Hollie de Cruz of @theyesmummum experiences a UK escape aimed at new mums
THE HOTEL
&Breathe Post-Natal provide award-winning retreats designed specifically for new mums and dads and their little ones. Clio and her wonderful team help you to reboot after having a baby and allow you to truly relax… all with amazing luxury of built-in childcare.
Clemmie Hooper (@mother_of_daughters) and I opted for the &Breathe’s 24 hour mini retreat at the fantastic Woolley Grange Hotel. This mini retreat combines all the elements of the week-long postnatal retreat into one gorgeous jam-packed (yet blissfully relaxing!) 24 hours.
The retreat took place at the Woolley Grange Hotel, a luxury 4* hotel that caters superbly for babies and children alike. But the beauty of this place is that it’s not just child-friendly, it’s grown-up friendly too. They’ve managed to create a very homely yet sophisticated vibe which allowed us to fully relax from the moment we arrived. The rooms were a really good size with plenty of space to put everything, the bed was incredible, and a lovely big bath was the icing on the cake. Everything felt luxurious and nothing was too much trouble for the staff there.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner was provided as part of the retreat and it was all delicious, lovingly homemade and natural produce which ensured we left feeling well nourished rather than stuffed.
Even though Clemmie and I left our kids in school, we know that going away for a short break with little ones can sometimes seem more trouble than it’s worth because of all the stuff you have to take with you. Woolley Grange however provide ALL baby/toddler equipment, which makes for a much more stress-free experience from the start. They even provide baby-listening for dinner so you can really enjoy your meal in peace and in the knowledge that your child is happy and safe.
WHAT WE DID
The hotel itself is so relaxing that just enjoying a cup of tea in our beautiful room or next to one of the open fires made for a perfect activity, however the retreat does include a whole host of new-mum focussed activities, which can be enjoyed whilst your little one is looked after in an OFSTED-registered creche facility during retreat sessions
The sessions our retreat included are..
- Pilates Session to tackle your core and learn about taking care of your all-important pelvic floor
- Confidence and Identity Workshop with Happiness Coach, Olivia Horne
- Cardio Exercise Class with &Breathe’s Head PT, Caroline Bragg, to raise your heart rate and get those all-important endorphins going
- And (most importantly) a relaxing 30 minutes spa treatment.
As this is a retreat for the whole family, it was refreshing to see that Woolley Grange has decided to buck the trend of traditional, adult-only hotel spas, and is home to a unique, family-friendly spa, with facilities for all ages, housed in a gorgeous contemporary oak-timber building. It was lovely to see children being encouraged to make the most of the swimming pool, rather than being asked to keep quiet. On the Friday I opted for the Elemis facial. I really did leave feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready to make positive choices going forward thanks to the support of Clio and her lovely team.
THE DAMAGE
&Breathe’s mini retreats start from £259 per mum & baby / plus £79 if you’re bringing daddy. This includes accommodation for one night, breakfast, lunch and dinner, all classes and a 30 minute spa treatment and use of facilities. Money VERY WELL SPENT in my opinion!
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