Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall

First Impressions

The Gaia Spa sits five miles outside the city of Plymouth, straddling the edge of Dartmoor. The spa building is a modern addition to a truly ancient establishment - Boringdon Hall - a 16th century, Grade I listed Elizabethan Manor with an illustrious past. Queen Elizabeth I was one of its original guests.

What's on offer?

Head through the main hotel reception and up a flight of stairs – glancing up at the wire sculpture of the earth goddess floating serenely above you - to the light-flooded spa reception area. Check in at the giant tree trunk desk; a wrist band will give you access to the changing rooms, an assigned locker and the spa itself.

Changing rooms are neutral with banks of wooden lockers; inside you’ll find a white robe, towel and cheery lime green Gaia flip-flops. You’ll also find four private cubicles and a large round leather pouffe to change; vanity areas are equipped with hairdryers, straighteners and well-lit mirrors. Around the corner, you’ll find the loos and three rainforest-head showers stocked with Gaia shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion.

The adult-only spa is modern - all glass and stone walls - with the large infinity edge pool at the centre, next to the indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pool. Floor-to-ceiling windows at one end flood the area with natural light and provide views of the spa terrace with its recliners and hot tubs. At the other end, you’ll find a Crystal Salt Steam Room with moody black tiles and an arc of seats positioned around a giant quartz crystal. You’ll also find a small, toasty Finnish sauna, aromatherapy steam room, Laconium herbal sauna, experience showers and a bucket shower to cool off after the heat. Loungers line one wall; download the Boringdon app to order poolside drinks.

There are 12 treatment rooms, including two doubles, and 30 therapists to deliver bespoke Gaia Rituals. Post-treatment, retreat to the Deep Relaxation Room overlooking the wildflower meadow or book the private relaxation room for two for optimal snoozing.

Up a flight of stairs from spa reception, you’ll find the spacious Spatisserie on your right and an airy Wellness Room on your left. Help yourself to complimentary iced tea and get horizontal on one of the two rows of loungers, interspersed with leafy palms. Soothing tunes, large mirrors and ornate back-lit panels set the tone; step out onto the terrace for more rattan loungers and a sunken Jacuzzi with glass panels overlooking the historic house and courtyard below.

Beyond here - along a living wall corridor – are the super-luxe Spa Suites: Apollo (the God of Healing) and Hypnos (the God of Sleep), each with private alfresco spa baths. There’s also the Gaia Salon just off reception for manis, pedis and hair styling, while active spa-goers can make a beeline for the fully equipped gym complete with free weights and Peloton bikes. As if that wasn’t enough, the Wellness Room also converts into a yoga studio for sunrise stretching.

Tell us about the treatments

We tried the Gaia Awakening Journey (60 minutes, from £130).

Gemma, my therapist, led me to a treatment room and invited me to sit on a chair so that she could wash and wrap my feet. While she did this, she asked about my health concerns and enquired about the type of massages I like. She then rubbed some Gaia Awakening Oil – with its uplifting scent of peppermint, Rosemary and grapefruit - onto my hand. 

Once settled on the warm bed, lying face down, Gemma began the treatment by asking me to take three deep breaths of the oil; this helped relax my body for a scrub, which Gemma applied to my back before removing with hot towels.

Gemma then used her fingers to scan my back for tight spots, holding areas of concern for a couple of minutes before releasing them – I immediately felt my muscles ‘let go’. The stroking massage across my back and along my sides that followed felt nurturing.

Turning over, Gemma set to work on my neck, shoulders and upper arms, which she massaged very carefully; my arm twitched slightly as the tight muscles yielded under her touch. The neck massage that followed extended up to the ears and along my jawline; Gemma adopted long, smooth strokes across my chest.

Her expert touch loosened my back so much I felt two inches taller – if only I could come back tomorrow. In the post treatment relaxation room afterwards, I sipped a cold drink under a velvety throw.

Gaia Spa offers a wide range of facials, massages and holistic Gaia Rituals alongside pre- and post-natal treatments and manis/pedis.

Food Facts

On the top floor, you’ll find the rather cool Spatisserie, an airy space with an outside terrace; floor-to-ceiling windows show off far-reaching views over Plymouth and Dartmoor. Afternoon tea seems to be the most popular choice here, with tiered cake stands being delivered to several tables on our visit; we heard several celebratory corks being popped.

For lunch, we both tucked into a fresh and meaty ham hock terrine to start, followed by a tasty chicken and avocado salad; our spa partner chose a flatbread with moreish mozzarella and tomato.

If you are staying overnight, you have a choice of two restaurants. For fine dining, book into Michelin starred - and 4 AA Rosette - restaurant Àclèaf overlooking the Great Hall on what was once the Minstrels’ Gallery. Head Chef, Scott Paton, is the mastermind behind the menu, which is made up of four courses, each with four options.

We began the evening with drinks in the great hall before being led upstairs for our meal. Different kinds of bread and butter - including a goat’s butter with truffled honey (made by the Boringdon Bees) – were placed on the table. Before our chosen starters were served, we were invited to circle one of four shapes, colours and drawings of leaves on a piece of paper - the reason to be revealed later. Interesting…

Our rich, smooth duck pate with Mirabelle plums, fresh crab, mango puree and a touch of curry was the perfect way to start; for mains, we opted for the Turbot with Yuzu sauce. Our spa partner enjoyed his melt-in-the-mouth venison with a rich wine sauce.

Now for the quiz: each shape, colour and leaf chosen determined our pre-dessert; mine a tiny, sweet dish finished with gold leaf; our spa partner’s dish was salty. Our actual desserts - duck egg custard with exotic fruits and a delicious chocolate cream with a crisp case – were noteworthy. All in all, a fascinating culinary experience.

We loved / we didn't love

We loved

The Gaia products: organic, rich and delightfully fragranced, they proved to be the perfect partnership for our incredible massage.

The sense of space and peace: fresh air, lovely views and outdoor areas to use when the sun shines combine well with a relaxed atmosphere and attentive staff.

The spa bedrooms are located just long the corridor from the spa, so you can put on your robe and slippers and wander in and out of the spa at will.

We didn’t love:

The stairs: one lift was out of order on our visit (and had been for a couple of weeks) which meant tackling 20-odd stairs between the spa entrance and the Spatisserie, several times during the day. This wouldn’t be a problem for younger spa goers but for this this Spa Spy (with her permanent back problem), proved challenging.

The recliners around the pool get full quickly with more people in the area than available seats at one point.

Who do you think would like it?

Wellness seekers: there is a good range of holistic treatments to choose from, including several journeys. The therapists know their stuff and deliver treatments with care and passion.

Romantics: if you have an anniversary or special birthday coming up book into the ultra-luxurious, Wellness Suites: Apollo (the God of Healing) or Hypnos (the God of Sleep). Statement fireplaces, sleek four poster beds and freestanding baths come as standard; you won’t want to leave.

Anyone who likes good food almost as much as spa-ing: try the lovely afternoon tea in the spa and imaginative dishes in Àclèaf.

What bubble rating did you give this spa?

We awarded Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall a Good Spa Guide Bubble Rating of 5 Bubble Luxury for its nature-inspired design, holistic treatments delicious food and new Wellness Suites.

Scarlet Spy visited in September 2024 and awarded it 5 Bubble Luxury.