Twilight Supper and Spa with Laguna Spa Cardiff

Hello!

I have been SO ill the past 4 days battling tonsillitis and a fever, I've been at work for all of it, battling through, trying not to curl in a ball and cry. So writing this post is hard as I feel like I deserve to do it all over again! 

A couple weeks back I was invited to the Park Plaza in Cardiff to indulge in a little TLC with their Twilight Super & Spa package. The package is perfect for a mid-week treat for a catch-up and a spot of relaxing, it is available Sun-Fri after 4pm and includes a 25minute treatment (facial, back massage, mani or pedi) full use of the spa and a two-course dinner in the Laguna restaurant.

Park Plaza is the fanciest of all the leisurely places in Cardiff and I have done the rounds of the Cardiff spa circuit and trust me this is the best one I've been to. The staff were incredibly lovely, I had a little tour around the spa and pool area which is so clean and well kept and then got to meet the beautiful Jade who was our host for the evening. I arrived a little self-conscious so didn't want to take a dip in the pool or jacuzzi but when I had got there the other lush bloggy ladies (Briley, Georgia and Jess) joining me were ready to dry off and come hang out before our treatments.  

We gowned and slippered up and the first two ladies went for their treatment whilst we got to relax on soft squishy beds, sippin' on juice and reading magazines whilst the sun set on Cardiff and we were emerged into candlelight. I bet in the Winter this would be so beautiful and feel so good being all cozy and warm inside.

My treatment was up and I had the sweetest young lady give me my back massage, she asked me how I'd like it and I needed firm - she delivered! I felt so relaxed afterwards that I could have got right back into those blankets and had a little snooze before dinner!

We all got dressed and headed down to meet Jade at the bar for a cocktail before dinner. Laguna have a 'Gin of the Month' special cocktail selection and I have NO idea which one I got but it was big, boozy and delicious.

As I mentioned the package comes with a 2-course dinner. Normally when I've done packages like this before the set-menu is a little dull and the food is nothing to shout home about but the Laguna restaurant would be fantastic to go to even just for a meal regardless. The head chef picks and changes the menu daily according to what he fancies, what is in season and what he can locally source. The waiting staff were incredibly professional and so attentive, they all looked incredibly smart and honestly this was a 5 star dining experience.

The food was incredible, although this package is for 2-course, for reviewing and experience purposes, we were able to have 3 course (just so we all knew how good everything was!). To start I went for Welsh Rarebit on slow cooked ham hock - this has a grain mustard sauce which just went so wonderfully with the melt-in-the-mouth ham hock. For my main I had Chicken breast and confit leg coq au vin with shallots, smoked pancetta and potato fondant - SO much food I honestly thought I was done for, like there were no cut-backs here for the package if I had just had this and the treatment I would have definitely thought this was excellent value for money.

 For my dessert was that delicious beast above. Creme Brulee with fresh raspberries and a butter shortbread. Perfectly light to fill that extra stomach I have only for pudding.

Honestly I loved everything about the evening, the company was great, small blogging events/experiences like this are VERY hard to come by and it felt intimate, like I could actually get a word in edgeways and like I was just hanging with pals - other brands, PRs and companies alike - TAKE NOTE! I know Park Plaza do a few of these events with small amounts of people which is perfect, something you can be proud of and actually get people hearing about what you are promoting.

I have to say a HUGE thankyou to the team at Park Plaza/Laguna and Jade for such a wonderful evening, a true treasure of an experience!

The Twilight Supper & Spa package is £59pp, worth every single penny and such a luxurious little break from the normal weekday.

X

Mercure Spa Day at Holland House Cardiff

Last Sunday me and Ross were so so lucky to be treated to a spa day at the Holland House Mercure Cardiff. Lucky for us we live literally a stones throw away and this is actually the same place where I joined the gym in Summer. It was a gorgeous, sunny Winter's day and we woke up bright and early and not hungover ready for our spa session to start at 10am.

We went up to the spa treatment area which is really gorgeous, relaxed and has little Welsh Love Spoons hanging on the door with each number on - cuute! We donned our robes and slippers and headed to the relaxation room which was really peaceful with huge bed type things to snooze on.

There was also a little kitchen area where you can make yourself some herbal tea and where the lunch is served which i'll get onto in a bit...

Our treatment was called the Rejuvenate Day which included:

- A Discovery facial

- Tranquility scalp massage 

- Cleansing and purifying back treatment - which was like a facial for your back which included massage. 

It was basically heaven, I also got a sneaky little leg massage included which Lord knows I need after being on my feet 8 hours a day! 

The products used were Decleore, they were fabulous and the whole treatment was amazing, however my one little complaint which I know is definitely not the staff's fault at all they were all amazing but the one thing was that after the treatment they try to make you buy the products that were used. Now this is fine but the weird hard-sell at the end of being so relaxed and also if you've shelled out £90 each for the day I think trying to get you to spend an extra £30 odd for each product is a bit cheeky. 

Anyway, moving on - the food! After the kitchen bought us the wrong order we finally had our lunch. I had the chicken fajita wrap and Ross has a cheese and pickle sandwich, it came with a tiny bowl off Wheetos and a tiny soup too! 

Like I said before I went to the gym here and used to regularly swim, steam and jacuzzi in this very spa, so we didn't spend much time here really as it bought back bad aching muscle memories :P

I had such a lush relaxing day and I would definitely go for a treatment there again the as the spa staff were amazing and knew exactly what they were doing.

Where is your fave place to spa?

X

Vanity Rooms and Spa Cardiff

On Monday I was invited along to the Vanity Rooms & Spa in Rhiwbina village in Cardiff.

I had heard of it before but as I live so close to town the last time I had ventured up that way was a loong time ago so hadn't actually been up to see it yet. It's the 3rd Aveda salon in Cardiff and the 2nd Aveda spa here too!

Gorgeous flowers were provided by Flower Lodge.

As soon as I got there I was offered a drink and then was whisked off to the spa treatment room for an Aveda Facial. The room smelt all spa-like and amazing and was candle-lit which set me off to relax right away.

As its so hot at the moment my skins been pretty oily so the wonderful Charlotte applied the Aveda tourmaline charged radiance masque on me and left me to relax for 5 minutes. I was also treated to a couple Aveda rituals such a hand massage and an awaking after the facial was over. 

My skin felt so refreshed and amazing afterwards but I did look a bit look like I had just woke up so I was given a mini-makeover using the Aveda make-up range. The tinted moisturizer was amazing and I was given a little glow with the blush. 

After my facial I was treated to Gelish nails which was great as mine from the Superdrug Event had just came off! I chose black:

I felt so welcomed and at home in Vanity Rooms and I am desperate to go and get my hair done there (I have some money off vouchers too for my first visit!) I was offered a blow-dry at the event but I was headed to the gym after so there was little-to-no point! I saw some other girls getting their hair done though and it looked amazing (something I'm yet to find in Cardiff - a good hairdresser!).

If you are local I highly recommend popping down and you can check out their twitter for the latest deals and treatments available.

I'm off down to Devon as of tomorrow for a week relaxing! But will have a little post up with a special interview this week ;)

X