Sequoia Spa at The Grove

“A tucked-away spa with a genuine wow factor — from the tropical fish tank to the Walled Garden pool - in a leafy Hertfordshire country estate.”

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The Grove is a five-star, 214-room hotel set in 300 acres of Hertfordshire countryside, complete with its own championship golf course and, during the summer months, outdoor pool, beach area, alfresco dining and an open-air cinema. The drive in sweeps up through the course and over a small bridge before opening onto a car park facing the low-rise, two-storey hotel, with the Walled Garden on the other side.

Sequoia Spa sits below the main hotel, in its own building at the far end of the property; head down, via stairs or lift, to reach it. There's a single car park serving the whole property, facing the hotel with the Walled Garden opposite, so day-spa guests park alongside overnight guests rather than right outside the spa itself.

WHAT’S ON OFFER?

The spa itself spans two floors, laid out around a cool, grown-up palette of cream walls and floors: reception, two sets of changing rooms, the spa café, treatment rooms and the relaxation rooms sit on the ground floor, with the indoor pool, gym, studio and spa garden one level up. Long corridors and frequent staircases make it easy to lose your bearings on a first visit.

Deb greeted us in the spacious reception area with its wall of tempting products and sofa area to the right. Lilia then took us on a full tour of the spa across its multiple floors, pointing out the two changing-room options.

Two separate ladies' changing rooms are on offer — one for members, one for treatment and spa-day guests — with lockers operated via a white card key. Full-size Bamford Geranium products are stocked throughout, alongside combs, shower caps, deodorant, hairdryers and GHD straighteners, plus a dryer for swimming costumes. A ladies-only experience area adjoins the changing rooms, with its own shower, vitality pool, sauna and steam room.

The 22-metre indoor pool is a feature in its own right: black tiled mosaics beneath a high, vaulted timber ceiling with wooden beams give it the feel of a converted barn. Beyond the pool, the main thermal suite runs to a Finnish sauna, a steam room and a hydrotherapy pool, plus a warm, bubbly Jacuzzi and a second steam room, big enough for six, just off the main pool. The relaxation room's centrepiece is a large fish tank; help yourself to herbal teas, dried fruit and seeds before settling in for some cathartic fish watching.

Outside, a heated pool sits in the Walled Garden, ringed by more than 60 sun loungers, umbrellas and deep-seated sofa chairs, with cabanas for changing and a café serving pastries, cocktails, Champagne coffee/tea. A Bedouin tent offers outdoor treatments, and a new sun terrace has been added with an outdoor sauna and ice bath for warm-to-chilly plunge.

The Grove's grounds run to a four-mile walk and run route, well signposted with information on mature specimens including a black pine dating to 1867 and a cedar from the 1700s. Circular seating areas, ponds, fountains and quirky artwork are dotted throughout, and multiple terraces give space to spread out with a drink or to watch the golf. An on-site golf club, an Activity Centre (bike rental, archery, air rifle shooting) and formal gardens are close by, and the herb garden is particularly worth the walk

For guests who want to keep moving, a fully-equipped gym pairs Technogym Visioweb kit with a Peloton bike for live and on-demand classes, while The Grove's wellness timetable runs to yoga, Pilates, guided walks, personal training and cycling classes throughout the week. There's also a private members' lounge with sofas, drinks and snacks. Phew.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR TREATMENT

We tried the QMS Recharge Facial (80 minutes, from £250).

Roxanna, my therapist, carried out a thorough consultation beforehand taking in my medical history and at-home skin routine before taking me through the facial and performing an AHA peel patch-test to check for any reaction.

The treatment room was a calming space with dimmed lighting, subtle music and a wide, warm bed. The facial elements followed the full QMS protocol: cleanse, tone, a 7% AHA peel, collagen sheet mask, algae mask and LED red light mask, combined with a tummy massage. The algae mask created a warming effect, pushing collagen peptides from the sheet mask into the skin. Finishing products included a Natura Bissé Diamond eye cream and a good dollop of QMS face cream.

Having corrected my assumption of dry skin - diagnosing dehydration instead (alongside sun damage, fine lines and some sensitivity around the eyes) Roxanna worked hard to reach the end result: visibly plumper, brighter skin.

FOOD FACTS

Lunch was taken en robe in the spa café, an intimate lounge setting off a corridor with a healthy menu of poke bowls, salads and desserts.

Our spa partner and I opted for the poke bowls: salmon for one and Teriyaki chicken for the other, followed by a fruit salad of three types of melon, strawberries, blackberries and - rather unusually - dragon fruit, with a chocolate banana cake and vanilla ice cream to finish. We paired it with a glass of Prosecco and elderflower fizz. The meal felt healthy, fresh and generously portioned.

Staying overnight, we dined that evening at The Glasshouse, a buffet restaurant across multiple levels with glass frontage overlooking the gardens. Waiter Jacob talked us through the format on arrival: a full seafood bar (whole shell-on prawns, oysters, mussels, prawn cocktail), a sushi bar, cold cuts and build-your-own salads, followed by main-course stations covering a grill, a full roast, a fresh Italian pasta station and an Asian infusion station.

Standout dishes included a fish Madras curry with glass noodles and a classic roast chicken dinner. Dessert brought a chocolate fountain, small bites like crème brûlée and Panna cotta, cakes, cheesecakes and ice cream. Top tip: come hungry, the range of stations rewards a proper appetite.

SWEET STAY?

We stayed in Room 76, a Deluxe Twin in the West Wing with a ground-floor garden view, dressed in a warm palette of browns, light sand, and sage and tweedy greens, built around a ‘bring the outside in’ brief. A three-seater sage-green sofa bed came with cushions, bolsters and a throw, alongside a tweedy green armchair with green velvet detail, and a full-length wall mirror added depth and light. The balcony overlooking the private garden (open the windows for morning birdsong) was a nice surprise.

Welcome touches included handmade chocolates and a fruit platter; a Nespresso machine and a Twist Great Taste tea selection. The minibar was generously stocked with spirits, snacks, sweets, half bottles of Sauvignon Blanc and Prosecco, a Côtes du Rhône Reserve, The Grove's own pale ale and more.

In the bathroom, sliding full-length mirrors double as doors, opening onto an oversized freestanding roll-top bath with bath salts and bubble bath in smoky glass jars. Full-size Bamford Geranium, Lavender and Peppermint products are provided, along with a well-lit magnifying mirror and thick towelling bath sheets.

WE LOVED

Our treatment was one of the best facials we've had; Roxanna picked up on dehydration we hadn't diagnosed ourselves worked hard to rectify this.

The tropical fish tank in the relaxation room: grab a post-treatment snack, settle down under a fluffy blanket and be transfixed by some seriously large angelfish.

Our room: opening the doors of the balcony in the morning - complete with birdsong - left us feeling genuinely refreshed.

WHAT BUBBLE RATING DID YOU AWARD THIS SPA?

We awarded Sequoia Spa at The Grove a Good Spa Guide Bubble Rating of 5 Bubbles for its excellent facilities, including - rarely - two large pools, results-driven treatments, extra activities (from walks to open-air cinema nights) and good range of dining options.