Girls’ Weekend At Y Spa, Wyboston

When we arrived at an ugly, drab-looking building somewhere in Bedfordshire, I wasn’t entirely hopeful about our girls’ night away. My friend, Leanne, had booked Y Spa, Wybosotn for what seemed like a too-good-to-be-true price. I had never heard of the Y Spa or Wyboston Lakes but it was in a central location for all four of us to get to, coming from London, Northampton and Leicestershire. None us had been before so it was a bit of a gamble….

Unsure about what to expect on the inside, as soon as we entered the front door, we immediately relaxed. Fortunately, Y Spa on the INSIDE was far different from the outside with a bright reception space, colourful furnishings and very welcoming staff. We all breathed a sigh of relief. Our rooms weren’t ready when we arrived at 11.30am so we went for a coffee at the spa cafe while we waited for lunch which came as part of the package we had booked.

Lunch was wide-ranging buffet in the large, bright Fountain restaurant. I had soup to start then a Thai green curry with pizza on the side and some fruit to finish.

We were sat next to the the window and had excellent views of the lake.

It was then time for our four-hour pre-booked session in the spa. We were each given a green microchipped bracelet which let us into the spa changing room and opened our pre-assigned locker containing the spa essentials…dressing gown and slippers. Having your own bracelet made the experience very smooth and meant you weren’t faffing around with how you close/open the lockers (which I often find at some spas/health clubs). The dressing room was fairly large, bright and airy with lots of places to dry your hair and beautify yourself after spa time.

The spa’s main feature is an 11 metre hydrotheraphy pool located outside but accessed from the inside (so no chance of getting cold). Being pregnant, I didn’t stay in it for too long but the other girls spent much of their time relaxing in this space. Around the pool were wicker chairs to lounge on. The spa also has two saunas, one of which was ‘moderate’ so I went in there for a bit and tried out the two steam rooms… ‘steamy’ and ‘salty’ – great for clearing the sinuses. There is also a ‘frost wall’ for those who like it cold and a range of showers including ‘glacier’ and ‘mist.

Y Spa is the perfect place if you fancy a chilling out, or sleeping! There are two spaces to truly relax,  the ‘Big Sleep’ and ‘Time Out’ zones. The former has a number of water beds. My friend who had been out all night, partying, gravitated towards this area to catch up on some sleep while I went for some ‘Time Out’ which was filled with ultra comfy pod chairs, footstools and magazines. Bliss. There were big enough to curl up and sleep in too. If you are a parent who wants to just get some peace and quiet then you can’t fail to do so here. The three of us who are mums really valued the tranquility!

Our Sunset/Sunrise package did not include treatments and if you want one – book at least three weeks in advance. Unfortunately, I left it too late, phoning up a couple of days before, and they were fully booked.

As we were staying overnight at the spa, we could also use the health club which is a short walk away in another building. Being a bit of a geek, I went and used the gym for half an hour. It was a large space with all the latest equipment although I was less impressed with the rather small swimming pool.

While I was at the gym, the other girls made use of the spa cafe selling wine and fizz (at reasonable prices) and then it was time to check out our rooms. We all got one of the recently refurbished rooms which were well decorated, had very comfy beds, a large flat-screen television and a beautiful new bathroom.

Before our evening dinner we discovered a further chill-out room near the restaurant with a beautiful roaring fire.

For our evening dinner, we enjoyed a three-course meal in the Fountain restaurant with plenty of options. I had a delicious miso soup to start while the girls had pork terrine then lamb knuckle for main and a delicious pavlova for dessert. The food was very well presented and tasty. We had the option to upgrade (for £10 each) to eat at the Waterfront Restaurant. The bar/restaurant has a more luxurious feel with slightly better gourmet food. We decided against it, but if we go back, I’d like to give it a try.

Verdict

So would I go back? Yes, I would! It ticked a lot of boxes for all of us: spa, gym, accommodation, lunch, dinner and breakfast – all for just £114 per person, based on two people sharing.  We booked the sunset/sunrise package by contacting Y Spa directly by email and found them very helpful and quick in responding. Alcohol was the only extra expense. I left with a definite glow to my skin! When I do go back though, I will make sure I book a treatment sooner! Being pregnant there are some limitations on how many spa facilities you can use. If I am being picky, it would also be good if the spa had a bigger pool to use but for the price it’s a no-brainer and just goes to show never judge a spa by its exterior.

Getting there

The nearest station is St Neotts which is 52 minutes direct from Kings Cross. It is around an hour’s drive from London up the M1 with plenty of on-site parking.