Buxton Crescent Ensana Health Spa Hotel review: A jewel of a spa retreat just hours from London
This exquisite Georgian landmark has been transformed into one of the country's top spa break destinations, as Attitude's Dale Fox discovers
By Dale Fox
When considering where to spend a relaxing or romantic weekend away, Buxton may not be the first name that pops into your mind. This historic Peak District spa town about an hour outside of Manchester is mainly known these days for one thing: its bottled spring water (or perhaps now also Kate Butch). However, it also turns out that it’s home to one of the best spa retreats in the country: the Buxton Crescent Ensana Health Spa Hotel.
This grand building has been standing since 1789, a monument to when Buxton reigned as England’s leading spa town. But as the passing decades saw the slow decline of bathing culture, this Georgian treasure fell into disuse and disrepair. But now, almost 20 years and £78 million later, the refurbished Crescent heralds a new chapter. Within these faithfully restored walls, heritage blends with modern luxury to recreate the town’s glamorous heyday as a fashionable spa retreat.
Overwhelmed by the sprawling grandeur
After checking in and entering our suite, my husband and I are overwhelmed by the sprawling grandeur revealed before us. An intimately lit sitting room branches into three additional chambers – a bathroom centred around a deep clawfoot tub, a luxurious toilet/shower room, and the master bedroom anchored by a four-poster bed and original fireplace.
Looking out of the tall, wooden sash windows, the leafy expanse of The Slopes unfurls below, the stunning Regency park just metres from the property, created in the 1800s as pleasure grounds for guests of the hotel. I feel like we’ve been transported back to a more polished era when the hotel would have hosted well-healed aristocrats, here to take the healing waters. Who knows how many Downton-esque trysts and scandals these walls have witnessed?
A high-end yet unpretentious dining experience
After changing, we head to dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, The Dining Room, with the tables around us filling quickly. Fitting in with the rest of the hotel, this is a high-end dining experience – though a reasonably priced and unpretentious one. We go for a half-dozen oysters and a mackerel rarebit to start with, followed by dry-aged sirloin and seared calf liver. And prosecco – lots of prosecco.
Leaving satisfied – and with no room for dessert – we make our way back to our suite for a romantic bubble bath and to relax for the evening, feeling every bit like Lady Mary on a jaunt. We awake the following morning to the sound of babbling waters from the fountains outside our window, feeling grateful to be in such a beautiful place.
Breakfast time, and we head to the restaurant again, this time for a locally sourced Full English and fresh coffee to order. Continuing from dinner, breakfast is also a faultless experience, with juicy sausages, fresh bacon and made-to-order eggs filling us up for a day of exploring “the Bath of the North”.
Enjoying Buxton mineral water at the source
After walking around and taking in the boutique shops and admiring the limestone buildings, we decide it’s time we sampled the hotel’s famous spa. Before heading back inside, we stop off at St. Ann’s Drinking Well just metres from the property. This is a public drinking fountain dating back centuries with a constant flow of natural Buxton mineral water – the same water available in shops nationwide, and the same used in the Buxton Crescent Ensana Health Spa Hotel’s three spa pools.
Inside the spa, we admire the showstopping indoor thermal pool lined with exquisite original 1924 tiles and capped by an artistic stained glass ceiling. Adjoining is a bio sauna providing a gentle 60 C heat, perfect for longer relaxation, along with mineral baths filled with the town’s healing spring waters.
Many ways to unwind in the hotel’s stunning spa
There’s also a serene indoor pool capped by a starry midnight ceiling, and two whirlpools providing targeted relief via massaging jets. But we head to the hotel’s signature rooftop pool, where we blissfully soak in the naturally warm Buxton spring water as rain patters down on us, with steam rising from the surface. This was perhaps one of the only times the British weather has been so much appreciated, with the cool rainwater making the warm pool even more welcoming.
We next enter the salt cave, constructed from natural salt blocks known for their anti-bacterial and respiratory benefits. After reclining and breathing the salt-dense air for a meditative 45 minutes, we emerge rejuvenated. Then it’s time for the infra-red sauna, which uses targeted heat to promote detoxification. There’s even a refreshing ice fountain on hand if the heat becomes too intense.
But all good things must come to an end. As our drive back to London – albeit relatively short at just under four hours – approaches, it’s time to pack and leave – the only downside of our stay.
Were we pleasantly surprised that unassuming old Buxton could be housing such a stunning mini-break hotspot? Yes. Do we plan to go back? Absolutely. This is our new happy place – and we can’t wait to return.
Rooms start from £170, including bed and breakfast. All rates include spa access for the duration of the stay.