Creating calm

Carly Hinder, spa manager at The Spa at Bowood, tells Ellen Cummings about building a relaxing guest journey through interior design

Set in a picturesque 4,000-acre country estate in Wiltshire, The Spa at Bowood boasts five treatment rooms including a couple’s room, a double mani/pedi room and three single treatment rooms. There is also a rock sauna, a crystal steam room, aromatherapy showers, and an infinity pool with stunning views over the Grade-I listed Capability Brown-landscaped parkland.

“You just feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere,” says spa manager Carly Hinder. “It’s lovely for visitors to just sit and watch the world go by and it’s a very calm, relaxed environment. It’s beautifully designed throughout, and it’s a really nice place to work – both visually and with the team around me.”

Room to relax

The spa was refurbished during 2018 and 2019, with the addition of three treatment rooms and the extension of the relaxation area. This lounge is one of the focal points of the spa, with floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the pool and through to the grounds. “The lounge is the most up-to-date aspect, and it still seems very new because obviously we were closed due to covid shortly after it was finished and up until 2021. Guests who haven’t visited for a few years come in and they’re wowed by it,” Hinder says.

The large windows, deckchair-style chairs and the 3D wave-textured wall on the opposite side of the space give the illusion of being at the beach, and the area is decked out in comforting and uplifting tones of navy, yellow and grey. “The colours involved and the wood accents on the furniture make it a really peaceful area.”

Maximising the view

The ability to see both the pool and the gardens beyond add to this tranquil feeling of being in nature. “The swimming pool area is really nice and bright. You have beautiful views because of the floor-to ceilingwindows – you might even see the wild deer walking past on the golf course. It’s quite an experience,” adds Hinder.

Although there are no firm plans for new additions to the spa space, Hinder would love to capitalise even more on the spa’s scenic surroundings. She explains, “We have a screened courtyard terrace which we use during the summer months, but I would like to see this made into more of a haven.”

Creating continuity

Spa guests are first greeted in the large and airy reception area, which features a boutique shop selling the spa’s favoured Temple Spa and Jessica products. “They’re then taken through to the relaxation area to chill out before their treatments,” explains Hinder. “The therapists come out and meet them, then take them into the treatment room for a more detailed conversation because we understand that some people need more of a private space for the consultation.”

After treatments, clients are taken to the relax lounge for a loose-leaf tea. “There are a variety of different flavours, which we handpick. We actually do tea tasting to make sure that we choose different flavours and change them periodically so that regular guests can experience different teas,” says Hinder.

Expertly designed

The interior design throughout the spa and the attached hotel is the work of the Marchioness of Lansdowne, a professional interior designer whose family are the custodians of the Bowood Estate and reside at nearby Bowood House. “It’s her vision throughout the whole hotel,” says Hinder. “It’s all very calming and neutral tones.”

While the spa space is very tranquil, there are thoughtful additions that make the space cosy and welcoming, too – the fire pit in the relaxation area is always a popular feature with guests, and the dual treatment room is a particular favourite among the spa’s therapists.