An oasis of calm at Roundelwood Spa

Oct 17 2008 by Lady Who Lunches

An oasis of calm at Roundelwood Spa

A SUMMER sunning myself poolside in Mallorca has done wonders for my state-of-mind, but absolutely zip for my face and figure.

Now that the factor-15 glow has faded, I’m left with a visage and décolleté roughly the same shade and texture as my vintage Hermes handbag!

And as for my waistline – one too many ‘vino tintos’ has created a situation that’s even beyond the remit of my Spanx (if they’re good enough for J-Lo...) pants to remedy.

However, with the Christmas social whirl fast approaching, it’s time to take stock and consult the professionals.

My first thought was a cheeky week away with the girls to either Le Touserock in Mauritius or Chiva Som in Thailand (a la Kate, Sadie and Sienna).

But with the credit crunch biting chez-nous, Other Half put his foot down and decreed that foreign spa holidays will have to wait until his RBOS shares rally.

Disappointed, but far from deterred, I took an early morning dip in the old misery’s wallet, purloined his credit card and booked a ‘Fountain of Youth’ package at Roundelwood Health Spa at Knock Castle in Crieff.

This gorgeous, oasis of calm, was taken over by HG Hotels last December and manager Jason Henderson and his team have spent the intervening months refurbishing and renovating the grand old building and its rooms.

Always a favourite with the ‘ladies who cleanse and colonic’ set, Knock Castle’s new look would put Gok Wan to shame!

I opted for the Fountain of Youth Spa Package, which “concentrates on the face, eye contour area, neck and décolleté and hands,” and wasn’t disappointed.

The treatment started with a back massage to “stimulate my reflex zones.” “Reflexothermal” self-heating mud was then applied to my spine and solar-plexus, while my face was “prepared by an enzymatic peel and cleaned and toned in readiness for three masks with anti-ageing and re-hydrating formulas.”

This 90-minute luxurious and pampering facial left me looking and feeling like a new woman, AND worked up a fair appetite for lunch.

With my waistline in mind, I body-swerved the more calorific items on the bar lunch menu and ordered a rare roast beef, blue cheese mayonnaise and spinach sandwich, washed down with a cup of peppermint tea. Delicious, not to mention virtuous!

Venue: Knock Castle Hotel and Spa, Drummond Terrace, Crieff.

Food: Fantastic fine dining in the restaurant with lighter meals served in the bar. Emphasis on local produce, imaginatively cooked.

Decor: Opulent.

Service: Friendly and professional.

Price: £85 for the spa treatment/£6.95 for the sandwich and tea.