Spas Swinton Country Club & Spa, UK
Above from left: A guest enjoys some liquid refreshment in the Terrace bar; the spa’s 18m indoor pool is bathed in natural light, with 3m-high floor-to-ceiling glass panels and a glazed, slanted roof which opens up to the sky
seeking an alternative to the three AA rosette-awarded fine dining at Samuel’s in the main house. Uninterrupted views from the restaurant’s terrace create a sense of ‘après-ski’-style dining, with seasonal delights from Swinton Park’s own gardens and the various farms across the estate featuring in traditional dishes as well as small plates, or ‘Yorkshire tapas’, that include Jospered meats and fish. Consultant nutritionalist, Kate Chaytor-Norris helped design the menus, as well as a range of wellness themed welcome smoothies and a selection of snacks and tisanes. For lunch, spa guests are encouraged to remain poolside in their robes, enjoying fresh and wholesome dishes from the Terrace inspired by the bento box concept. This combination of traditional and modern dining options alongside its new spa offering is part of Swinton Park’s aim to attract younger, more diverse wellbeing-seeking guests in addition to its established clientele. “We didn’t need to build a spa to drive the hotel’s occupancy, but we do want to attract the right types of guests – those who are coming for that all-round country house experience, including activities such as a spa,” says spa manager Gillian McGraffin, who joined the operation in early October. “We want to fulfil the aspirations of the people already coming, but we also want to grow our market. There is also an element of having to keep pace with other properties that we see as our aspirational competitors.”
Standing proud in the market When it comes to this topic of competitors, Cunliffe-Lister acknowledges that there may be some overlap between
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the offering of Swinton Country House & Spa and that of Rudding Park’s £9.5 million spa, which opened earlier this year and is situated just 30 miles away. However she is confident of her property’s unique selling points. “I am often asked who our direct competitor is, and I find it hard to answer as I can’t think of many country estates that have the same offering and quality of service,” she states. “We are probably not competing for the same leisure market as Rudding Park, and not for membership either. Perhaps there will be overlap with the day spa market, but I like to think we are distinct enough to appeal in different ways.” She continues: “What has been refreshing is to find that our regular and repeat guests have really engaged with the spa since it opened, and the take-up for treatment bookings has been higher than expected. That was always a bit of an unknown prospect for us, and our expectations were perhaps a little on the conservative side.” Overall, the addition of the Country Club & Spa represents what she calls “the final cog in the estate’s machinery”, adding to the sense of the property as a destination. “Our vision has always been for the Swinton estate to become a destination in its own right, whether as a place to visit, to do business or to call home,” she says. “The spa will help us to achieve this as it has an all-encompassing appeal – the benefits of wellness, relaxation and exercise speak for themselves.” Swinton Park +44 (0) 1765 680900 | www.swintonestate.com Owner: Felicity and Mark Cunliffe-Lister Investment: £8 million Spa size: 2,700sqm Spa team: 21 Treatment rooms: Eight Product partners: Elemis and Bamford Thermal spa: Barr + Wray Wet spa design and supply: Barr + Wray, Clear Water Revival, GardenStyle Other suppliers: Outer Eden (outside and pool furniture); Hill Cross, Homes from Heaven (indoor furniture); Pulse Fitness (gym); Gharieni (water beds, supplied by Ellisons)
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