A Long Exhale: Our Day at Gaia Spa, Boringdon Hall

Pamela and her daughter Chelsea were guests of Boringdon Hall for this complimentary spa experience. The views expressed are Pamela's own.

Arriving at Boringdon Hall

Boringdon Hall rises from the Devon countryside with all the character of a house that has watched several centuries pass. With medieval origins and an Elizabethan design, it feels quietly imposing without being forbidding. As we approached via the long drive, its diamond-paned leaded windows caught the sun and twinkled in the daylight, immediately setting it apart from any ordinary destination.

Our journey had been slightly fraught, with roadworks, diversions and general road mayhem, and we arrived feeling mildly ragged. The sight of the manor surrounded by open countryside and far-reaching views was already something of an antidote.

With the lift temporarily out of action, we tackled what I came to think of as the stairway to heaven. It was worth the climb. At the top, calm and smiling staff welcomed us and gently reconfirmed the details our frazzled brains had failed to register. From the moment we stepped through the glass doors, still puffing a little, there was an instinctive sense of letting out one long breath.

Inside Gaia Spa

The contrast between the old manor and the contemporary Gaia Spa is striking. Boringdon Hall brings stone, history and permanence, while the spa answers with glass, water, warmth and light. Its colours are drawn from the earth, with warm neutrals, shades of muted stone and natural fabrics. The immaculate but quiet finish makes it feel luxurious without being ostentatious.

Our fluffy robes, towels and flip-flops were waiting inside individual lockers, accessed using personal wristbands, and soon our road-weary clothes had been abandoned. The warm air carried a delicate mixture of spa aromas, while relaxed chatter drifted between guests lounging in their robes. The atmosphere was calm without demanding silence.

The Pool, the Laconium and Doing Absolutely Nothing

The pool forms the blue heart of Gaia Spa, with saunas, steam rooms and relaxation spaces radiating from it. Water trembled and spilled over its tiled edge after a swimmer had passed, gradually settling back into stillness. Some guests chose to swim purposeful lengths, while others, including me, were quite content simply to be still.

After a quick shower, I settled onto the heated tiled lounger in the Laconium. This provides a gentle introduction to the spa, warm enough to begin loosening the body but not so intense that one immediately feels the need to escape. From behind the glazed doors, I could watch people passing around the far side of the pool. It felt like an excellent place from which to do absolutely nothing.

You could almost imagine yourself back in Roman times. The surroundings may be considerably more luxurious, but perhaps the atmosphere would not have been entirely dissimilar: warmth, tranquility, low background chatter and a shared sense that nobody needed to hurry. Wrapped in their robes, guests seemed to glide serenely from the pool to a sauna or steam room, and then on towards the next relaxation experience.

The absence of young children added to the immersive calm. There were no sudden splashes or excited voices, just the gentle sound of water and conversation. It was exactly what my body had been crying out for.

Chelsea needed to deal with a work call before heading to the gym, where she made good use of the modern Peloton bikes and up-to-date equipment. Hotel gyms can sometimes feel like an afterthought, but this one was immaculate and in keeping with the rest of the spa. She fitted in a proper workout while I devoted myself rather successfully to reclining on warm tiles exploring the different sauna rooms in sequence, each offering a slightly different kind of warmth and relaxation. Both approaches appeared to work.

Lunch in the Spatisserie

Lunch was served in the light and welcoming Spatisserie, where guests remain in their robes. Soft, billowing translucent drapes catch the breeze and separate some of the tables, providing a little privacy without shutting diners away from the light. Eating in a robe might feel unusual at first, but it soon becomes entirely natural. Everyone is equally fluffy and comfortable.

The menu offered a good choice of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, all of which managed to feel healthy and generous. My tuna steak was beautifully presented, full of flavour and cooked perfectly for me. I prefer tuna a little more 'done' than many people do, and this arrived exactly as I had hoped, still tender but without being too rare in the centre. The richness of the chocolate mousse was offset by the taste-bomb of an intensely fruity mango sauce, creating a delicious contrast between the two.

We lingered happily over lunch, suddenly realising that our treatments were due to begin in 20 minutes. Lunch had been so enjoyable that we had allowed time to slip away.

Reluctantly leaving the table, we made our way to the treatment waiting area at the rear of the Spatisserie where we were collected by our respective therapists. From there, a staircase took us down to a softly lit space with gentle music and mood lighting and we were accompanied to our individual treatment rooms. From that moment, there was nothing more for us to organise or remember. We simply placed ourselves in their hands.

The Treatments: A Jade Facial with GAIA Oils

I had chosen the Jade Facial, and Anna explained what to expect from the next 60 minutes. My treatment began not with my face but with a warm foot bath and a gentle foot scrub administered by Anna. This really elevated the whole experience. The warmth, water and slow touch brought me into a grounded, receptive state almost immediately. Rather than being expected to relax on command, I felt gently led towards it.

I was then invited to breathe in the aromas of four different GAIA body oils and choose whichever fragrance instinctively felt right. There was no complicated analysis involved, but it was easy to select, as if my nose already knew what my body needed.

Independently, Chelsea and I both chose the Strengthening Body Oil. GAIA describes this warming blend, containing black pepper, ginger, rosemary and ylang-ylang, as being designed to enhance focus and encourage positive emotions. We laughed when we discovered that, from four possibilities, we had chosen exactly the same one.

GAIA Skincare was created alongside the development of the spa at Boringdon Hall, which remains its flagship home. Its British-made products combine natural ingredients, plant actives and essential oils.

The facial itself was divine, a soothing combination of warmth and coolness, oils and scrubs. Warm cloths softened and comforted my skin before cool jade wands were used to massage my face, neck and décolletage. The jade is intended to help stimulate circulation and lymphatic drainage, and it felt wonderful.

Anna had what can only be described as inspired hands, firm enough for the treatment to feel effective while always remaining gentle and reassuring. At some point, I drifted off to sleep for around 15 minutes. Tiny dreamlets surfaced and disappeared while the burdens of everyday life seemed to be brushed away beneath Anna's fingertips, leaving nothing but a deep purple calm behind my eyes.

My only disappointment was that, having fallen asleep, I had missed part of something so lovely. Perhaps surrendering consciousness was the clearest indication that the treatment had done its work. Nothing required an answer, and nobody needed me to make a decision. For that hour, I had nowhere else to be.

Chelsea was equally delighted with her treatment. Afterwards, we compared notes like two people returning from somewhere rather exotic and wonderful, each of us convinced that our therapist had worked a particular kind of magic.

The Outdoor Area

The day was kind to us, and afterwards we settled onto the outdoor loungers in the mid-September sunshine. Tall phormiums surrounded the terrace, a hot tub bubbled nearby and refreshments could be brought to anyone reluctant to move. Silver clouds were backlit by the sun, giving the planting something of the lush, dreamlike quality of a Rousseau painting. With the open sky and Devon countryside beyond, the spa feels connected to its setting rather than sealed away from it.

Permission to Stop

There are few days when one can feel completely unhurried and thoroughly pampered. My own life tends to involve burning the candle at both ends, and I am usually the person taking responsibility, organising what happens next and ensuring everyone else is all right. At Gaia Spa, I was able to hand that responsibility over for a few precious hours. I could breathe, switch off and allow myself to be looked after. That may have been the greatest luxury of all.

Would We Recommend Gaia Spa?

Although we spent around five hours at the spa, the time passed remarkably quickly. Would I recommend Gaia Spa and its treatments? Completely. Its beautiful surroundings, immaculate facilities, excellent food and personal treatments combine to create a genuinely restorative experience.

It was a particularly lovely day for a mother and daughter to share, giving us time to talk, laugh and enjoy one another's company without the usual interruptions of everyday life. Yet the day also gave me something I had not quite realised I needed: permission to stop.

It was, unreservedly, the most relaxing experience I have had all year. We arrived at Boringdon Hall carrying the stresses of the road and our busy lives in our shoulders, and left feeling softer around the edges, enormously fortunate, and already wondering when we might return.

Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall: The Details

Where: Boringdon Hall Hotel, Boringdon Hill, Colebrook, Plymouth, PL7 4DP. About 50 minutes from Exeter via the A38, or 15 minutes from Plymouth city centre.

Spa days: Half-day packages (Eos in the morning, Selene in the afternoon) include a 45-minute GAIA treatment, spa access and brunch or afternoon tea, from £150 off-peak. The full-day Gaia package runs 10am to 6pm with a 60-minute treatment and afternoon tea with English sparkling wine, £175 on weekdays and £195 at weekends. Twilight spa sessions without treatments start from £50. Prices as published by the spa in September 2026; check the current rates when you book.

Facilities: Indoor pool, hydrotherapy pool, Laconium and heat experiences, aromatherapy steam room, deep relaxation room, outdoor hot tubs and loungers, gym, and the Spatisserie for robed dining.

Good to know: Over-16s only. The pool, heat experiences and gym are open 6am to 10pm, with treatments bookable between 9am and 6pm.

Booking: Call 01752 344455 or book via gaiaboringdon.co.uk.

For more ideas across the county, from Dartmoor manor houses to clifftop hydrotherapy pools, see our guide to the best spa days in Devon. If a day like this makes you want to spend more unhurried time with people you enjoy, that is exactly what our dinners across Devon are for.