My Wahanda Spa Day at Bicester Hotel Golf & Spa

I've moaned quite a lot recently about how tired I am and in need of a break, so I literally jumped for joy at the prospect of spending a day relaxing in a spa. I received a £50 voucher from Wahanda* to put towards one of their Wahanda Spa Days and I came across the Bicester Hotel Golf & Spa whilst browsing for local offers.

Through Wahanda you can book an Elemis Modern Skin Facial Spa Day at the Bicester Hotels Golf & Spa for £99. The offer includes access to their spa facilities for the day, a robe and slippers, lunch in the hotel restaurant and a 1 hour Elemis Facial. You are also free to use the gym or attend any of their fitness classes but unfortunately this isn't clear on the Wahanda website as otherwise I would have brought a gym kit and trainers along. They do offer a good range of classes and you can find the timetable on the hotel website.

The spa facilities include a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and there is also a tropicarium situated within the changing rooms. The changing rooms are large and well provisioned: there was a lovely bay with large mirrors and hairdryers slightly away from the main changing room area which is ideal if you're going straight out after your spa visit. The swimming pool was quite busy for the first couple of hours as there was a kids swimming session running in the morning. Again, you can check the swim timetable in advance on their website.

I spent quite a while chilling out in the relaxation room which is exclusively for use by the spa guests. It was like a cosy snug with subdued lighting, day beds and a little area for making hot drinks. It was the perfect place to lay down for a read and if I had been less self conscious, I probably could have enjoyed a little nap in there.

I was able to choose my lunch from a little menu at the beginning of the day. As I went to the spa on my own, I think lunch was probably the most daunting part of the day. You are seated in the hotel bistro for lunch and unless you're well versed in solo dining, it can feel a bit intimating. The food was delicious and the staff friendly but I confess I ate up as fast as possible so that I could return to the safety of the relaxation room. For any future spa days, I will remember to take a friend along with me for company. Or maybe learn not to be such a wimp!

I had the treatment towards the end of my visit. The Elemis Modern Skin Facial is designed for skin that is changeable and is probably suitable for most skin types. The therapist had a chat with me beforehand about my skin, my current regime and what I was hoping to achieve and she tailored the facial accordingly. The hour in the treatment room was very relaxing and a wonderful sensory experience. There was plenty of hot flannel action which is, without doubt, my favourite part of any facial. My skin felt amazing afterwards and I can still see the results a week later: my skin is more hydrated and radiant. I was given a list of the products that were used during the facial and I am keeping the list for future reference.

I will definitely be returning to Bicester Hotel Golf & Spa for more treatments as I was very impressed by the facial. The hotel is excellently located for me and this brings me on to my final point. Another reason that I chose this particular venue is Bicester's popularity as a place to visit in the UK. The hotel is close to Bicester Village Shopping Outlet and Oxford, Blenheim Palace and Waddesdon Manor are also nearby, so it's quite a convenient spot for a weekend away (I'm itching to use the term mini-break). Whilst I was there, I noticed that the hotel does offer a number of overnight Spa Break packages and you can find more details about these packages on their website.


Images from www.bicesterhotelgolfandspa.com

*Disclosure: I received the £50 voucher from Wahanda without cost for me to put towards a treatment of my choice. Mr MB paid the rest as a birthday present.