We try Aqua Sana’s Elveden Forest spa at Center Parcs village near Thetford after £6.5m refurbishment

See it. Hear it. Feel it.

That is the tagline for Aqua Sana’s Elveden Forest spa at the Center Parcs village in Elveden Forest, near Thetford, following its major £6.5m refurbishment.

The spa, which has undergone the biggest refurbishment in Aqua Sana’s history, has been transformed into a multi-sensory forest escape and now features 25 new experiences.

This was the first time I had ever been to a spa, so I was beyond delighted to get the chance to be able to see what the forest spa had to offer and of course - experience it all first-hand.

After receiving a warm welcome with breakfast and drinks on offer, I was given a robe and flip flops to begin my spa journey.

Following two years of design work and nine months of closure, it’s safe to say my expectations were high - as well as my excitement.

The spa is split across five ‘zones’ – Nordic Forest, Hot Springs, Volcanic Forest, Forest Immersion and Treetop Nesting, which includes a range of steam rooms and saunas, a heated outdoor pool, an ice cave, a selection of relaxation rooms and more.

Three new experiences have also been introduced which are exclusive to Aqua Sana Elveden Forest - The Nest, Sole Therapy and Forest View.

Each of the 25 experiences were explained as I walked around and it was made evident that everything had been designed to improve mental and physical wellbeing, by taking inspiration from the sights, sounds and scents of the natural world.

With so much on offer, I wasn’t exactly sure where to begin.

However, after some advice, I kicked things off with Sole Therapy - inspired by Ashiyu Japanese foot baths. I found it weirdly quite comforting and a nice way to ease me into my debut spa encounter.

I followed this up with a visit to the nordic sauna where I spent a very peaceful 10 minutes relaxing while looking at the pine forest outside, before the ice cave began calling my name.

It was arguably my favourite moment of the day as I scooped handfuls of crushed ice from the fountain and rubbed it into my face and body.

I then paid the alpine steam room and the forest rain walk shower a visit - the latter included three settings: tropical rain, Caribbean storm and cold mist. I can confirm the tropical rain is the best one.

The Volcanic Forest and Treetop Nesting zones were both relaxing and I honestly felt a sense of real calmness take over me.

It’s part of the reason I forced myself to spend only a couple of minutes in the deep relax area which featured cosy water beds, as I feared I would probably sleep for the rest of the day.

The water beds were surprisingly brilliant and I think I will have to return to the spa, simply because I need to have a proper nap in one.

A delicious lunch at the redesigned Vitalé Café Bar, gave me the chance to quickly reflect on a thoroughly enjoyable first taste of my debut spa experience.

Thankfully, more was to come.

Kay Pennington, group spa manager, explained how the refurbishment had helped maximise the utilisation of the space at the spa, with the building now able to accommodate an extra 75 people as well as nine more heated experiences.

As the spa has been shut since the beginning of January, she is now delighted the spa has opened its doors again and is looking forward to seeing people enjoy their stay.

“With this spa you can immerse yourself in everything that is natural and you get to stop and breathe which I think plays to a lot of people’s desires these days.

“This is now deemed the best spa in the south, if not the UK. We’ve received 24 awards in the last seven years across the group and we across the Aqua Sana group, we deliver 110,000 massages a year, so when it comes to driving wellness, Aqua Sana is key in the industry.

“We open our doors to all walks of life. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never been to a spa in your life or if you feel like you won’t fit in, then rip that plaster because we open the doors to everybody and we want to welcome as many people as we can in this area.”

She added that the spa was very accessible with private changing rooms, a lift, hoists for the pool and hot tubs, push buttons on doors, extra space for wheelchairs and a treatment room specifically designed for guests who need further accessibility.

It was a day of first-times for me, as I was guided towards my Tree of Life treatment - I have never had a proper massage before so I was once again, going into uncharted territory.

I was greeted by Jasmine, who massaged my legs, back and shoulders as well as a facial treatment that left me feeling amazing.

To finish off my experience, I spent some time in the outdoor pool and took some time to unwind on the bubble bench and under the massage jets, which was truly lovely.

I can confidently say for my first spa encounter, I was very much impressed and I walked away feeling invigorated, cleansed and genuinely appreciative of my day.

My skin was certainly thanking me too.

Aqua Sana Elveden Forest will reopen to guests on Friday, September 29.