By Sophie Gridley While Titanic Spa is only just over four years old, it's quickly found its place in the hearts of day-spa clients and overnighters alike. And it's no wonder; the spa is spacious, smart and staffed by some of the friendliest individuals we've ever come across in the process of getting a facial. Titanic has none of the snobbishness of some spas, you'll feel welcome from the word go which means you begin to relax immediately. And isn't that the point?
Set close to Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, Titanic is accessible from most areas of the country: Leeds, Manchester, even London. We recommend filling a car with friends and booking one of the two-bedroomed apartments which accommodate six - trust us, they're bigger and swisher than your own home, with lofty ceilings, fully-equipped kitchens, huge squishy beds and multiple bathrooms - this is square footage you just wouldn't find at an inner city spa, so it's worth the trip, particularly for big groups. Titanic would make hen-night heaven.
After wandering around your apartment in awe, head down to the spa. If you're booked in for treatments, now's the time to really start getting excited. The spa uses several well chosen brands, namely Jessica, Elemis, Carita and Decleor, with a treatment menu that's extensive but not overwhelming. Mothers and the stressed might opt for a Decleor Aromassage (£65 for 55 minutes) before heading to the Quiet Zone (think reclining fur-lined beds, bean bags and dim lighting) to chill like you've never chilled before; pre-vacationers could choose the Elemis Aroma Cocoon Body Wrap (£65 for 55 minutes), which will leave you with the smoothest skin this side of LA. Therapists are proficient, experienced and (did we mention?) ever so friendly. It's testament to their charms that you get personal service in a spa with upwards of eighteen treatment rooms - though this is an efficiently-run mass operation, you never feel like you're on a conveyer belt.
Most visitors get a Heat Experience thrown in and the majority take advantage of the privilege. This means the network of heated and cooled rooms do get busy, but they're worth a visit to add value to your stay, think of this as an extra treatment. The concept's straightforward. You alternate between warmed and cooled rooms, hopping out of a sweaty sauna and straight into an ice cold plunge pool or into a warm aromatic steam room before ducking under a cold shower - the cold bits rank pretty high on the scream-o-meter, but you're certainly left feeling invigorated. Tipped off by our therapist we hit the Heat Experience after 5pm - it was much quieter with no elbow sharpening required. Early birds will also be rewarded with peaceful facilities and a deserted pool.
If you're looking for a detox-inducing fat-busting boot-camp you'll need to look elsewhere - this spa's not about denial and frankly that's another reason Titanic Spa gets our seal of approval. Expect carbohydrates to be served, along with every other food group (thank goodness), and the meals to taste home-cooked and feel comforting. There's wine, there's dessert and there's cheese - it's not gourmet dining, but it's full-flavoured and high quality and will fill you up nicely after all that swimming. In fact, the only restraint Titanic shows is in its energy use: eco-queens and even the mildly green will be pleased to hear Titanic's roll call of ecologically sound measures, including energy derived from a biomass generator, untreated Yorkshire water derived from the on-site bore hole, a system of laundry using cold water and electricity generated by solar panels. Titanic's eco-principles are largely behind the scenes, but they're certainly strides ahead of most carbon-guzzling spas.
The beauty of Titanic really lies in its fantastic apartments, so come prepared to really make the most of them. While you do get a next-day continental breakfast provided (cereal, croissants, juice), the gastro-minded might like to bring eggs, bread, bacon and so on - though with a checkout time of 10am, you'll have to be up and at it to fit in a fry-up. We love the idea of taking scented candles, tubes of face mask, stacks of DVDs, bath oils and hair treatments and turning your stay into the ultimate sleepover. We're not saying this isn't a spa for couples (in fact there's a room for couples massage and dual treatments and we did spot a few males wandering around) - but we just can't get away from the idea that Titanic would host the ultimate girls' night in. Even if it's just you, a massage and a Sex and the City DVD. Bliss.
Until October, Titanic Spa are offering a Friday night stay including breakfast, lunch, dinner, use of Club Titanic, Titanic Heat Experience, a Mud Chamber session, Target Massage and a Taster Facial for £139 per person.
For more information visit Titanicspa.com or call 0845 410 3333
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