Stylish Spy tries an Elemis Rose Signature Ritual

Odyssey Spa is a day spa attached to a leisure club in a quirky green corrugated building in a car park in Knebworth, Hertfordshire. As soon as you park up and walk around the corner to the plant-clad building – with its fairy-lit pagoda marking the entrance and pretty pond – everything about the location is forgiven. The red and orange leaves hanging down from the roof of the main entrance gave us autumn feels.

The leisure club is members’ only and has a pool, gym, studio, sauna, steam room, tennis courts, bar & restaurant and a creche. The spa, meanwhile, has 12 treatment rooms, a wellness suite, a relaxation room, a mani/pedi suite, a café and a large retail space.

SHALL WE SPA?

Changing rooms are large and typical of a leisure centre setting, with plenty of everything – showers, loos, lockers, hairdryers – catering for a high footfall.

We began our day with a swim in the indoor 25-metre pool followed by spells in the sauna and steam room - the former toasty and vast, seating around 20; the later superbly steamy, seating around 15. The pool is overlooked by a large gym and studio, accessed by walking up a set of stairs opposite the ladies’ changing rooms. A door on the right of the pool opens out to a courtyard with loungers, a small garden and four tennis courts.

You’ll find the entrance to the spa through a glass door beyond the bar and restaurant. Soft and pretty in design, this is a very different space to the leisure centre. Spa reception is open plan and airy with a desk where hard-working ladies greet guests and answer phones; to the left is a tempting display of products. You’ll find the Walnut Lounge - where spa-goers lunch - behind sliding doors; behind as you look at reception is the largest mani/pedi room we’ve come across with three pedicure thrones and four manicure chairs across a long bar. There’s also a beauty bar here for make-up.

Newly opened this year, the Wellness Suite is a hushed, carpeted space with two rooms showcasing shiny new equipment for tech-related treatments, and 12 treatment rooms. We loved the relaxation room with its twinkly ceiling lights, light wood panelling and double grey mattresses pushed together to create one huge bed. Grab a magazine and a cream chunky-knit blanket and settle in.

TREATMENT TALK

We tried the I3Dome Triple Detox Therapy (30 minutes, £45), the Satori Soundwave Experience (20 minutes, £20) and an ELEMIS Rose Signature Ritual (90 minute, £105).

For my first experience, the lovely Leah led me to a room called Dome and introduced me to a white machine that looked like a bed with a curved dome on top covering 80% of the device – the remaining 20% is left open for your head. Lifting the lid, Leah invited me to climb in and informed me that the dome would heat up gently over a course of 30 minutes, 15 minutes for each side. A helmet for LED light therapy was then placed over my head, as well as goggles to protect my eyes. I chose red (for plumping). After just 10 minutes, the heat got too much for my menopausal body and I had to ask Leah to lift the lid, leaving just the helmet on. Once this turned off automatically, I jumped in the shower to cool off.

Leah was also my assistant for the Satori Soundwave Experience, a chair with headphones and a computer for selecting programmes. I chose Sleepwaves and, for 20 minutes, enjoyed the twinkly ceiling, vibrating chair and dramatic sounds. Other programmes include weight management, smoking cessation and energy-inducing.

For my final experience my therapist, Danielle, led me into a treatment room and invited me to get comfortable on the bed, lying face down. The Elemis treatment began with a back massage using the brand’s Pro Collagen range. Danielle then asked me to turn over for the facial element, which began with a double cleanse, tone and scrub.

Danielle then massaged my face before gently applying hydra gel half-moon patches under both eyes. As these brightened my skin, she massaged my neck and shoulders, moving up to my scalp. Patches removed, Danielle put a huge number of products on my face and neck – I did try counting – including eye cream, face oil, serum and moisturiser. I felt truly spoilt.

HOW DID IT MEASSURE UP?

As facials go, the results of this treatment were very noticeable; our spa partner said his Saltability Himalayan Stones Body Massage (60 minutes, £75) was gentle yet effective.

SPOT OF LUNCH?

Lunch is served in the spa’s own Walnut Tree restaurant with its floral wallpaper, corner wall flowers leading up to the ceiling (sadly not real) and powder blue chairs.

On the menu: salads, sandwiches and burgers. We went for a New York sandwich with pastrami and pickles, which came with homemade slaw and a salad. Our spa partner’s chicken Gyro with Tzatziki and fries was huge – and very tasty.

Prosecco glasses are already laid out on tables; staff walk around with bottles to fill up (yes please).

GOT ALL DAY?

Bring your cossie, your gym gear and your tennis racquets balls and do everything including a swim, a game of tennis and a workout. Then reward your hard work with a massage, some time in the lovely relaxation room (pictured above) and lunch with a glass of fizz.

SHORT ON TIME?

Prioritise a treatment and lunch.