotel Spa that overlooks the Malvern Hills in Worcester, I was promised a day of relaxation and rejuvenation and I’m happy to say they didn’t fail.
I was booked in on a Sunday morning, 10am to be exact. The spa is a 35 minute drive away from my home in Stirchley, Birmingham and it was a lovely morning drive. The hotel and spa entrances are separate and we were welcomed by the staff the second we walked in. I bought Josh along with me as we rarely get to spend weekends together, so figured it would be a lovely way to catch up on the week. On arrival, we were told we could use the facilities at our leisure, and could lounge by the indoor swimming pool, relax in the state of the art Thermal Suite, or simply pamper ourselves with one of their award-winning Temple Spa treatments.
Luckily for me, the spa kindly booked me in to try their Signature Spa Day (£115) that includes lunch, 10 – 4 pm spa use and their 60 minute signature back, face, scalp & foot signature treatment. It may seem a little pricey but I can say now that it’s definitely worth it. The facilities were clean, spacious and had separate areas for men and women to get changed and store personal belongings. I’m going to book in again soon after the Christmas period, it was honestly such a relaxing spa day.
Since I was having a treatment, I filled out a form which indicated what type of oils I would like and if I have any allergies and skin conditions. While this was happening, a member of staff bought Josh and me a hot flannel and a refreshing juice to drink. It’s little personal touches like this that makes the day worthwhile and memorable. Soon after, we were shown around the facilities and spa area and went to get changed. The lockers are really easy to use as you put your own code in, so only you can open it afterwards. It’s 100 x easier than carrying a key around with you all day and worrying you might lose it.
I threw my hair up in a messy bun, changed into my swim wear and put on the white robe and slippers provided. As Josh has size 12 hairy Hobbit feet, the flip flops were too small for him. Never mind, mine fitted me perfectly. There are two sections to get changed in, one part is a shower with toilets and the other room is changing rooms with lockers. There is only one little section to get changed in with a door covering you, but on the day the spa was pretty empty with only a few other women around so I had no issues with this. I really liked how they provide you with hairdryers, a large mirror, make up remover, deodorant, tissues, cotton buds and water too. You have everything you could possibly need.
Just before jumping into the pool, we were shown around the facilities. There is a fully functioning gym with weights, running machines, and mats to do exercises on. In another room there are relaxation beds to snuggle up on with blankets if you fancied some down time while reading a magazine. As mentioned, the spa really does have everything you could need to fully enjoy your time there. I also tried out one of these beds after my treatments, it was incredible and I almost fell asleep.
The Spa & Thermal Suite
In a separate area to the pool, there is the Thermal Suite with a Jacuzzi, a shower with the added freezing cold bucket of water if you wanted to wake yourself up, a sauna and a steam room. The cleanliness and hygiene of the spa faculties was immaculate on the day I went to review, so I can only imagine it’s like this all of the time. When heading into the Thermal Suite, you are able to hang up with your robe on little hooks and put your slippers in a safe corner to grab on your way out. Easy does it.
What’s more, when lounging by the pool, staff bring drinks to you on request. When popping out of the Jacuzzi, Josh and I asked for a few lattes and they brought them directly to us. This is a thoughtful and customer-focused touch as the last thing you want to do when you’re soaking wet is wait around for a drink. As my treatment was booked in for around 2pm, we were told we could have a browse through the lunch menu at around 1pm in the restaurant area, just a few metres away from the pool entrance.
Two Course Light Lunch
The seating area has several tables to sit and enjoy some food and drinks away from the pool. We ate our food in our dressing gowns and the service was very prompt. We were able to try two courses and I opted for the Super Food Salad (would have cost £7.50) and Josh asked for the Soup of the Moment (£6). My salad was very tasty, colourful and perfect for a spa day treat. But then I ordered the Tempura Haddock (£14.75) that came in a light tempura batter with mushy peas, caper butter, dressed leaves and rustic wedges or skinny fries. Josh went for a simple BLT sandwich which was presented beautifully. They may change the menu occasionally so it’s good to bear this in mind for future visits.
The food was really lovely and I didn’t expect the size of my haddock to be that big. You could tell the food is prepared fresh in the kitchen, and the little pots of condiments was great to have on the side. For a spa cafe, we were both really impressed with the quality of the food and service. Once we had let our food slide down, we headed back to the pool for another half hour before I headed upstairs for my treatment.
Signature Spa Treaments
This was the best part of the day for me and I was really looking forward to closing my eyes for an hour. I was told beforehand that I would be trying the 60 minute signature treatment that began with a heavenly relaxing back massage with hot stones, followed by a high-tech and lifting facial mask to hydrate my skin. While I had the mask on, my feet were warmed in heated mitts (oh my god, so nice) and finally, I was given the most incredible scalp massage. Needless to say, it felt so hard to leave that room afterwards. I can’t actually remember how much that treatment was but the full list of treatments can be found online.
Go and treat yourself
I want to say a huge thanks to Bank House Hotel and Spa and the wonderful staff for inviting me to try this incredible experience. I left the spa that day feeling immensely rejuvenated, hydrated, relaxed, watered and fed. As far as hotel and spa reviews go, this one is going to be a little hard to top. Please note, I was invited to the spa with a +1 to try out the facilities, lunch options and spa treatments in return for an honest blog post. Of course, all opinions are my own. What are your thoughts on this spa, will you be visiting any time soon?
Address: Bank House Hotel Spa and Golf – Bransford, Worcester WR6 5JD