new lease of life for King Henry’s hunting lodge
Only 12 miles from London, Addington Palace www.addington-palace.co.uk is a gem of green tranquillity with a commanding view over Surrey countryside. Once the hunting lodge of King Henry VIII where it is rumoured he stalked deer as well as well as his interest in Anne Boleyn! In 1997 this grade II listed building was refurbished to its former glory. It’s now a premier Wedding, Conference and Banqueting venue, and includes a luxury Health Spa with an Ocean Float Room.
Gemma has been floating there for 3 years now. She’s the Manager at a mixed boarding school. Very long days on her feet dealing with people – usually 10-hours, sometimes 16 hours when duties extend into the evening. Then her sister introduced her to floating.
“Floating is definitely addictive!” she says. “I arrive at my Mums which is just down the road and quickly shuttle off to Addington Palace for a few hours and return a new woman. For £45 a session, I come away feeling like I’ve had a 2-week holiday. One time I took a friend and we alternated a massage and float and then got together for dinner afterwards. The conversation was so chilled and interesting. And now he’s addicted to floating too!”
“I like the Ocean float room very much. For me it’s the size of a sauna but filled with water so nothing disconcerting about it. I don’t think I would ever have tried floating in the first place if I’d had to get into a tank or a pod. I love the spaciousness of the whole floatation suite with your very own shower and vanity facility so you don’t have to engage with others. I can’t fault Addington Palace as a Spa. The float room is always spotless and has all the extras to hand that you might need before and after floating. I was a “massage girl” before I discovered floating. But now, if I have time I will do both, then lunch afterwards and maybe take a walk in the public park 2 minutes away to absorb all the greenery of the countryside. I’s my way of dispatching the stresses of life before they build up, like wiping the slate clean.”
“On occasion I’ve noticed if I have stuff going on in my life that’s not quite sorted – like a misunderstanding or disagreement with a boss or sibling – the whole thing gets resolved during the float session. Half way through, the solution suddenly pops into my head, or I’ll get a totally different perspective on the problem without even trying.
There was only one negative comment Gemma had about floating. Sometimes she’s just so relaxed she doesn’t notice that she hasn’t completely washed out the white clumps of Epsom salts in her hair until someone comments on them! But at least the magnesium is good for the body, skin and hair so it’s a small price to pay!
