There are spa breaks, and there are spa breaks. But when I agreed to travel to Northern Ireland to visit Galgorm Resort I was fairly confident that it would fall into the latter category, and thankfully I wasn’t disappointed.
Galgorm is around a 30-minute drive from Belfast and the hotel can provide a private transfer service which means that, even taking into account the short 1-hour flight from Edinburgh to Belfast, you can easily be relaxing on the banks of the river Maine in the space of just a couple of hours.
A private hot tub on the banks of the River Maine
And that was our first port of call after depositing our luggage in our spacious and modern deluxe suite with Juliet balcony overlooking the river and part of the 40-acres of private forest that makes up the Galgorm Resort. You see, we had a date with a private hot tub, situated perfectly between the river and a chilled glass of bubbly. Easing into the warm water we watched fish rise and a heron that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the set of Jurassic World stalking its prey in ultra-slow motion. It really was the perfect way to slip into Galgorm time, a slow and meditative mindset that was to last for the duration of our stay and beyond.
Bathroom in the deluxe suite at Galgorm
Much of the thermal spa village at Galgorm is outdoors and it’s all the better for it. There are covered areas, like the indoor pools, one with a row of water beds so comfortable that I’d challenge any human to recline for longer than five minutes without nodding off; as well as a tantalising combination of traditional wooden sauna and ice room. There is also a vast array of treatments available to book if you want to take your pampering to the next level.
The thermal village is split into gardens, perfect for wandering and experiencing the joy of finding yet another sauna or hydro-pool to recline in. It’s so much larger than we had first imagined and we loved discovering more and more paths as we meander along the riverbank to an Alpine Garden peppered with heated relaxation cabanas designed for two and a cocktail bar for when refreshments are required. You can go to the bar in person if you are a traditionalist, or scan a QR code from your pool, or cabana, and drinks will appear as if by magic. The Walled Garden also has its own bar, this one in a Palm House that was surely created especially for Instagram, and a range of steam rooms, hot tubs and heated beds to discover.
The Palm House bar.
Three hours seem to pass in the blink of an eye until we must tear ourselves away from this peaceful haven, safe in the knowledge that we’ll be returning tomorrow for more of the same. As I’m dressing for dinner I steal longing glances out at the spa. I’ve always found time in nature to be good for my mental health and it seem that the combination of being thoroughly pampered while enjoying the great outdoors is proving irresistible.
There are a range of places to eat at Galgorm which include Fratelli’s Italian restaurant, the Castle Kitchen + Bar with live music at weekends, the Conservatory which serves breakfast and afternoon tea, McKendry’s Bar or Gillies Restaurant which is our dinner destination. Decked out in dark wood and stags heads the hunting lodge vibe lends itself well to a menu packed with local produce. I kick off with seared scallops, which are paired with chicken wings, cauliflower puree and Miss R was taken by the salt & chilli chicken with sriracha, Asian slaw and Thai crackers. The portions are generous and both dishes are well cooked and nicely presented. Mains of perfectly pink Irish rump of lamb with baba ganoush, zhoug and chickpeas for me and braised daube of beef with truffle chips and a wicked walnut ketchup vanish in a flash along with some of the best onion rings I’ve had in years. With portion sizes still unsparing we are defeated and with no hope of managing dessert we plump for a peppermint tea and an early night.
The Conservatory is the perfect spot for afternoon tea or breakfast.
Galgorm offers a choice of restaurant for breakfast too. Gillies serves up a great quality buffet breakfast with all of the usual continental offerings (the cheese went down particularly well) along with a full cooked buffet including some excellent sausages. Breakfast in The Conservatory is a slightly more refined affair with a similar choice of continental food and a range of a la carte dishes to choose from. Here, my eggs Florentine are pretty as a picture and were enjoyed whilst looking out over the River and it’s seemingly constant resident Heron. In fact, the bird is so engrained in the landscape here that it has been immortalised as a giant bronze statue which sits in pride of place in The Riverside Garden.
The Celtic Sauna.
A full day of spa immersion gives us the opportunity to visit the award-winning Celtic Sauna with its bracing plunge pool and glass walls, as well as the salt cave where inhaling the salty air provides benefits to the respiratory and immune systems. The River House which sits on stilts proves to be another favourite haunt with its infrared heated loungers providing unrivalled views of the river.
It’s safe to say that we were massively impressed by the spa and when combined with the excellent food, quality of the rooms, the friendly staff we encountered and the incredible setting, it makes Galgorm well worth the short journey from Scotland.
Bidding Galgorm a fond farewell.
We leave the lush green surroundings of Galgorm for a few hours exploring the vibrant city of Belfast with a spring in our step; ready to return home to the real world refreshed and renewed.
To find out more, or to book visit www.galgorm.com
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