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REVIEW: DELUXE SPA DAY AT THE MALVERN SPA HOTEL

When someone mentions a spa break to me, I automatically get this weird feeling of dread overwhelming me. I don’t know if it’s because I am getting older, but it takes way too long to fit into my swimming costume, and it’s a full-time job maintaining my lady bits that I just think I can’t be bothered. However, I have been eyeing up the Malvern Spa Hotel for quite some time now, and in the past year or so, working for myself like an absolute maniac has caught up with me, and I just need a break. So when they asked me to review their spa break, I absolutely jumped at it.

DELUXE SPA DAY PACKAGE AT THE MALVERN

Book your Spa day at The Malvern here

When the hustle and bustle of daily life start taking its toll, there’s nothing quite like a spa retreat to restore your sense of balance and tranquillity. Nestled in the heart of the picturesque Malvern Hills, The Malvern Spa beckons with promises of relaxation and rejuvenation. I recently had the pleasure of experiencing their Deluxe Stay package priced at £357, which includes spa access, a 60-minute treatment, £30 per person towards dinner, breakfast, and an overnight stay in their executive room.

Upon arriving at The Malvern, the check-in process was a breeze. Within minutes, I found myself in the ladies’ changing room, trying to squeeze into my swimming costume. I was equipped with a free spa robe and comfy slippers. After a 10-minute struggle with my Boohoo swimsuit, I was ready to experience the Malvern Spa!

As I entered the spa, I couldn’t believe how quiet it was! There were quite a few people in there, all spaced out, and it was just so peaceful. The highlight of The Malvern’s offerings was undoubtedly its spa facilities. You had the outdoor pool that transported you to a holiday-like setting, seamlessly connected to an indoor hydrotherapy pool for those seeking a more sheltered swim. However, one of the most memorable moments was reserving a spa pod. These secluded retreats were equipped with built-in speakers, offering an added layer of privacy and comfort. Ordering beverages, including tea, coffee, and cocktails, directly from our pod or sunbed enhanced the overall experience. The weather wasn’t the best, so it was great to take shelter there, and the staff also presented us with fresh fruit and coffee, which was lovely!

The spa boasted a range of facilities, including a crystal steam room, salt grotto, herb sauna, and kelo sauna. We enjoyed all of these, and it was great to see a completely spotless spa! Impeccable cleanliness throughout; the staff were diligent in maintaining a spotless environment, which some previous spa days I’ve been to lacked.

After a few hours of relaxation, we headed down for our treatments. Our choice of treatments was nothing short of sensational. I opted for the Elemis Full Body Massage and the Biotec 2.0 Cryo2 Sculpt Facial. The massage was a blissful experience, melting away tension and leaving me feeling utterly relaxed. The facial, on the other hand, left me feeling like a brand new person. Not going to lie, when I had weird vibrations and freezing cold suction thingamabobs on my face, I thought, “What the hell have I done?” Suddenly, I had flashing images of that TV show “Botched,” but luckily, the lady who was doing the treatment was supportive and gave me confidence that I was in good hands. It was as if the stresses of the world had been gently lifted from my shoulders. I never felt so fresh in my life, and when I greeted my partner, he couldn’t believe how much of a difference the facial made to my skin! I even took a glimpse of myself in the mirror later on and thought, “Who is that good-looking chick? Oh, it’s me!”

After our spa indulgence, we retired to one of The Malvern’s Executive Rooms. These spacious sanctuaries boasted modern amenities and a surprise highlight: a television in the bathroom! The bed was comfy, there was plenty of space, and the tea and coffee facilities were spot on; we just couldn’t find anything wrong with the room. A soothing shower later, we descended to the Grovewood restaurant for dinner. The Grovewood restaurant offered a great variety of dishes from Crispy Gnocchi to the Don Buri, and we really enjoyed our meal here. We paired some of our food with one of the manager’s signature cocktails, which was gorgeous! After a few cocktails, we started to get tired, so we went up for an early night.

A peaceful night’s sleep later, we awoke to an early morning dip in the pool. The sun’s warm embrace on the water felt like a mini-vacation in itself; it honestly felt like I was on holiday. Following our swim, we headed to breakfast, where we were treated to an array of options, including kippers and a full English breakfast. A nice, light breakfast to start our day, and my favourite dish was the kippers, very tasty! It was a lovely ending to our spa break.

As we packed our bags and checked out, I started to feel a bit gutted we was leaving. The experience had passed far too quickly, and it felt like the rejuvenating break I had longed for. My stay at The Malvern Spa was a refreshing escape from the demands of everyday life. The outstanding spa facilities, delightful dining, and attentive service left me feeling rejuvenated and stress-free. If you’re seeking a soul-nourishing escape that leaves you feeling like a new person, I wholeheartedly recommend The Malvern Spa’s Deluxe Stay package. Starting at £357 for one night, based on two people sharing a twin or double Executive Room, it’s an investment in your well-being that’s well worth every penny.

To book your deluxe spa break, head to The Malvern’s website here: https://www.themalvernspa.com/offer/deluxe-stay-spa-break/

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Birmingham Hotels lifestyle

REVIEW: MALMAISON BIRMINGHAM

Malmaison in Birmingham, where comfort meets style and some pretty fabulous Negroni sbagliatos! Located in the City Centre and part of the luxury Shopping centre “The Mailbox”, Malmaison is a prime location where hotel guests can enjoy the best of Birmingham. Exploring our fantastic museums and art galleries and going head over heels for our fashion retailers situated in the Bullring. I was kindly invited to stay over and enjoy the “The Mal experience” and live like a Rockstar for the night!

Please note that this experience was gifted, and this is my honest opinion.

Just a five-minute walk from the train station, you will find Malmaison tucked under the luxury shopping district “The Mailbox”. Hotel guests will first be greeted by a Starbucks on the side of the hotel, in which guests coming by train may be happy to see after a long train journey. The entrance is big, and the reception is just after the Starbucks on the left, checking in was easy and took five minutes. Staff are polite and friendly, and if you are new to the City they are ready with plenty of recommendations to make your visit to Birmingham a jam-packed one! There is lift access and by following the directions, it was pretty easy to find our room. Sleek throughout, it kind of gave me boujee Batman/Gotham vibes which I am all for!

Upon entering the room, we noticed the size straight away, for a standard room it’s pretty impressive. The room included a super king bed, en-suite with bath and shower, TV, desk with chair, two lounge chairs and two glasses of prosecco which was a lovely welcome gesture.  Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of a view as the windows looked out onto buildings however, we were pretty impressed with the room. It was very clean, completely spotless actually and there were spare toiletries and tea/coffee facilities which I was very happy to see. Plenty of wardrobe space and plenty of space in general to do some exciting pre-dinner zoomies! A standard room is priced from £80-£120.

At 7pm we were called down for our dinner which took place in the Chez Mal Brasserie which is a very glitzy/glam restaurant that serves up British/American dishes with plenty of variety to cater for all. It was great to see a menu that catered for many allergies. From Tiger prawns to Slow braised Beef massaman curry, the menu was quite diverse, and the food was packed full of flavour. The curry was my favourite, and we ordered a couple of Negroni cocktails and prosecco. To finish we ordered the Chez Mal Vanilla Crème Brulee however it was a little bit bland. Service was sharp and attentive, and overall we enjoyed our dining experience.

After dinner, we were asked if we would like to check out the Nirvana suite (The coolest suite in Birmingham) of course we jumped at the chance as usually this suite is booked up. I think we got our first taste of Hollywood life when we entered the room, it was made for a Rockstar, equipped with a jacuzzi, a shower room that you could get a party of 15 in and a giant bed that even I could get lost in! Price-wise you are looking at around £350 which I thought was very generous as many suites in Birmingham are way over this price and don’t include a jacuzzi!

After a couple of more Negronis we headed back to our room and rested up. The bed swallowed us both up, it’s that huge I completely forgot my cousin was there! Morning came, and I awoke as fresh as daisy, possibly one of the best nights’ sleep I’ve had in a long time.

We headed downstairs to breakfast and tucked into a continental breakfast (£15) that included freshly baked pastries, a selection of cereals, fruits, fresh juices, and more. We were still quite full from our dinner the night before so we opted for cereal and pastries, all enjoyable. Again, service is very good and staff are very quick on refilling hot water/refilling the food, any mess made was cleaned up straight away.

Check-out was at 11am so we headed back to the room packed and headed out. Checking out was very easy and we left the hotel feeling refreshed. Overall, I enjoyed my stay at Malmaison, it has many positives; the location, spa facilities, and a fabulous bar and restaurant where you don’t exactly have to leave the hotel. I found it reasonable value for money and the location is superb, to get the best out of Birmingham, you are in the right place at Malmaison. The only downside was there was no view of the City in the room, but this was more than compensated for by the level of facilities and the service we received which were perfect.

A prime location for anyone visiting the City, Malmaison is the hotel to book and let your hair down and live the Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle!

Book your stay at Malmaison Birmingham here