Spa food is usually very healthy food - but you rarely notice this as it's also usually delicious.
Are there celery sticks?
The days when a spa day lunch consisted of a carrot, a celery stick and a cup of green tea are long gone. Yes, there will probably be celery sticks if you want one, but, at meal times, most spas offer a wide choice of low-fat foods with plenty of fish, chicken, salads and fresh fruit. If you want to use your spa stay for healthy eating and perhaps lose a little weight, then you'll be able to; you will have a choice of dishes.
Some spas offer a choice of foods that are rated according to their fat levels, and most can cope with special diets. Some spas offer food so rich and varied, you might think the aim was to make you gain weight! If you are veggie, vegan or gluten free, call the spa in advance of your arrive date to check that they offer plenty of foods that you would like to eat.
Is there alcohol?
Some spas don't offer alcohol, but others have a bar.
Hotel spas are much more likely to have a bar in the vicinity than dedicated spas. Just remember that drinking alcohol close to having treatments can make you feel sick, and completely ruins any detox treatments you may have had.
You may find that you react much more to small amounts of alcohol after a spa treatment. If you want to make a party weekend of it, where the spa is a feature but not the whole thing, how about going to a Center Parcs where you can do lots of different things in one weekend? Or enjoy a glass of wine as part of the whole dining experience.
Can I smuggle in some chocolate?
You can put anything you like in your suitcase, but you may not need the chocolate.
If you're planning on taking some chocolate because you expect dinner to consist of three carrot sticks, think again. Most spas serve excellent food, and generous quantities of it. There are even puddings and icecream - and if you are staying at spa hotel, why not book ahead for afternoon tea.
But if you're spending money on a spa stay for a bit of healthy living, putting a slab of Galaxy in the bottom of the case defeats the object. On the other hand, if you're there to pamper yourself, a bit of chocolate never goes amiss.
Summer Spy
15th April 2013
Spy Likes:
Warmth and sunshine; spas which take me away to another country; fruit infused waters; beach-worth pedicures; deep tissue massages.
Spy Dislikes:
High footfalls; treatments that over promise and under deliver; heavy lunches; loungers drapped in used towels.
