Review: Woodland, water and cocktails make this Staffordshire spa a perfect escape

Woodland, water and a luxury spa are a pretty good recipe for switching off, and Moddershall Oaks Country Spa Retreat has them all.

Tucked away in the Staffordshire countryside, with mature trees all around and a picturesque lake at its heart, the setting complements the spa experience beautifully. It feels secluded and peaceful, yet getting there doesn’t involve disappearing into the middle of nowhere.

I arrived with a friend looking forward to some serious relaxation, good food and a memorable massage. Most spas manage at least one or two of these, but they rarely manage all three.

Location is one of Moddershall Oaks' biggest assets. Despite being within easy reach of Stoke-on-Trent and the wider Midlands, once you're on the property there's a real sense of escaping into the countryside.

The lake is particularly lovely and gives the retreat a focal point beyond the spa itself. Combined with the woodland, lawns and outdoor spaces, it creates a setting that encourages you to slow down before you've even changed into your soft, grey robe.

It also makes Moddershall Oaks an understandably popular wedding venue. The water, mature trees and seclusion provide a ready-made backdrop for photographs, while the relatively intimate scale of the property means it feels more like a private retreat than a sprawling resort.

There's another advantage for couples contemplating a wedding here: guests can make a proper stay of it, combining the celebration with spa time, good food and a night away.

The outdoor pool at the heart of the spa

The outdoor vitality pool is very much at the heart of the action and was one of the highlights of our stay. Heated year-round and surrounded by the Staffordshire countryside, it's the sort of place where it's very easy to lose track of time as you soak in the warm water and take in the views.

There's an added indulgence too: you don't even need to get out of the pool when you fancy a drink. Scan a QR code and your drinks are brought to you while you're in the water, which makes settling into the bubbles with a cocktail in hand and woodland all around feel like a proper treat. Frankly, once someone is bringing cocktails to you in a heated outdoor pool, there's very little incentive to get out.

Right next to the vitality pool is the Deli, making it easy to spend a good chunk of the day in this part of the spa without needing to venture far. We stopped there for lunch and ate well, enjoying a relaxed meal before heading back to the water. The most strenuous part of lunch was deciding what to order.

This serene experience ramped up the zen levels and we immediately vowed to return in December, when I suspect a cocktail in a steaming outdoor pool will feel more appealing than tackling the Christmas shopping. Add fairy lights and a little Christmas cheer and I'm sold.

Head indoors and there's plenty more to extend the spa experience. The indoor pool offers a more traditional place for a swim or gentle dip, while the thermal facilities include a steam room, experience shower, reflexology footbaths and heated loungers. During our stay, these areas were surprisingly quiet and uncrowded, and we couldn't quite understand why they weren't more popular.

If you're feeling sleepy, as well you might, there's a dedicated relaxation lounge with chilled music and a fire pit. You'll be snoozing within five minutes!

Boutique suites and woodland pods

We were staying overnight and a great night's sleep is highly likely thanks to the super-comfy beds. We stayed in one of the 10 luxury boutique suites, with our own private patio overlooking the rolling hills that surround the spa.

The room smelled fabulous thanks to NEOM diffusers, while Noble Isle toiletries were among the goodies in the bathroom. A GHD hairdryer is an added bonus if, unlike me after several hours in a robe, you still have ambitions of looking glamorous for dinner. VisitEngland has classified the boutique suites as five-star guest accommodation, and it's easy to see why.

Last year, Moddershall unveiled another accommodation option: 14 individually designed woodland pods. Tucked among the trees, they offer a more private, nature-led experience while still giving guests easy access to the spa, restaurant and wider facilities. They feel particularly well suited to couples who want the sense of getting away from it all rather than simply staying in a hotel room.

Facilities include blackout curtains, air conditioning, private bathrooms with BubbleSpa showers, luxury toiletries, hairdryers, flat-screen TVs, minibar fridges and tea and coffee-making facilities.

Food worth staying for

At some spas, food can be a little low-key, with plenty of healthy yet uninspiring options.

At Moddershall Oaks, the food was one of the reasons we wouldn't hesitate to go back. In The Oak House, we devoured creamy mushrooms for starters, followed by a succulent blade of braised beef on a bed of creamy mash with broccoli, proving that a spa break doesn't have to involve surviving on salad leaves and virtue.

Staff were attentive, although the kitchen appeared to be feeling the pressure during a busy service and there was a little more waiting between courses than ideal.

After a great night's sleep and a peaceful wander around the neighbouring woodland, it was time for our all-over body massages. Emily and her expert hands got to work on my tense back and overworked legs. It was a heavenly hour and exactly what I'd hoped for from a spa retreat.

If you visit Moddershall make sure you join a yoga class. We joined the lovely Donna for an outdoor Vinyasa session and couldn’t have felt more chilled afterwards.

Our stay ended pretty much perfectly. Spa breaks in the boutique suites include a 30-minute private timeslot in the outdoor heated spa pool. Set into the hillside, it's a gorgeous spot where you can relax away from everyone else, float around to your heart's content.

It was a fitting end to a stay that delivered exactly what we'd hoped for: beautiful surroundings, plenty of time to switch off, excellent food and a massage that left me feeling considerably less knotted than when I arrived.

Moddershall Oaks may be within easy reach of everyday life, but surrounded by woodland and water, cocktail in hand and with nowhere you need to be, it feels a very long way from it.

*To find out the latest prices, offers and discounts for day spas and overnight stays, visit the spa’s website.