If, like me, you’ve been eating Easter-appropriate amounts of chocolate for far too long, you may have considered a detox to set you on the straight and narrow before summer. But if bland, liquid food, gruelling exercise and general deprivation doesn’t appeal, I reckon I’ve found the best possible alternative: a luxurious stay at central London’s Sanderson hotel with a Replenish health package that you’ll definitely enjoy.
The menu
During your stay at the hotel, lunch and dinner comes from the special Replenish menu, offering wholesome dishes that are designed by Nutritionist Karen Cummings-Palmer to minimise sluggishness and maximise nutritional intake.
With three mains to choose from, the spelt linguine drizzled with garlic and basil pesto comes a close second to the crispy-skinned baked salmon, served on a bed of well-flavoured kale and garnished with celeriac chips. Ordered with roasted mushrooms on the side, the dish was more than enough to sate my appetite and I particularly loved the cleansing lemon and manuka honey tea.
If you find it hard not to finish dinner with something sweet, the banana and coconut ice cream – made simply by whizzing up the frozen fruit (with no added naughtiness) – rivals any indulgent dessert.
The room
It’s amazing what a comfortable king-sized bed, bath-side candles, Malin + Goetz moisturiser and a great selection of films can do for your stress levels. Spending time in my hotel room was enough to make me feel totally revitalised.
With a treat-laden mini bar in each room, it would be easy to indulge in late night snacking. Luckily, Sanderson have thought of everything. In the deluxe room, a huge basket of colourful fruit, raw lemon and rosehip snack bars and Imbibery London juices averted any Pringle-related crises.
The programme
My stay started with a personal training session in the hotel gym. With some of the session dedicated to understanding my lifestyle and my short and long-term fitness goals, personal trainer Si took me through a series of exercises that would be beneficial to keep up post-detox, and gave me lots of helpful advice for the future. After just one session, I discovered that the right side of my body is lazy, and that I need to work on balancing my body and regular stretching to improve flexibility and muscle tightness.
The session was so informative and enjoyable that I was almost surprised when waking up with aching muscles the next day. The rigorous workout had gone unnoticed.
My muscle pain was soon alleviated at the Sanderson’s tranquil Agua spa, where traditional walls are replaced with draped white silk to separate each area, forcing everyone to speak in soothing tones. Scented with essential oils and lit by soft candles, body and facial treatments are available alongside stints in the chill-out zone and on private meditation beds.
I had a deep tissue massage and left the treatment room feeling lighter, relieved of tension and far more knowledgeable about massage and wellbeing than I was before thanks to the brilliant, inquisitive therapist who took the time to tailor my treatment to my needs.
The extras
The package also comes with a voucher for nearby spinning class du jour, Psycle, which you can redeem whenever you fancy a low-impact, high-energy workout.
The verdict
It’s a health kick so luxurious and enjoyable, you won’t once remember that you’re ‘detoxing’. It’s the perfect starting point for a lifestyle turnaround.
For more information, visit www.sandersonlondon.com
@SandersonLDN
50 Berners Street
London
W1T 3NG
T: 020 7300 1400
Images courtesy of Sanderson
