Located in Thorpe Hall manor in Thorpe-le-Soken, Essex, just over an hour from London and a ten minute drive from the pretty beach town of Frinton, Lifehouse is a new contemporary health spa with rooms, offering a unique, life-enriching experience which will be tailor-made for every guest.

Building on this extensive project began in May 2009 and following a £30 million investment over 20 months, Lifehouse will open its doors to guests for the very first time in December 2010.

This day and stay spa is set within 135 acres of beautiful grounds and 12 acres of historic, listed gardens dating back to before the Domesday times. The gardens were much improved in the 1920s by Lady Byng, the one time mistress of Thorpe Hall and wife of Lord Byng, a personal envoy to George V.

The gardens and waterways have all been lovingly restored to their former glory, and the beautiful listed Georgian style house set within the grounds has been preserved and cleverly incorporated into the development, creating a historic setting for the contemporary new build spa.

Lifehouse will open with 100 guestrooms - all with spectacular views of the surrounding gardens and woodland - 35 treatment rooms, plus gym, outdoor fitness circuit, yoga / Pilates studio, swimming pool, thermal spa area, relaxation areas, 15 manicure and pedicure stations, three make up bays, a hairdressing salon and a spa boutique.

Award winning architects and interior designers, The Manser Practice, renowned for innovative and stylish projects, have been responsible for the build and the interiors of this exciting new development. Notable features of the spa building include a fabulous full height central atrium which also boasts long vistas out to the stunning gardens and a unique outdoor fireplace to allow outdoor dining year-round!

Lifehouse will provide an intelligent and life-enriching spa and wellbeing offering. Dedicated house experts, specialising in key areas such as fitness, life coaching, nutrition, spiritual awareness, weight loss, medical, alternative and holistic therapy and horticulture have been recruited to ensure highly personalised, specialised and tailormade programmes to suit every guests’ needs.

With consultations on arrival available to every guest to ensure the best results for the individual, the Lifehouse proposition is a serious one; aiming at improving guests’ habits and enhancing general wellbeing for the long term - not simply during their stay - and catering for all stages of and eventualities in life.*

Guests will be able to choose from a range of treatments using Babor products made from plant-based ingredients to enhance natural beauty. Babor offers a unique concept where organic meets medi-spa to offer both male and female guests effective results in harmony with nature. None of the products or ingredients are tested on animals.

Lifehouse’s signature treatment will be the Oriental Bathing Experience, inspired by the centuries old tradition of oriental bath houses; an intrinsic feature of Asian culture as a means of relaxation, health and wellbeing using the therapeutic effects of water. The Oriental Bathing Experience at Lifehouse will be a 2 hour experience of sheer indulgence consisting of a series of traditional massage techniques for the feet and ankles, bathing pools, water rooms and full body exfoliation. The treatment is completed with an essential oil and therapeutic shoulder, head and scalp massage to reinvigorate the senses and ensure total relaxation. A personal therapist will take guests (individually, in couples or in groups of up to four people) through each stage of the treatment to ensure they get the most from this unique experience.

From exercise classes and activities to pre- and post- dinner talks in the Library on all aspects of health and wellbeing, there will be plenty to keep guests occupied at Lifehouse. In between treatments, guests can follow a walking or jogging trail in the grounds, choose a book from the library, borrow a bicycle and head to the beach, seek out a quiet spot in which to meditate or simply chill out, breathe in the fresh air of the countryside and soak up the atmosphere.

Lifehouse will also host all sorts of regular programmes, classes and workshops including boot and mind camps, weight loss programmes, detox, keep fit, homeopathy, martial arts, watercolour paintings in the garden, Pilates, Tai’Chi, garden tours with the estate and garden manager, team-building, and yoga, to name but a few.

Dining is a crucial part of improving wellbeing and as such, an integral part of the Lifehouse experience. The resort’s highly trained chefs will prepare a wide selection of nutritious food for guests to enjoy fine dining and healthy spa dining in the restaurant whilst enjoying the views over the garden. Daily cocktails – with or without alcohol - will be served in the bar and a juice bar will offer pick-me-up smoothies, freshly squeezed juices, healthy lunches and tasty, light spa bites throughout the day.

With such a diverse offering, Lifehouse will appeal to a broad audience, catering for day guests, stay guests, corporate guests as well as offering a series of exclusive Lifehouse membership opportunities. Membership packages start from £600 per year and range from off-peak access to spa facilities, gym and pool, to complete packages inclusive of treatments, access to celebrity classes, permanent locker, golf club membership, etc. Benefits of membership will also include special offers for treatments or dining as well as access to an array of members’ activities and events.

Overnight packages at Lifehouse will be under £250.00 per person, per night and will include accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, access to all spa facilities and one 25 minute treatment.

The Management Team at Lifehouse:

-      Paul Cronk, development director
-      Peter Tory, finance director
-      Steve Brown, chairman
-      Berni Hawkins, managing director
-      Angela Horsman, marketing director
-      Ian Bailey, resort general manager
-      Stacey Hedges, marketing manager

*Lifehouse will not cater for children, welcoming guests aged 16 and over only