Ten, ten, tens across the board. Not only was this, you guessed it, our tenth visit to the Twilight Taster Session at Ragdale Hall, but it was the tenth time we’ve arrived arguing. Relaxation is, for us at least, a stressful thing, so we arrive like a tornado hitting Ragdale.
We’d love to be one of ‘those’ people who can slide into a zen state quicker than they can tell Instagram (the irony isn’t lost, dear reader), but we’re too real for that. We’re busy. We’re stressed, invariably running late, and we don’t have the calendar space to wind down on a weeknight.
But we’d forgotten just how Ragdale manages to soften those sharp edges, just like it did nine times before.
The Twilight Taster Sessions are always our chosen ways to wind down at Ragdale. Just long enough, you can arrive at 4.30 pm and get to luxuriate in the facilities until closing at 9.30 pm. The magic of it is that it’s quieter, as the day guests have all but gone, save those staying over.
A fully equipped gym and classes await those of a more energetic nature (not us this time around: it’d been a heavy week); there’s also the swimming pool, complete with waterfalls, rock-pool jacuzzi and relaxation beds around the perimeter. If that’s not enough to float your proverbial, try the rooftop infinity pool. Here, under the moonlight (we did check it was the moon and not a Chinese spy balloon) you’ll generally find us, putting the world to rights in the bubbles as we regard both lives, and the manicured gardens of Ragdale.
And, of course, there’s the spa itself, complete with a candlelit pool. This is a favourite of ours, not only because it is a silent pool (shh, no talking), but also because it is as submersive as it is immersive. The only sound being the gentle gurgle of water and the classical soundtrack, gently piped. Add to this, steam rooms scented by lavender, or rose and the pine of the sauna itself and you begin to understand how this can be a welcome massage of the senses. And this is what Ragdale does so well: it transports you to somewhere else where your brain can reset, take a minute and you can just be you. It’s the equivalent of your IT department doing a switch off/switch on reboot.
An intrinsic part of the Twilight Taster is the pamper treatment, usually based around a luxury facial or massage. This time, our treatment was called the Serenity Touch – a hand, foot and face treatment with a neck/shoulder massage for good measure. I may have snoozed, even when my feet were being touched.
And before you know it, the gentle rhythm of Ragdale is nearly over. There’s only time for one last rotation in the Spa and, and before you know it, it’s home time. We may have arrived like wicked witches, but in just two clicks of the heels, we realise, once again, there’s no place like Ragdale.
Twilight Taster Sessions at Ragdale start from £115. Visit www.ragdalehall.co.uk for more information.
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