Since our lives post Covid have returned to a somewhat different normality, I have never been busier. I have said yes to every opportunity, but by doing so I have burnt myself to a cinder. Burnt out and feeling a little “meh”, I have been desperate for a day to truly clock off and find somewhere gorgeous to unwind and relax, somewhere like “Ye Olde Bell Hotel & Spa” in Retford.
Starting out as a farm in the 17th century, it’s documented that Ralph Thoresby was one of the first guests to stay when he found himself lost on horseback whilst returning from London. Since its humble beginnings, Ye Olde Bell Hotel has had many guises over the decades, from stables to a private house until becoming the beautiful hotel that it is today. The perfect place for four star luxury and blissful relaxation.
After all these changes and alterations through history, this stunning hotel has regained its former reputation as ‘the’ place to eat, stay and celebrate in the region, so adding in a multimillion-pound spa feels like the icing on top of the cake. As far as success stories go, this upgrade has certainly paid off as the spa was awarded ‘Top 5 Bubbles’ by the Good Spa Guide within the first year of opening. So, as you can imagine, experiencing this wonderful place for myself was a truly exciting opportunity, and absolutely needed.
Tom and I were asked to arrive as early as possible to have a full day at the spa, so we put our foot on the gas and we arrived just before 9:30am, (talk about keen beans!). We familiarised ourselves the hotel quickly then headed over to the spa, which was opposite the hotel and a simple 10 second walk. However, with lots of things to see, like the beautiful lodges which are separate to the main hotel, it took us a little longer.
After our little waddle we walked straight into an open planned reception area and were greeted by some lovely people who checked us in and gave us a guided tour of the spa. Once we were shown around, we raced to the changing rooms and headed out to try as many of the facilities as we could.
First, we tried out the Herbal Laconium room, which lets out bursts of gorgeous steam infused with herbs. We were advised to start with this room to warm the body through and gently clear the mind, which it certainly did. After thoroughly warming ourselves up we decided to walk straight into a snowstorm. Well, not a real one, but another experience room where you could control the snow with a button. Since we were pretty warm, we decided to go full throttle by dodging the soft flurry and hit the storm button, which was a teeth chattering brilliant experience.
Cold therapy helps boost the immune system and eliminate toxins; improving the appearance of cellulite and speeding up muscle recovery, so we sucked up the storm until we could take no more, and at this point we were needing heat again.
We slinked our way into the alpine sauna, which brought our body temperatures back to a comfortable heat. This gorgeous sauna has been constructed of Swiss Stone Pine and it flooded the senses with its beautiful pine essence. Totally relaxed we drifted in and out of sleep, eventually braving a dip in the vitality pool to cool off again.
The vitality pool had several indoor and outdoor air recliners, a mini air tub, a reflexology station, water massage jets and a water curtain, so we took our time and chatted as we utilised every nook and cranny of the pool.
After we were substantially soaked and our fingers were pruned to within an inch of their lives, it was time to try the spa lunch at the Herb Garden Brasserie. We couldn’t wait to indulge in a balanced, healthy and delicious menu and we were incredibly impressed. We enjoyed three courses of beautifully presented scrumptious food, from seared sea bass on roasted potatoes to mushroom risotto and a tasty, deconstructed rhubarb tart, we were actually blown away and totally stuffed.
After letting our food digest, we sauntered over to the massage rooms where we both enjoyed a 40-minute back massage, full of deep tissue therapy, knot removal and pure relaxing bliss. I think at one point I let out a quick loud snore, which was embarrassing for me, but an obvious compliment to the masseuse.
After the massage the masseuse talked me through the areas she felt I needed to work on going forward. The majority of her recommendations focussed on my posture and my neck, which were all spot on since I spend most of my time bent like a croissant looking at my phone, it was obvious these guys knew what they were talking about.
From here our masseuses walked us to the Sabbia Med room, which resembled a beach. The room was full of sand and had two deck chairs sat side by side. We floated over, took a seat and drifted off whilst the room mimicked sunrise to sunset in a 30-minute cycle. The room also emitted low levels of UV which released Vitamin D, the specialised lamps were also used to alleviate SAD. Personally, I think this room would make for a perfect escape in the drab winter months when you’re in need of that beach day, so I’ll definitely be back to bury my tootsies in the sand and experience this room again.
Following our 30-minute beach session, we were allowed full reign of the spa facilities, so we visited some of our favourite rooms again and the afternoon was spent rolling in and out of the pool to cool down from the blazing sun, heaven.
After taking full advantage of the spa, we checked into our very own lodge. The lodges are separate from the hotel, but they carry on the same traditional theme as the hotel, which worked really well to create a cosy warm atmosphere. The lodge came complete with a kitchen, living room and an upstairs bedroom and bathroom.
Continuing with the post spa vibes, we chilled and watched television, then we took a relaxed stroll around the grounds, and whilst the sun was setting, we enjoyed a glass of wine in the restaurant and chatted as the night grew dark. We had finally had a day to thoroughly unwind and my gosh did it feel good.
If you’re in need of some “you” time, or fancy a day with family and friends, then I suggest that you book a stay at Ye Old Hotel & Spa, you really won’t be disappointed.
You will find more information HERE.
Reviewed by Luke Williams @stanleydru
Photography by Luke Williams @stanleydru
