In desperate need of some R&R, Maria Pieri booked a stay at The Grove — a restorative countryside retreat just outside Watford.
When you find one foot above your head in a deep stretch, only for it to be pulled clean across your body moments later, you realise this isn’t your usual massage.
The Sequoia Signature Massage — part of the spa offering at The Grove, a luxury hotel and spa in Hertfordshire — uses a blend of Western and Eastern traditions (including Swedish massage, shiatsu and Thai healing techniques) to pull, push and coax knots and stress out of your system over eighty minutes.
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The massage
While the experience begins calmly, with a choice of three oils — I opt for rose with hints of geranium, for its restorative qualities — it soon shifts to something more dynamic, yet still relaxing. My therapist, Christine, discusses my pinch points and checks to see how firm I like the treatment.
Working upwards from the feet, her carefully choreographed fusion of techniques varies from long, flowing strokes to firm, targeted pressure on knots and problem areas. Christine may be slight in stature but she can certainly apply the pressure. Computer-weary shoulders are quickly identified, and I’m soon being pummelled by a combination of thumbs, hands and even fists as she eases out my stress.
Thai techniques and influences are applied to stretch limbs into almost yogic poses. My leg is literally over my head and lifted beyond my shoulder, bent slowly then stretched in a series of gentle movements. Christine laughs as she explains she’s rarely had to walk round the therapy table so much. I feel compelled to confess that my background in taekwondo and gymnastics is to blame for the elasticity of my limbs.
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Aside from the contortionist aspect, it’s a deeply immersive treatment — one in which I find I’m ultimately very present, even as I unwind. The use of Bamford products adds a layer of understated luxury, while the rhythmic movements ease tightness and improve circulation.
The finishing touch is the cool crystal eye mask Christine gets me to wear as my head is gently massaged. Afterwards, although I felt like I’d just done something more akin to a workout than a traditional massage, I’d found the whole experience undeniably relaxing.
And as a celebratory experience, booked for a friend’s birthday, it works. The spa sits within The Grove’s 300-acre estate, just 20 miles from London. Highlights include its black-tile pool, while the sauna, steam room and vitality pool offer quieter spaces in which to retreat.
Luxury dining
Beyond the spa, The Grove leans fully into luxury. A highlight was dinner at Skewd, where Anatolian dishes arrive with a contemporary edge and just enough theatre — the ocotopus main is a must-have.
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There’s also The Glasshouse — an expansive buffet, as seen on Netflix’s Million Dollar Buffet — as well as The Stables, for relaxed brasserie dining, Madhu’s at The Grove (refined Indian cuisine) and the Lounges, for afternoon tea and light bites.
On our visit there was even a low-key celebrity moment — Emma Willis, spotted a few tables away, which felt in keeping with the hotel’s quietly glamorous appeal. We left with that increasingly rare feeling: having properly switched off.
West Wing rooms start from £370. Mansion rooms start from £580 with suites starting from £890. The Sequoia Signature Massage costs £220. thegrove.co.uk
Feature image: The Grove
