The trend of wellness-led escapes has triggered a glut of mind and body health getaways. Helena Lang checks into Down Hall Hotel, Spa and Estate in Essex to find out more.

Where is it?

A few miles off the M11 and hidden down a country lane, this is an easy drive from Cambridge or East London and the surrounding counties.

What’s the accommodation like?

Simply put, grand. This former site of a medieval manor house is a beautiful Palladian building of light-coloured stone set in extensive grounds. The public areas have been remodelled and refurbished sympathetically by the current owners and offer plenty of nooks and corners to enjoy a good book, sip on a cocktail or gaze out of the window. My room was a giant suite, with an accessible balcony for sipping the in-room tea or coffee on a sunny day, and I relished a good hour in the huge copper bath I discovered in the beautiful marble bathroom. Full marks all around.

What did you eat and drink?

Well, I wasn’t here for the beer… I was on a wellness escape after all. Included in the break is a short two-course menu served in the hotel’s small Garden Room restaurant. From that I chose the fillet of hake, served with a dollop of potato puree and a Mediterranean inspired garnish of black olive, tomato and fresh basil. It was light, tasty and satisfying. Forgoing all things sugary, I decided on the selection of British cheeses instead of pud – a chic slate board generously piled with hard, blue and soft varieties, plenty of artisan crackers, grapes and chutney. Breakfast the next morning was a small buffet affair served in the quaintly titled Potting Shed with all the usual cereal, toast and cooked breakfast suspects on offer.

What is there to do?

There are a variety of wellness escapes available, most of them led by Camilla Sheeley, a multi-dimensional powerhouse of holistic practices. A former economist and marketing specialist, she’s now an international yoga teacher, writer, model and entrepreneur – and if that sounds intimidating, it isn’t. We were a diverse group: some fifty-something friends, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives and even an elderly stepfather and his stepdaughter. All ages, shapes and sizes. And all experience levels. Camilla made all of us feel welcome and encouraged. She listened patiently to concerns and made it easy for us all to feel comfortable and engaged.

After sharing some of her excellent homemade chocolate bark and power ball snacks, we kicked off our experience with a chat around the fireplace discussing our yoga levels and whether we had had a sound bath before, what we hoped to achieve and a little bit about our lifestyles. Then it was time for our first yoga session, a gently stretching practice to loosen our bodies and get us into the groove. After a short loo-break between sessions we regrouped for the sound bath, where we were joined by locals who had signed up for the evening session. We each dived onto a mat on the floor – a bit like the sunbed situation at seaside hotels – and snuggled up under blankets with quilted eye-masks to block out the light.

The whole point of a sound bath is that it’s a calming, meditative experience designed to soothe and relax you. As someone who finds switching off incredibly hard, in a room full of strangers I knew I would find it especially challenging. Camilla struck a huge selection of gongs, bowls, crystals and chimes during the hour-and-a-half we lay there. For me it was an opportunity to do nothing but try to relax, and I can’t say I managed it completely, but I would be keen to try a sound bath again. Others were verging on the evangelical, and many had experienced sound baths with Camilla several times, so perseverance may be key.

The next morning after a more vigorous and challenging yoga session, Camilla led us on a guided walk of the grounds and shared the history of the house, the people who had lived there and plenty of knowledge about the gardens and woodland environment. It was invigorating, sociable and above all great fun. This combined with a half-hour sensational massage in the hotel’s Barn Spa using the gorgeously scented Bramley toiletries rounded off the whole experience nicely.

Lasting Memory

Striding around the grounds with Camilla and the gang, laughing, sharing stories and getting to know one another.

Sainsbury’s magazine insider tip

Go with an open mind and go alone. I went by myself and found it a hugely nourishing and uplifting thing to do.