The Hotel
Lifehouse Spa & Hotel is a relaxing hotel & spa retreat nestled in the picturesque Thorpe-le-Soken in North Essex, close by to the pretty seaside town of Frinton-on-Sea. The hotel bills itself as a spa hotel, which it is – but it’s also a much more than just that. Lifehouse Spa & Hotel is a tranquil haven unlike any hotel I’ve stayed in before – it has quite honestly been years since I left somewhere feeling so relaxed, calm and my mind clear and focused. From the moment you check in, take your bags to your room and change into your dressing gown – you quickly arrive in heaven. The hotel has a gorgeous outdoor terrace to enjoy the summer rays, restaurant, reading room, bar, gym and a complex spa offering. Location wise it’s a little out of the way but it’s not exactly the sort of hotel you visit and leave to go out for lunch – you don’t even get out of your robe. Complimentary wireless Internet access was offered at the hotel but the signal is weak and mobile phones are not encouraged. Personally, I hope the signal never gets any better because it saved me for a day and taught me how to relax, rendering my phone useless. Of course for those technology addicts, certain places in the hotel have high-speed access.
The Rooms
We stayed in a signature room (I believe) at Lifehouse Spa & Hotel which was equipped with a huge, and may I add very comfy bed, flat screen TV, open wardrobe, single-seater desk for writing, two-seater occasional table, low laying sofa and complimentary gown/slippers. The room also has a small balcony overlooking the courtyard and grounds. Coffee & tea making facilities were offered in the room, along with hot chocolate and breakfast bars – however the one thing you’ll do little of here is spend time in your room – the spa simply has too much to offer on its own. The beds here in this photo agreeably don’t look great, but I can assure you they were much more comfortable than they look. The bathroom here however was the real show-stopper and on contrast to the room it felt much more modern and sophisticated. Selection of toiletries were excellent and looked great, but lacked aromas – I’d perhaps liked to have seen some nice aromatherapy offerings to really help create that full spa experience in the rooms. There is no mini-bar in the room.
The Spa/Gym/Health & Fitness
When it comes to health, spa and gym facilities this hotel has a lot going for it and in fact the list of possibilities and treatments here is endless. The gym is modern and fresh looking, with all the essentials – plus more. On-site qualified gym instructors are on hand for one-off lessons or tailored to those who want to visit the gym on a more regular basis. Wonder through the spa lobby and you’ll find concessions galore selling quality spa products and mini treatments for a quick pamper. Make your way up the spiral staircase and you’ll discover an airy cafe with a sumptuous balcony overlooking the grounds. Here you can snack on healthy raw chocolate, fresh & balanced smoothies, plus light snacks. Upstairs they also have the sought after hidden sanctuary where you’ll be pampered galore before relaxing in your own private pool with warm waters, waterfalls and music to put you in a state of deep relaxation – and it doesn’t stop there. Head back downstairs and you’ll find the main attraction – the spa. I’ve visited a lot of spas in my time but never one quite as good as this. A good-sized warm water pool, bubbling hot jacuzzi, salt inhalation room, steam room, sauna, experience showers and the deadly ice-cold plunge pool (I let out a few shrieks). There is so much on offer here I can guarantee no matter how much time you spend in this place, it will simply never feel like enough.
The Food & Drink
Apart from the cafe located in the spa, the main restaurant is where lunch, breakfast and dinner is served. Breakfast consists of buffet style, serving healthy options, right through to a full English. Lunch is rather ordinary serving salads and sandwiches, but with so much on offer here you really wouldn’t want it to be much more. Stop and relax around 3pm and treat yourself to afternoon tea (just because you’re at a health spa doesn’t mean you can’t indulge). For even more treats head to the bar between 6-7pm where you can get an added 20% off drinks (go for the cocktails). Dinner at the hotel requires you to be fully clothed and out of gowns (the only time) and the dining room during the evening has a lovely atmosphere about it. The new head-chef here at Lifehouse Spa & Hotel is Ugo Simonelli. Ugo has a good understanding of not only ingredients and cooking, but also balancing the menus – offering food which isn’t going to leave you piling on a stone after a day of detoxing. That said some of the dishes here could be executed a little better, with more care taken and some portion sizes increased, particularly the starters. You can read all about the restaurant HERE
The Verdict
I had a truly relaxing and multi-sensory experience here at Lifehouse Spa & Hotel. As far as spa hotels go, it really doesn’t get much better than this. From the moment you arrive and change into your gown, your overwhelmed by a sense of pure relaxation. The spa offering here is truly like no other and offers everything from day spa to detox and rejuvenation breaks which you can personally tailor – whether that be for a single day or two weeks. Sue Davis is the resident Naturopath here and she certainly knows here stuff, I couldn’t think of anyone better to look after visitors health & wellbeing. In terms of improvements there wasn’t really many they could make, but if I was being picky then perhaps a little more modernisation in the bedrooms and the restaurant becoming a touch more refined. I personally can’t wait to visit this hotel again, leaving London behind and turning off my mobile phone – this is one hotel everyone needs in their life at least once.
Lifehouse Spa & Hotel
Frinton Road
Thorpe-le-Soken
Clacton-on-Sea
CO16 0JD
Tel: 01255 860050
