NORTON HOUSE HOTEL & SPA, EDINBURGH

Style & Setting

Only a 20-minute drive from Edinburgh city centre, this spa is a real hidden gem. The modern club is separated from the original house, which dates back to 1840. The striking yet elegant Victorian setting is spread across 55 acres and once served as a home to the Ushers, the family behind Glenlivet whisky. Unlike the country house, the spa complex, renovated in 2019, offers contemporary vibes in an underground fixture with bright, ceiling to floor windows. Sunk into the original and listed wall in the main garden, the glass-built spa offers respite from the hustle and bustle of the city in a modern yet classical setting.

Treatments

There is a wide-range of treatments that can be tailored to suit personal requirements. You will choose from a generous selection of massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and body wraps. There are options to suit every need as packages can suit pregnancy, groups of two and parties. Options allow you to arrive at breakfast time or in the later part of the day as you wind down. A massage will leave you recharged and loosened with any stress gone from your body.

Food for thought

A breakfast hamper comprises of warm pain au chocolat, fresh fruit, a smoothie and granola with yoghurt – a perfect combination to fuel a stress-free day.

Dining in the spa’s café bar, you will enjoy afternoon tea with a view of the club’s indoor pool and outside garden. The attentive team will allow you to choose from an indulgent tea cake stand or healthy bento box tailored to any dietary requirements. Detail and presentation is carefully thought out by chefs in their handmade deserts.

Among the selections for lunch include afternoon teas filled with finger sandwiches, plain and fruit scones with clotted cream and lemon polenta cake or bento boxes bursting with mixed bean chilli wraps, pomegranate quinoa and apple and blackberry compote.

Nice touch

The relaxation room is undeniably a bonus feature to the spa. Once treatments are over, you are led into a dully-lit scented room to lie down on your designated bed. It is part of the visit that encourages you to really wind down and move your focus to yourself. The comforting atmosphere makes it very easy to nod off.

Facilities

It is easy to lose the track of time by making full use of the indoor pool, hydro pool (with a powerful waterfall) and steam and sauna rooms before treatments. Sun loungers located by the swimming pool make for a perfect reading spot with views over an outside garden.

The facility is kitted out with eight treatment rooms, an amber lounge, a relaxation lounge and a manicure and pedicure area.

For those wishing to make a more energetic visit, an impressive member-based gym and exercise studio will allow you to let off some steam.

Products

The knowledgeable therapists are happy to run you through a brief of their products – Ishga, Elemis and Comfort Zone. We opted for local products and stuck to Scotland-made Ishaga, manufactured on Stornoway and enriched with organic seaweed.

In one treatment, we were pampered to seven products that left our faces feeling full, rejuvenated and glowing. Ishga is a go-to skincare brand for any occasion and on this one, it excelled.

For more information, visit https://www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/nortonhouse

By Ruth Sutter