Spas - And Pockets

Spa Breaks are proving popular; prices, however, can vary significantly. For spa membership, you can pay anything from £60 a day to, well, the sky is (almost) the limit.

Top of the tree are places such as the Lanserhof at the Arts Club in London. Membership, here, will cost you £1,500 (unless you are already a member) and there is an annual membership fee of £6,500 p.a. Lanserhof is a German medical spa name with an "integrated approach to health and wellbeing". That said, they use a comprehensive (and rather good) system, including an MRI scan to establish an accurate body composition analysis, cardiopulmonary excercise testing and have a spine lab to check for any spinal imbalances.

The Matt Roberts Gym at the new opened Langley Hotel in Langley Park (sounds nice, but a bit uncomfortably close to Heathrow Airport, the M4 and M25 motorways - noise is not really an issue, though) offers high level of training with a acclaimed personal trainer, targeting strength, mobility, stretching and cardiovascular excercise. Cost - rooms will cost around £600 a night and at present, there is not too much information about additional training costs.

Champneys at Tring (a very nice part of the world, north of London) costs around £500 a night, depending on room type and when you wish to stay. The 2 night retreat includes such things as low-impact high calorie burn programmes, Jumpga and Kun-aqua (Tai-Chi in the pool).

If big bucks are not your thing, then go to spabreaks.com (link at bottom of page) you can enjoy a Summer Spa Special at the Urban Escape Crowne Plaza Nottingham fo £90 each (minimum 2 persons) and this includes : "One night's bed and breakfast, 2 course dinner in Swatch, 1 x 25 minute treatment from: Facial, Back Massage or File and Polish on Fingers or Toes, light lunch, robe, towel and slippers provided and full use of the leisure facilities."

The Macdonald Botley Park Hotel and Spa in Boorley Green Hampshire are offering One night’s bed and breakfast, a choice of 1 x 25 minute treatment from: Superfood Pro Radiance Facial, Freestyle Deep Tissue Massage, Best Foot Forward, File and Polish on hands and File and Polish on feet, robe, towel and slippers provided and full use of the facilities all for £87.50 (again, minimum for 2 people)

All depends on when you can get away, of course. We are now in the peak holiday season so offers are not really at their best. That said, town and city centre hotels with spas are the place to look during the holiday season - after

all, it is the facilities you are seeking, rather than the beach. (Well, perhaps both, though for treatments, it is the quality and scope of the spa that is important)

Enjoy!