With its sleepy thatched villages, lushly wooded valleys and fresh clean air, a spa break in Devon chills you out before anyone’s even so much as laid a hand on your chakras. This vast county, which is flanked by two epically beautiful coastlines, has a raft of warm-hearted spa hotels guaranteed to relax even the most pent-up of souls. Recharging can be as little as simply sitting in the Devonshire sunshine on a lounger looking out at the view, to treatments that will set you back on the path to serenity. All of the hideaways below can offer this and everything else inbetween. From seaside escapes and grand country estates, to historical wonders and high-tech hideaways, here’s our pick of the best spa hotels in Devon.
Boringdon Hall Hotel
Plymouth, Devon, England
With a £5-million state-of-the-art spa, which hotel guests have complimentary use of, this Elizabethan manor house offers pampering-a-plenty in a perfectly-preserved historic setting. The Gaia spa is one of the best spa hotels in Devon, with facilities that include a swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool, several steam rooms and saunas, a relaxation room, large gym and beauty salon. The treatment list is extensive and includes a range of expertly-delivered signature hot-stone massages, along with facials, body scrubs and holistic rituals – personalised treatments of up to two hours using the spa’s own-brand products.
From
£
105
per night
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Gara Rock
Salcombe, Devon, England
Devon’s coolest coastal hotel, set on the bluff of a cliff near Salcombe, South Devon, has rustic-chic interiors, heated indoor and outdoor pools, a cinema, restaurant, sun terrace, cosy bedrooms and stylish self-catering apartments, all cleverly positioned to make the most of spectacular sea views. The small Elemis spa contains a blue mosaic pool, sauna and steam room, and offers massages, manicures and facials. There are sunrise clifftop yoga sessions in summer followed by brunch. Rooms share a cosy, rustic, industrial feel, with velvet cushions, pom-pom-fringed throws, rough timber feature walls, vintage dial phones and geometric-tiled bathrooms.
From
£
314
per night
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The Cary Arms
Devon, England
The dinky spa at this delightful seaside hotel on Devon’s south coast has a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool. Other facilities include an aromatherapy and phototherapy shower, as well as steam rooms, a sauna and gym. Two ‘Thalgo’ treatment rooms offer marine-based facials, massages and all-over body treatments. The hotel also boasts a collection of one-bedroom beach huts – six in total – all on the seafront, offering floor-to-ceiling views of the Jurassic coastline. The best spot in the house in the restaurant during summer is the Captain’s Table, a raised section of the outdoor terrace that looks straight out to sea.
From
£
220
per night
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Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa
Salcombe, Devon, England
This 50-room luxury spa hotel has a magnificent view of Salcombe Bay, with its mesmerising waves, sandy beaches and pastel cottages. The pool has a ‘children’s hours’ policy; outside these times, it’s a fragrant haven of calm. Treats include the blissful hot stone massage – using the heat of volcanic basalt stones to iron out tension – and Temple Spa facials. Estuary View rooms offer startling river scenes that are guaranteed to promote mindfulness. Head out to one of the nearby coves for bucket-and-spade adventures or just mess about on boats on the river. Superb seafood and a cinema top off a stay here.
From
£
199
per night
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Ilsington Country House Hotel
Dartmoor, Devon, England
The spa is a real treat at this 1910 country house hotel, with an indoor swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and Kubel Dusche ice treatment. The gym is well equipped and two therapists offer massages, facials and beauty treatments using grape-based products from the renowned Parisien Caudalie range. Interiors have a traditional charm with original oak beams, high ceilings and country-style furnishings. Lounges are a mix of modern fabrics, floc wallpaper and more traditional artwork. All rooms have countryside views, and there is also a sun terrace and a croquet lawn.
From
£
135
per night
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Woolacombe Bay Hotel
Woolacombe, Devon, England
The spa at this expansive hotel a five-minute stroll from Woolacombe Beach has an indoor pool with hot tub as well as a steam room and a sauna. They are proud to work with brands that are mostly vegan and cruelty-free such as Natural Spa Factory and Dolly Lemon. Treatments include anti-ageing and problem-skin facials, body wraps, massages, manicures and pedicures. Other facilities include a gym, fitness classes, a nine-hole pitch-and-putt golf course, hard tennis courts, squash courts, a championship-sized snooker table. The indoor pool is a blessing for families on a rainy day – and with set times for children, you won’t have to worry about disturbing other guests.
From
£
150
per night
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Thurlestone Hotel
Salcombe, Devon, England
A luxury family-run spa and golf hotel overlooking the rugged South Devon coastline in the South Hams, near Salcombe. Facilities in the Decléor spa include a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and gym. The signature Voyager massage journey is particularly popular and includes a scalp and face massage. Many of the rooms have balconies and picture windows, where Thurlestone Arch, a wave-sculpted rock formation in the sea, is the eye-catching centerpiece. Dining is formal: waiters wear white gloves, even at breakfast, and jackets are obligatory at dinner.
From
£
178
per night
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Bovey Castle
Moretonhampstead, Dartmoor, England
This grand stately pile on a sporting estate in Dartmoor National Park has an impressive spa with heated swimming pool and whirlpool tub with deckchairs overlooking the grounds, plus steam room, sauna and gym. A range of ESPA treatments are available, as are several day packages that can include champagne and lunch, one or more treatments and full use of the spa. Afterwards, relax in your room with complimentary decanter of estate-made sloe gin and bathroom with roll-top bath, and ESPA toiletries. The silver-service Great Western restaurant is dazzlingly glamorous. The food wows too: try the estate venison or the seat trout.
From
£
215
per night
Rates provided by
Booking.com
Contributions by Anna Turns
This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.