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Aqua Sana Spa brings forest bathing to Longleat Forest

    

09 January 2020

Aqua Sana Spa brings forest bathing to Longleat Forest

Aqua Sana Longleat Forest has unveiled its brand-new Forest Spa, bringing together 24 spa experiences to harness the proven benefits of forest bathing.

The spa, which has been completely refurbished to include all-new experiences, has drawn inspiration from different aspects of nature, including the changing seasons, rainforest showers, hot springs, ice and some of the most beautiful forests around the world.

Following the £6m investment, Aqua Sana Longleat Forest boasts a huge range of steam rooms and saunas, a heated outdoor pool, an ice cave, a selection of relaxation rooms and reflexology footbaths. The spa has also introduced two brand-new experiences which are exclusive to Aqua Sana Longleat Forest – the Forest Cavern and Moonlight Steam Room.

Inside the moonlit sauna
Inside dry steam room

The unique Forest Cavern replicates the feeling of discovering a cave nestled deep within a tropical forest. Infused with pomegranate and myrrh, and with the soothing background noise of trickling water, the space is designed to create a tepidarium-style heat and is ideal for practicing mindfulness and breathing techniques. The design of the experience draws on the Wiltshire landscape, taking inspiration from the many caves found within the local area.

The Moonlight Steam Room, which is accompanied by a Moonlight Shower to continue the benefits, carries the forest theme through and replicates the sensation of finding yourself in a darkened tropical forest with a dusky glow from the light of the moon. The experience harnesses lunar power to transport guests through the colours and sensations of dawn and dusk, leaving you stimulated, refreshed and soothed.

The spa is spread across five ‘zones’ – Nordic Forest, Hot Springs, Volcanic Forest, Forest Immersion and Treetop Nesting – each celebrating different aspects of nature through a spectrum of sounds, colours and infusions.

In addition to the overhaul of the spa, Vitalé Café Bar has also received a £340,000 investment to give it a complete transformation, bringing the outside in with an abundance of foliage decorating the space and large windows giving an insight into the rich woodland setting.

     

To celebrate the launch of the Forest Spa, Aqua Sana Longleat Forest has introduced a new, exclusive two-hour treatment designed to continue the healing benefits of the Forest Cavern. Using all-natural ingredients to deliver an earthy experience, the Nature’s Ultimate Remedy treatment lifts, contours and refreshes the entire body. Comprising of a full body brush with a scalp massage, hot stone massage and face mask application, it uses sustainable products supplied by a family-run Bath-based business.

The treatment was designed by Group Spa Manager, Kay Pennington, who used her years of experience in the spa and beauty industry to create a luxurious and completely exclusive treatment.

Kay said: “We are thrilled to be bringing the Forest Spa to Aqua Sana Longleat Forest. Although Aqua Sana Longleat Forest has been a firm favourite for more than 20 years, the new spa experiences give it a completely new personality – we’ve effectively opened a brand-new spa! I’m so excited to begin welcoming guests, from loyal spa aficionados to complete newcomers. Aqua Sana is wonderfully unique in offering such high-quality experiences and attentive guest service, whilst also remaining a welcoming and friendly environment. We seek to create a space where people can truly relax - the perfect location for your first or your fiftieth spa experience."

inside the hide away at Longleat Forest, seating area and serving station
Relaxation room inside Aqua Sana Longleat Forest

The first Aqua Sana Spa opened at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest in 1987 and employed a team of five. Since then, with continued investment and development, the brand has grown to include six spas, employing more than 650 people. The new spa will bring together the most popular elements of the existing Forest Spas, while also utilising the latest innovations and technology. Aqua Sana Longleat Forest opened in 2001, initially for guests on a short break at Center Parcs - the spa now attracts 38,000 spa day visitors each year as well as 35,000 Center Parcs guests for spa sessions.

Kay added: “We see this as the next evolution of Forest Spa and part of our ongoing commitment to continually develop and ensure we’re offering the best experiences for our guests.”

Aqua Sana Longleat Forest offers a range of spa days and packages from £59pp, and spa breaks from £169pp. Guests on a Center Parcs short break can also enjoy spa sessions from £45pp for three hours.

Notes to Editors

About Aqua Sana

Aqua Sana has six spa locations across the UK and Ireland: Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Elveden Forest in Suffolk, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire and Longford Forest in County Longford, Ireland. Each spa is nestled in peaceful woodland, making them the perfect escape from the everyday, a place to get close to nature and spend time with someone special.

About Aqua Sana Longleat Forest

Aqua Sana Longleat Forest encompasses 2,222 square metres, spread over two floors and including outdoor areas for relaxation. It includes 24 treatment rooms, a pre-treatment lounge and a post-treatment relaxation area. A wide range of treatments are on offer from well-known product houses, Elemis and Decléor.

Nordic Forest

  • Nordic Sauna: This rustic, Finnish-style sauna has huge glass windows with views into the forest and is a great area to purify, detox and relieve muscular aches and pains. It's also an excellent way to boost the immune system. Reclaimed Alpine wood décor and authentic Nordic music complete the experience.
  • Ice Cave: This room replicates an igloo and has been created using innovative materials that wouldn’t typically be found in a spa. Crafted from wax and moulded shell, it inspires the senses to transport you to the Arctic tundra, cooling the body for a fresh, polar experience. Ice is provided to rub onto the skin to stimulate circulation and boost the immune system.
  • Alpine Steam: One of our most popular experiences. Infused with menthol and eucalyptus, the colours of the experience resemble the Northern Lights, while the huge amethyst crystal within the room promotes natural healing. This room purifies and detoxes the body as well as aiding decongestion.
  • Forest Rain Walk: Walk through three showers, each with different water flows and temperatures, all infused with a mint aroma designed to revitalise and refresh.
  • Scandinavian Snug: Cosy up under a warm blanket in this outdoor sanctuary and drift away to the sounds of a crackling, open fire. Outside, the Glacial Garden provides the perfect place to sit back and relax, surrounded by Nordic Fen trees.

Treetop Nesting

  • Forest Glade: Enjoy the quaint tree stump seating and essence of cherry wood. Sit back and take in the sounds of a warm woodland as you embrace the cooling mists that fill the room intermittently, awakening the body and senses. Designed to replicate a climate that leaves you feeling stimulated, purified and detoxed.
  • Rain Forest Shower: This refreshing shower takes inspiration from the awesome power of a thunderstorm with Alaskan mint essence to enliven the senses.
  • Deep Relax: Sink into heated water beds surrounded by flickering candles. Relaxing music makes this a perfect place for quiet reflection and snoozing.
  • Sweet Slumber: Ergonomically designed loungers gently heat the contours of the body to soothe muscular stresses and strains, particularly on the back area.

Volcanic Forest

  • Fire Side Relax: Sit back in this warming, cosy seating area and watch the gentle flickering of the open fire.
  • Volcanic Sauna: Cedar wood stimulates the body in this sauna experience which soothes muscular tensions and detoxes the body.
  • Volcanic Shower: Twin showers and the scent of maracuja unite to create a cooling mist, filling the whole shower area.
  • Volcanic Steam Room: Infused with the delicious scents of Aqua Sana’s own black amber and citrus, this experience relieves aches and pains while purifying the body.

Hot Springs

  • Waterfall Shower: Experience a refreshing shower infused with Sumatra orange essence - select a programme to suit your mood, from gentle tropical rain through to a warming waterfall.
  • Hot Tubs: Two outdoor hot tubs looking out into the forest gently massage the body, relieve tension and allow full immersion in forest bathing.
  • Salt Steam Room: Another favourite experience room. Sit back and relax as you enjoy the benefits of mineral stone and jasmine essence. This experience purifies and detoxes as well as soothing aches and pains.

Forest Immersion

  • Forest Nesting: Huge loungers make this the perfect place to relax and unwind, with twinkling projections on the floor creating the feeling of being ensconced within the forest canopy.
  • Moonlight Steam Room (exclusive): Emulating the feeling of being in a dark tropical forest, the refreshing citrus aroma stimulates and refreshes, while the heated seating eases muscular aches.
  • Moonlight Shower (exclusive): Step inside and experience a cleansing trio of showers, from warm tropical rain to a gentle mountain mist or, for those seeking a deeply refreshing experience, cool glacial rain.
  • Forest View: Settle into the deep relaxation loungers and gaze out across the woodland through the floor to ceiling windows.
  • Forest Meditation: Lay back and let the ambient light and projection system replicate forest sky scenes, slowly turning from day to night. The comfy seating and calming environment lend themselves perfectly to this experience, inducing a sense of mindful reflection.
  • Forest Cavern (exclusive): A unique and totally immersive experience. Replicating a cave hidden deep within a tropical forest, this gently warming experience takes it back to basics with an earthy décor and an infusion of pomegranate and myrrh to balance mind and body.

Outdoor pool

Let your mind drift as you float in the heated outdoor pool - whether the sun is shining or rain is falling, this is a tranquil and refreshing experience all year round.

Sole Therapy

Start the spa experience with the relaxing reflexology footbaths. Soaking in warm water helps the body temperature rise, ready for the warmer experiences within the spa.

Treatments

As well as a range of treatments from luxury product houses, including ELEMIS and Decléor, Aqua Sana Longleat Forest has introduced a brand-new and exclusive treatment, designed by Group Spa Manager Kay Pennington - Nature's Ultimate Remedy (from £119). The two-hour treatment includes:

  • A body exfoliation using Aqua Sana’s own black amber and vanilla scrub
  • A rasul grey mud body mask
  • A scalp massage using raw coconut oil
  • A hot stone massage
  • A facial massage and exfoliation, using a bamboo exfoliator
  • An Aegean charcoal face mask, amplified by a rose quartz derma roller

We are also proud to offer a selection of treatments and products targeted at boosting wellness, which are also suitable for those living with and beyond cancer.

Spa wellness sessions

As part of all spa days and spa sessions, visitors are invited to try our free wellness sessions, aimed at promoting self-care, relaxation and health and wellbeing.

  • Spa Discovery Sessions: Our therapists share tips and advice on skincare routines and help visitors discover new ingredients.
  • Sleep Sessions: Soothing guided breathing exercises are followed by a relaxation ritual to unwind the body and mind. This will allow for complete relaxation and make time for clear, concentrated mindfulness. Sleep Sessions are held in Forest Meditation.

The Hideaway

Aqua Sana Longleat Forest is home to the exclusive Hideaway. Beautifully decorated, with huge windows opening directly onto the woodland, The Hideaway is perfect for groups who are looking for a private, exclusive area to enhance their spa experience. With a lounge, dining area and treatment area, the crowning glory is the outdoor private barrel sauna. As part of The Hideaway packages, all guests receive a complimentary mini-treatment and are offered a dedicated spa host to be on hand throughout the day.