Stylish Spy tries a Comfort Zone Revive & Refresh Facial

Take me with you…

Set in 40 acres of countryside near the historic market town of Windsor, Fairmont Windsor Park is the newest property in the revered Fairmont Group. Glide up the sweeping driveway, past a sparkling lake, to the handsome red-brick, white-accented property that wouldn’t look out of place in Hansel & Gretel.

Butlers will grab your bags and whisk your car away before showing you inside. The hotel has 251 rooms, six restaurants and bars, three tennis courts, a retro sweet shop, a perfumery and a 2,500sq metre spa.

Shall we spa?

Push -1 inside any lift to enter a spa so vast - and beautiful - you won’t want to leave. We were greeted in the spacious reception area - with its emerald-green arches and charming ceiling covered in tiny orchid-shaped lights - and shown through to the changing rooms.

These are art-deco in style with grey marble walls and floors, and banks of padded dusty blue, digital code-operated lockers. Private changing cubicles – of which there are two - contain two lockers, a chair and a mirror a piece; all six showers contain Comfort Zone shampoo, conditioner and body wash. We lost count of the number of vanity areas dotted around, each with Dyson hairdryers and amenities.

From here, head through a door to the star of the show: a sleek-as-they-come 20-metre indoor pool lined, on one side, with eight black marble lie-back loungers sitting in the water. After a swim, relax on one of these or curl up on one of seven circular double day beds behind you, each encased in dusty blue velvet, with lights and double plugs for reading/phone charging. The right-hand-side of the pool is surrounded by high-backed black rattan chairs; help yourself to magazines.

The large pink blossom tree at the foot of the pool is so striking, you’d be forgiven for ignoring the sunken Jacuzzi behind you – don’t, it’s a warm, bubbly delight. The tree itself showcases the Japanese Foot Ritual Bath in the large thermal suite, which also features a gleaming white aroma steam room, pearly mosaic-backed ice fountain and experience showers and black mosaic-backed tepidarium bench. 

We fell in love with the large sunken courtyard vitality pool outside, with its bubble chairs and powerful swan necks. The pool is surrounded by flowers lovingly wrapped around – and hanging down - a wooden pagoda. Relax on one of six hanging grey egg chairs afterwards.



From here, you can access the striking Himalayan salt room with its white heated curved beds and wall of orange bricks. Guests can also book the private, six-person Hammam.
The spa also has a deep relaxation room with comfy beds and flowing curtains, a finishing suite, a cryotherapy chamber, a dry flotation tank, a hair salon, a barbers, a fully-equipped gym, a cycling studio, a reformer studio, a dedicated café and a boutique selling spa products. We told you it was vast.

Treatment talk

We tried a Comfort Zone Repair & Replenish Facial (55 minutes, £120).

My therapist, Tatiana, met me in the pre-treatment area - with its flowing curtains, sofas and leaf-shaped gold side tables - and led me to one of 18 treatment rooms.

Inviting me to sit on a chair, Tatiana talked me through the treatment before leaving the room so that I could get comfortable on the warm treatment bed, lying face up.

Tatiana began the facial with a double cleanse and exfoliating scrub, which she removed with warm mitts. She then spritzed toner into the air and let it rain down onto my face while she prepared a cooling mask, which she painted on. Mask removed, Tatiana used rose quartz to lift and sculpt before adding a facial oil to quench my dry skin. While this sunk in, Tatiana massaged my scalp, listening to my request not to have oil in my hair. The treatment ended with eye cream and moisturiser.

The spa offers a good range of treatments that go beyond the norm including vitamin infusions, colonics, sport performance programmes, Osteopathy and treatments for children.

Did it measure up?

It sure did. My skin looked plumped and dewy, and felt soft to touch.

Food facts

Spa guests can lunch in their robes in Greens Café to the right of the main reception area, with its red, green and grey furniture, glass ceiling, and statement black and white floor. On the menu: fresh juices and smoothies, small bites, salads, sandwiches and desserts.

That evening we ate at Moreish – a large dining space with large graphite-edged windows looking out to a courtyard, dark blue bank seating and open kitchen.

Being menopausal, we opted for the new GenM menu which began with a cleansing ginger, turmeric and lemongrass water. Our starter of Textures of Beetroot with goat’s cheese was as pretty as a picture; our seared tuna with tomato and lentil salsa hearty and delicious. We ended the meal with a noteworthy Chai rice pudding with coconut, sunflower seeds and blueberries.
 

Our spa partner began her meal with a refreshing apple, fennel and spinach soup. Her baked Cornish camembert with sour dough toast, and clementine cheesecake cleverly shaped like an orange, were culinary hits.

Got all day?

You’ll need it just to experience all the spa has to offer but - if time allows – the hotel also has tennis courts, substantial grounds, a retro sweet shop and several bars and restaurants. Put your children in the creche and enjoy a drink in the bar followed by dinner.

Short on time?

Afternoon tea is the exquisite Orchid Tea Room is a must.