Henlow Grange Champneys Health Spa, The Peacock Room

We had a lovely relaxing day but feel the facilities were lacking for a modern spa as the sauna is no larger than a double wardrobe and there's not much to do other than swim this time of year. At lunch, the buffet food was okay, no-one came to take our drink order and it was cold in the dining area. We arrived for our 9am start and the car park was already full, not the most relaxing start to the day having to park in the mud.

Disappointing Spa Experience – Not Worth the Price The surrounding nature is beautiful, the staff is friendly, and the beds are very comfort but unfortunately, this spa was a huge disappointment, especially considering the high price. The sauna is ridiculously small, barely fitting four people, which is unacceptable for such a large facility. During peak hours, the restaurant and buffet service are painfully slow, and getting a table or being served takes forever. The so-called “hot” pools are anything but—after less than a minute, you start freezing. Many guests have complained, but the owners don’t seem to care. When I asked, I was just told that “nothing can be done.” For a spa catering to couples, it’s frustrating that all steam rooms are separated by gender, except for the tiny sauna, which is smaller than a single bed. The poolside workout sessions come with an unnecessarily loud boombox, making it impossible to relax. The walls in the rooms are paper-thin—you hear everything from the neighboring rooms, and when someone showers at 6 AM, it feels like you’re standing in their bathroom due to the loud pipes. The restaurant portions are laughably small; my partner and I had to order three main courses just to feel satisfied. To top it off, the room doors don’t close automatically—you have to insert your key card every time to properly shut them. I’m not a picky person, but the combination of all these issues made this stay incredibly frustrating. If you lower your expectations, you might find it acceptable, but for the price they charge, it’s simply a rip-off. And a spa that can’t even maintain properly warm pools? That’s just unacceptable.