Packing for a spa break - the things I was glad to have brought along

I recently enjoyed a wonderful spa break at Champneys Forest Mere with my family. It was my first experience of a spa break and so I spent a lot of time researching what I should pack! So I thought I'd share some of the things that I'm glad I had along with me just in case it is helpful to anyone else (and also a few extra things that it would have been nice to have).

The things that I'm glad that I packed:

Two swimming costumes. I packed a sporty swimsuit for swimming laps and a tankini for relaxing in the spa and sauna areas. Although the tankini wasn't ideal for jacuzzi pools as it kept riding up in the bubbles!

Extra tea bags. There were a few tea bags in the room but I'm glad I packed a couple of different flavours.

A couple of bottles of fizz. We were spending time together as a family and it was nice to have a bottle to enjoy in the room.

Snacks. A couple of my treatments were late morning or late afternoon and I was glad for a couple of biscuits to prevent my tummy rumbling!

A water bottle. There were drinks stations around but they only had tiny pointy cups. I was glad of my water bottle when I was spending time relaxing by the pool or in the lounges.

Slippers. We visited in winter and although the room was warm I did enjoy having some cosy slippers to wear in the evening.

A hair wrap. I seemed to spend a lot of time with wet hair so it was more comfortable to be able to wrap it away. The atmosphere was casual enough during the day that I could have worn in to breakfast or lunch.

My running kit. Outldoor trainers, a running belt and headband. Unfortunately we only had one dry day, but it was lovely to be able to get out and about for a run through the forest.

A mini bag to hold my phone and room card when going for meals.

A small tote bag for taking a book and water bottle to the pool area.

Lots of books. I didn't actually read as much as I thought I would, but I felt happy leaving a book in my tote bag around the pool area while I was swimming or using the spa rooms.

Smarter clothes for the evening meal. I didn't dress up too much but it was nice to wear something a bit more dressy after a day in a dressing gown or swimsuit.

Things it would have been nice to have:

An extra swimming costume. Luckily we had a radiator in the room so we were able to dry our swimwear, but otherwise I would have been putting on a damp swimming costume the next day despite having brought two with me.

Something to do in the evenings. I was staying with family so we socialised in the evenings but the rest of the hotel was deserted. If I had been staying on my own I would have appreciated something to occupy myself, maybe a craft project or an iPad to watch. 

Some extra snacks. Personally I found that the food and drink was mostly sufficient, but for someone used to eating larger meals some extra food might be enjoyed!

Things to check are included in your spa break stay:

Flip flops to wear around the pool - these are a definite must have, so remember to pack if they aren't included!

A robe for relaxing in and wearing to treatments.

Towels, not just the hotel room towels but extra towels to use around the pool.

I hope that this post was useful for anyone that is planning what to pack for a spa break!

A relaxing spa break at Champneys Forest Mere

Last week I was lucky enough to enjoy a fantastic three night stay at Champneys Forest Mere Health Spa. My Mum very kindly treated me, my sister and sister-in-law and we all had a wonderful time. As well as being a nice relaxing break it was also a lovely opportunity for us to all spend some time together.

I've had a couple of spa treatments over the years but this was my first spa break, and I really loved it. It was a great chance to get away from my daily life for a little while, enjoying a change of environment with some lovely company. I thought I'd share some of my thoughts in case it's helpful to anyone else thinking about a Champneys spa break!

The room

As a group of four we had two adjacent twin rooms. The rooms were clean and large, with plenty of space for the four of us to spend time together in the evenings. We had a lovely view out over the grounds including the lake and outdoor swimming pool, and the room was always quiet. There were tea and coffee making facilities and toiletries provided. 

Things to do

There are plenty of activities included as part of your stay which can be booked either the day before at a small cost or on the day for free if there is space. There are also some activities that cost extra, for example yoga and meditation. You can view the activity schedule on the website before your visit to get an idea of what is on offer - the classes range from low intensity stretch classes to higher intensity circuits and HIIT classes. There are also short guided walks around the local area.

I had intended to go for a run on the footpaths nearby but I was advised that the suggested hiking routes were very muddy (wellingtons were available if you fancied a walk!) Instead I took myself down the single track road leading from the resort to the main road. It was about 4k return and was a lovely run past the lake and through the trees. There are also bikes available to borrow. For a change or if it's raining there is a gym with the usual gym equipment and weights.

If you want a less active time then there are plenty of places to sit and relax both indoors and out. There is the large swimming pool area with saunas, hot tubs and so on. Around the pool there are a couple of peaceful rooms set up with waterbeds where you can read or sleep. There are also a couple of lounge areas, including the café with food and drink available to purchase and the piano room with beautiful views across the lake.

Treatments

My Mum very kindly let us choose three treatments each which were wonderful! My first treatment was the Champneys Spa Heaven Cocoon where I was exfoliated all over, moisturised, and left to rest on a heated bed while my feet and my head were massaged! I was a bit nervous about taking off my clothes but it was all very discretely managed. I did struggle with the paper pants though - I couldn't work out which way round they went!

Then I had the Champneys Radiance Renewal Facial which was amazing. It was so relaxing, with a face mask applied and then some kind of heavy blindfold while my scalp was massaged. It really was fantastic and I felt so chilled out afterwards. I finished with a Champneys Manicure which was again very good. My favourite part was the heated mittens which I was left to sit with for a little while, and it also included a hand massage.

Food and drink

I've written about the food and drink in a lot of detail which I'll be sharing here on the blog shortly. We were really impressed with the food available, there were lots of healthy choices and interesting things to try. It was very different to the sort of food that I eat at home as I tend to go for simple meals without too many ingredients, and it was a real treat to be cooked for! We did take our own drinks and nibbles to enjoy in the room together during the evening, but we could have managed without as we all found the food very filling.  

If you are looking for a spa break then I can definitely recommend Champneys. I know that it's not cheap, but it's worth looking out for special offers as they come up throughout the year, especially for a less busy time or mid-week. You'll usually have to pay extra for any treatments but as long as you keep an eye on the other extras (the more indulgent food, alcoholic drinks, a trip to the shop and so on) there is plenty included in the cost of your stay. I'm hoping that we will have the chance to return soon!

Thanks to my family for some of the photos!