Getting the Little Black Dress Experience

The run up to Christmas can be somewhat exhausting. Somewhere between rummaging through stores for presents and cramming as many ‘festive’ events into your diary as is physically possible it can be difficult it find time to unwind, making it the perfect time of year for an indulgent spa break. Tucked away off a country road, the Mill Wheel Spa is fully embracing this need with their Little Black Dress experience, providing the perfect festive pick me up!

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The great thing about this spa is that it is actually a proper spa, with a lot of thought put into all the varying components to offer a holistic and authentic spa experience that promotes not only relaxation but also well-being.

With an overnight stay that included a sumptuous dinner in the spa’s two rosette brasserie and whirl in a private hot tub, I was already feeling rather pampered before my spa experience had even began. The first part of my morning was spent sampling the various features of the spa, starting with a bracing use of the Mill Wheel Shower. The visual centrepiece of the spa, the Mill Wheel Shower pays homage to the town’s heritage and the James Brindley Water Mill in Leek. A truly unique feature, the wheel shower is turned by waterpower and alternates between warm and cold water for a brisk and revitalizing experience between the hotter experiences.

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Never one for allowing myself to be cold, I swiftly made my way to the Farmer Sauna to warm myself. Kitted out as a replica of an Alpine cabin, the Farmer sauna is quite unlike your average with a gently increasing temperature that is tempered with herbal steam shots. It was recommend to me that I try the Plunge pool between the heated environments of the Farmers Sauna and the Stone Bath as being plunged into cold from the heat is great for stimulation circulation but I wasn’t brave enough to immerse further than my ankles, as it was very cold indeed. Definitely an experience for those brave enough as it’s said to help to alleviate joint pain & muscle stress and have a therapeutic effect on the whole body as well as helping to tighten the skin.

Of course, all this soothing took place before I had even experienced the treatments that came as part of the Little Black Dress package. I started with The Beach Hut, a truly unique experience that mimics the positive benefits of lounging in the sun. Not only was it a tranquil experience but it’s also the perfect way to top up vitamin D levels and can even combat Seasonal Affective Disorder. Vitamins levels topped up, I was whisked off to the Therapy Lounge for my treatment package.

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It began with a luxurious Cleopatra Body Treatment. Inspired by the famous queen herself, this unique treatment began by dry body brushing to slough away any dead skin before a warmed mixture of goats milk, aloe vera, macadamia and essential oils was massaged all over the body. To allow the nourishing mixture to fully penetrate the skin the body was then wrapped up in towels to leave the mixture to work whilst the therapist turned her attention to my face with a mini facial. Designed to relax, hydrate and comfort, my skin was thoroughly cleansed followed by a gentle exfoliation and mask. Targeting the dryness of my cheeks and the redness around my nose, the therapist tailored the products to help sooth and moistures my skin so that I was guaranteed a glow. The experience was topped off with a very welcome foot massage to before the Cleopatra mixture was fully massaged into the skin. Leaving every inch of me suitable hydrated and nourished, it was a decadent pampering experience from head to toe and I floated, in a comatose state to the manicure stations where my spa day was wrapped up with an express manicure and a swish of bright pink polish.

And so the spa break had come to an end. Reinvigorated and refreshed, I headed back to London, completely ready to tackle all the joys that the festive season has to bring.

This post is an excerpt from our upcoming Winter issue. For the full detailed  review be sure to check out the Winter edition of The Bite Mag! 

‘The Little Black Dress Spa Day” is £145 per person or £195 per person for an overnight stay. The Little Black Dress Spa Day and Spa Break are both available from Monday – Saturday until 30 December 2015. www.3shoesinn.co.uk / www.millwheelspa.co.uk

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