As a new year begins, it brings with it a sense of undiscovered potential, so many new places to explore and things to discover, goals to meet and the opportunity to reset ourselves and reflect on our aims for 2018.

These days most of us never stop, and it can be hard to make time for ourselves, to pause, recharge and take the time to be in the moment. Speaking from personal experience I find it really hard to switch off, even when I do have down time I find it difficult to draw that line between work and personal life.

One of the ways I love to unplug is by getting out of familiar surroundings, to remove myself from the things that distract me in daily life and stop. . . . embrace the here and now and just chill. We all have different methods to achieve this and in recent years I’ve found a mini break at a luxurious and indulgent Spa can be just what the Doctor ordered!

When it comes to Spa breaks in Northern Ireland there has always been one Spa which stands heads and shoulders above the rest. . . . The Galgorm Resort & Spa located in Ballymena. A true Destination Spa, Galgorm has built a firm reputation for it’s attention to detail and luxurious facilities, while it’s extensive “Thermal Village” provides visitors with a plethora of activities to explore and enjoy.

For anyone who truly loves a full Spa experience Galgorm is THE place that everyone seems to go to, yet I have to confess that until recently I had never been! Why you may ask?? Well I tend to get so caught up in the whirlwind of my life I rarely remember to follow my own advice and stop to unwind. Galgorm has always been on my “To Do” list, yet I had never been. However that was soon to change. . . .

When an email arrived to invite me on a blogger tour of the recent Spa expansion and it’s facilities as well as a demo of their latest treatments from luxury skincare brand BioEffect I jumped at the chance! However it turned out that was only the beginning of a truly indulgent Spa experience!!!

Upon arrival my fellow bloggers and I were escorted over to the reception desk, where we found ourselves being handed locker keys and told to head to the changing rooms where gowns and towels were waiting for us...........this wasn’t just a standard tour, instead it was the beginning of a Galgorm Spa adventure!!!

As someone who appreciates luxury I can confirm the Galgorm know what they’re doing. The Spa itself is a massive complex with everything thought out to the very last detail. From the second you step into the changing rooms you feel pampered and at ease, the perfect start to any Spa experience! Once we had changed into our robes, we then moved though to the Orangery, where we were greeted with glasses of Prosecco and some delicious canapés! 

It was then time to discover all that Galgorm had to offer from the lovely Tara. The ethos of Galgorm is to create a space where its patrons can indulge in an environment of well being and relaxation through an extensive array of facilities. Their Thermal Village has so much to offer, especially after it’s recent expansion and addition of the “Serenity Garden”. Until you arrive you cannot really appreciate just how expansive and diverse the facilities really are. They also offer a wide range of Spa treatments and we were lucky enough to see a demonstration of their exclusive “BioEffect” Treatment.

Having seen the results that can be achieved through upping my own skincare regime, I listened with great interest as Tom (from BioEffect’s HQ) walked us through the history of the brand and the scientific benefits of their hero ingredient, EGF (Epidermal Growth Factors). These cellular activators, produced in Iceland are created using barley plants grown in volcanic pumice and fed by glacial water in geothermal greenhouses and have been shown to help stimulate the skin’s own renewal process leaving the skin looking younger, thicker and healthier! It was so interesting to watch the demo of the BioEffect Ultimate Thermotherapy Spa Ritual facial and see exactly how the products are used in combination with natural elements of basalt, marble stones and metamorphic crystals to deliver duel benefits in their relaxing Spa treatment.

After the demo we were then taken to the new “Elements Café” for some light entertainment and an opportunity to try out their extensive food menu followed by a mini cocktail making masterclass. It was so much fun learning how to make a “Gin Daisy” cocktail, a fabulously light and refreshing drink which this “Cocktail Girl” loved! It was the perfect opportunity to catch up with my fellow Bloggers, Influencers and Media over some delicious food and cocktails, I was totally in my element!!

Soon it was time for us to explore the Thermal Village for ourselves as it entered the twilight hour. The Spa’s twinkling lights flickered on and a fine mist descended as the rain began to fall creating an almost magical and tropical feel to the entire Village!

With fire pits and hot tubs, a Hydrotherapy pool and heated water beds, these were just the tip of the iceberg of what awaited me at the Thermal Village. The heat of their Beltane hot tub was total heaven while the fire pit was the perfect place to chat and reflect. However there was still so much left to explore. . . .

One of my personal favourites was the combination of Sanarium and Snow Cabin, with temperatures of between 50°- 60°c the Sanarium is scented with essences and is more of a dry heat, perfect for those who find traditional saunas too intense, then it was straight into the Snow Cabin, which helps with blood circulation and your respiratory system. . . . also did I mention that it was real snow!!!!

Having the freedom to explore the Thermal Village and new Serenity Garden at our leisure was complete bliss, and was the perfect way for me to unwind after a crazy few months, it was such an unexpected and magical experience and I cannot wait to return!

Prices for the Twilight Package start from £59 per Person and include a 2 course evening meal in either Bar + Grill at Gillies or Fratelli. Click HERE for more details.

A massive thank you to Tara and the team at Galgorm for making us feel so welcome and to Jane at Scarlett PR for the wonderful invitation!