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

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, its diamond-paned leaded windows caught and twinkled in the daylight, immediately setting it apart from an ordinary hotel.

Our journey there had been slightly fraught. Roadworks, diversions and general road mayhem had made the beginning of our day rather more stressful than either of us had anticipated, and we arrived carrying the tension of the road in our shoulders and feeling mildly ragged. The sight of the historic manor, surrounded by open countryside and splendid, far-reaching views, began to provide the antidote before we had even reached the spa. It already felt as though we were leaving the everyday world behind.

At the top of a long flight of stairs, with the lift due to be back in action soon, calm and smiling staff welcomed us and gently explained, and then reconfirmed, all the details our slightly frazzled brains had failed to register. From the moment we stepped through the glass doors, still puffing a little from the climb, 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 colour palette is earthy and close to nature, with warm neutrals, natural-looking fabrics and gently muted stone tiles. There are no jarring colours or harsh edges, and even the lighting feels softened. Illuminated edging, immaculate finishes and luxuriously fluffy robes make it feel special without being ostentatious.

It is pleasantly humid, and the warm air carries a delicate mixture of spa aromas. The whole place has a meditative, almost Zen-like quality, with nature not merely inspiring the interior but appearing to have been invited inside.

Our robes, towels and flip-flops were waiting inside individual lockers, accessed using our personal wristbands, and soon our road-weary clothes had been abandoned and we were enveloped in softness. These are not the rather functional leisure facilities sometimes found attached to a hotel. Everything is beautifully warm, impeccably clean and thoughtfully finished.

Around us, relaxed chatter drifted between women lounging comfortably in their robes, while others had left theirs hanging neatly on nearby pegs. Despite being shared with other guests, the atmosphere never felt busy or intrusive. There seemed to be an unspoken understanding that everyone had come for much the same reason: to stop, breathe and be looked after for a while.

The Pool, the Laconium and Doing Absolutely Nothing

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

After a quick shower, I began by settling onto one of the heated tiled loungers in the Laconium. This provides a gentle introduction to the spa experience, warm enough to begin loosening the body but not so intense that one immediately feels the need to escape. I lay there quietly for around 15 minutes before venturing into the warmer rooms and other facilities.

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, tranquillity, low background chatter and a shared sense that nobody needed to hurry. Wrapped in their robes, guests seemed to glide gently from the pool to a sauna or steam room, and then on towards the next relaxation experience.

From the tiled reclining bench 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. The absence of young children gives the spa an immersive calmness. There are no sudden splashes or excited voices, just the low murmur of conversation and the gentle sounds of water. It was exactly what my body had been crying out for.

Chelsea needed to deal with a work call before heading to the gym. Even real life occasionally follows us into a spa, although it seemed to release its grip on us remarkably quickly.

Once her call had finished, she was able to make good use of the modern Peloton bikes and up-to-date gym equipment. Hotel gyms can sometimes feel like an afterthought, but this one was very much in keeping with the quality of the wider spa.

The surroundings were immaculate and Chelsea thoroughly enjoyed the time she spent there. It meant that we could experience part of the morning in slightly different ways. She fitted in a proper workout, while I devoted myself rather successfully to reclining on warm tiles. Both approaches appeared to work.

Lunch in the Spatisserie

Our day included lunch in the Spatisserie, followed by our treatments. The Spatisserie is light, relaxed and welcoming, and guests remain in their robes, which immediately removes any sense of formality. There is no need to change, dress up or concern yourself too much with how you look. Everyone is equally fluffy and comfortable.

Soft, billowing translucent drapes catch the breeze and separate some of the tables, providing a little privacy without shutting diners away from the light. Other seats offer attractive views for those who prefer to watch the world beyond the windows. There was plenty of chatter and laughter around us.

Eating lunch in a robe might initially feel slightly unusual, but it soon becomes entirely natural and contributes to the sense that the usual rules of the day have been temporarily suspended.

The menu offered a good choice of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, all of which managed to feel both generous and healthy. Even dessert arrived with a suggestion that it might somehow be doing us good.

My tuna steak with romesco sauce and rocket was beautifully presented, extremely tasty 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 and full of flavour but without being too rare in the centre. My chocolate mousse dessert was sublime and accompanied by an intense orange-flavoured confit that complemented the richness of the mousse.

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

Reluctantly leaving the table, we made our way to the treatment waiting area at the rear of the Spatisserie, where Chelsea and I sat until our therapists came to collect us and accompany us to our individual treatment rooms. A staircase leads down to a quiet, softly lit private space with mood lighting and gentle music. There was something very reassuring about being personally collected.

From that moment, there was nothing more for us to organise or remember. We could simply place ourselves in their hands.

The Treatments: A Jade Facial with GAIA Oils

My treatment began not with my face but with a wonderfully warm foot bath and a gentle foot scrub administered by Anna. This really elevated the whole experience. The warmth, water and slow touch seemed to draw a line beneath everything that had happened earlier in the day and brought me into a grounded, receptive state almost immediately. Rather than being expected to relax on command, I was gently led towards it.

Anna, my therapist, talked me through the Jade Facial so that I knew what to expect. She then invited me to breathe in four different GAIA body oils and choose whichever fragrance instinctively felt right. GAIA Skincare was created alongside the development of the spa at Boringdon Hall, which remains its flagship home.

The British-made range combines natural ingredients, plant actives and essential oils. There was no complicated analysis involved in choosing my oil. I simply noticed which aroma appealed to me at that particular moment. It was an unexpectedly personal choice, as though my nose and my slightly weary psyche already knew what I needed.

Independently, Chelsea and I both chose the Strengthening Body Oil. GAIA describes this warming blend as being designed to support the immune system, enhance focus and encourage positive emotions. It contains black pepper and ginger for warmth, rosemary for clarity and ylang-ylang to help lift the mood. We laughed afterwards when we discovered that, from four possibilities, we had both been drawn to exactly the same one. Perhaps our minds and bodies were trying to tell us something.

The facial itself was divine, a deeply soothing combination of warmth and coolness. Warm cloths softened and comforted my skin before cool jade wands were used to massage my face. The jade is intended to help stimulate circulation and lymphatic drainage, although from the recipient's point of view, it simply felt wonderful.

Anna had what can only be described as magic 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. On reflection, perhaps surrendering consciousness was the clearest possible indication that the treatment had done its work.

Warm cloths, cool jade, gentle pressure, exfoliating scrubs and the aroma of my chosen oil all merged together until it became difficult to identify the precise point at which I stopped merely lying still and began to let go properly. Everyday thoughts surfaced briefly and then floated away again. 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 wonderful, each of us convinced that our own therapist had cast her own spell.

The Outdoor Area

We then returned to the outdoor area, where the feeling of retreat continued. Tall phormiums rise around woven rattan loungers, with two bubbling hot tubs offering somewhere to soak in the warmth while looking out towards the surrounding landscape. Refreshments can also be brought directly to your lounger, should you wish to remain exactly where you are.

The countryside remains an important part of the experience. The spa does not feel sealed away from its surroundings. Glimpses of the landscape, changing light and open sky prevent it from becoming one of those anonymous luxury interiors that might exist anywhere. This is very definitely Devon.

The day was kind to us, and we settled onto the loungers to enjoy some beautiful mid-September sunshine. Around us, the water shimmered, the hot tubs bubbled and the tall planting moved gently in the breeze. Silver clouds were illuminated from behind by the sun, and the planting took on something of the lush, slightly dreamlike quality of a Rousseau painting.

As the sun found its way between the clouds and warmed our faces, we rested and felt extraordinarily fortunate. There are very few days when one can feel completely unhurried and thoroughly pampered.

Most of us carry an invisible list of things to be arranged, remembered, answered or resolved. Even during our leisure time, some part of the mind is usually preparing for what must happen next.

Permission to Stop

My own life tends to involve burning the candle at both ends. I work quite hard and am usually the person taking responsibility, organising what happens next and making sure everyone else is all right. At Gaia Spa, I was able to hand that responsibility over for a few precious hours. Someone else knew where I needed to be and what might help me feel better. I did not have to organise anything, solve anything or take care of anybody else. All I had to do was breathe, switch off and allow myself to be looked after.

That may have been the greatest luxury of all.

Although we spent nearly five hours at the spa, the time passed remarkably quickly. By the time we changed reluctantly out of our robes, the morning's roadworks and diversions seemed to belong to another day. Chelsea had loved the gym and her treatment. My own body felt looser, my face felt wonderfully nourished and my mind was calmer than it had been for a very long time.

Would We Recommend Gaia Spa?

Completely. This is not simply somewhere to swim, sit in a sauna or enjoy a facial. Its beautiful surroundings, immaculate facilities, excellent food and deeply personal treatments combine to create a genuinely restorative experience.

It was a particularly lovely day for a mother and daughter to share. We were able to talk, laugh, eat, compare our experiences 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.

I can honestly say that it was possibly the most relaxing thing I have personally done all year. We arrived at Boringdon Hall carrying the stress of the road 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.