Last weekend Gail Emms enjoyed a fantastic weekend at Champney’s Health Spa in Tring; below is an account of Gail’s experience. Please visit http://www.champneys.com/spa-resorts/champneys-tring/ to find out more about Champneys Tring.
 
The opportunity to go for a spa weekend doesn’t come around very often.  Things just keep getting in the way, such as the kids, the kids, and of course lastly, the kids! However, suddenly a window opened in front of me and I had 24 hours of ‘just-me-time’ at Champneys in Tring.
 
I have 2 boys, Harry (4 yrs old) and Oliver (1 yr old) and my days tend to start and end with me being wrestled.  Secretly I love it, but the chance to escape the cooking, chasing, and changing nappies was very appealing!  
 
I am always in awe of spa hotels.  They look so grand and the gardens are immaculate, but most of all, it’s the peace and quiet that always shocks me.  I am also really nosey and want to find out why people are there – are they there, like me, to avoid the wrestling, have they come for the beauty treatments or is the prospect of pure relaxation the biggest pull?  I am sure it is a mixture of all three for most but I was really intrigued by the health and medical services that Champneys also offer, including weight loss, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation.  
 
First on the agenda when I arrived was lunch.  Always a good way to start for me!  I am a real fan of eating healthy and I was in for the biggest treat.  Fresh vegetables, salads and fruit were immediately on display and I knew I was in food heaven.  It was an instant pick-me-up as I think the night before I had fish fingers and chips with the boys…!  

Food plays a massive part in our well-being; you are what you eat effectively, so it is no use being healthy on the outside if you are not inside.  Champneys stick to this principle and they certainly do not disappoint.  All my meals were nutritionally balanced and incredibly tasty too.
 
The list of beauty treatments on offer was endless and after a good bit deliberation I finally chose a Thai foot massage, followed by an Indian head massage, a manicure and a skin facial.  I wanted to focus of the parts of me that are really neglected!  With my new uniform of a white toweling robe and flip-flops, I soon relaxed into my surroundings.  From the minute I walked in to the spa, I can honestly say, I just melted.  Every session was incredible, not only relaxing, but immediately beneficial.  My skin was glowing, I looked and felt healthier and I honestly didn’t want to leave.  I forgot how something as simple as a hand, foot or a neck massage can feel so powerful and eventually the beauty therapists had to push me out of the door as I didn’t want any of it to end!
 
Champneys Tring is gorgeous.  The gardens, the buildings, the rooms and the spa itself, everything is immaculate and luxurious, yet incredibly friendly and relaxing.  I initially wanted to escape for 24 hours and I did that to some extent. However, most importantly, I think I ‘reconnected’.  I reminded myself that I must not neglect me.  It might just be 15 minutes (or if I am lucky, a whole hour) but that time is so important.  Whether it is to unwind, to switch off, or just to pamper yourself, enjoy it!