Saunas

OK!’s Samantha Reilly took a one-hour flight to Jersey for a spa break with her mum, packed with sun, sand and seafood delights

A tiny emerald jewel in the English Channel, neither quite part of the UK nor part of the EU, Jersey has an out-of-time feel, as though our short flight has taken us not only across the water, but some 20 years or so into the past. It feels gentle, rolling, sun-kissed… and like there might be a Famous Five adventure happening somewhere nearby.

The largest of the Channel Islands, and only 14 miles from the French coast, Jersey beautifully blends British and French influences. Think charming seaside cafés serving overflowing bowls of wine-laced moules or butter-glazed Jersey Royal potatoes. Life moves at a slower pace, but there’s so much variety on this one tiny island. One moment you’re in a lively town, and the next you’re surrounded by sea air, winding country lanes and peaceful villages.

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It’s spotlessly clean, incredibly friendly and full of natural beauty. There are dramatic lighthouse dotted coastlines, sandy bays and green fields where golden Jersey cows munch endlessly.

There is also, and this appealed greatly to my mother and I, a host of beautiful spa facilities to indulge in after you have finished exploring.

How to get to Jersey and around the island

Rather than traipse to one of the major airports, we flew direct from London Southend (the route is brand new) and you’re barely up in the air before you’re coming down again.

Ryde Taxis, Jersey’s answer to Uber, were there to pick us up, whisking us to our hotel in 20 minutes (the whole island is less than 40 minutes away, to be fair) and they chatted away about some island gems we shouldn’t miss. It’s a great way to get your bearings.

Places like St Brelade’s Bay offer pure relaxation, especially with the Sandytoes sauna, while Gorey Harbour has a distinctly Mediterranean feel with alfresco dining and ice cream spots. The capital, St Helier – home to around a third of the population, is bustling with its markets, shopping and excellent bus links to everywhere else.

Away from the towns, there’s plenty to explore, from castles to coastline. And the great thing is, because the place is only five miles by nine, you can cover so many in one trip.

The best places to stay in this golden island

Eager to try all the island offered, we started at The Club Hotel & Spa in St Helier. It’s a luxurious boutique stay, complete with a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, Michelin-starred restaurant and a rooftop cocktail bar (their whisky sour is excellent). We treated ourselves to a facial at the spa – easily one of the best I’ve had.

It’s a great place if good food is central to your holidays. First, you’re handy for a wander through historic St Helier Central Market and Beresford Street Fish Market, both integral parts of Jersey’s heritage, where independent traders have been selling for over 200 years.

Plus the hotel’s Bohemia Restaurant offers Michelin-starred dining, with seaweed sourdough and Bordier butter, and a cauliflower cheese doughnut I’ll never stop dreaming of.

For our final night, we headed east to The Moorings Hotel & Restaurant in Gorey. It was absolutely stunning, with spectacular sea views. A place to relax and drink it all in, we made the most of the sunshine with lunch on the terrace, followed by drinks in the cosy bar by the fire.

It’s the team who make this place so special. They told us about a hidden spot for locals on the beach, which we took full advantage of.

Where to find the best Jersey seafood and local delicacies

Apart from the hotels’ own eateries, we highly recommend slotting in times for three other gems. At St Brelade, The Oyster Box is right on the beach to tempt you after a sauna and swim.

The hollandaise crab on toast was a standout. The Salty Dog in St Aubin’s village came highly recommended by our taxi drivers – and didn’t disappoint. A great atmosphere plus fantastic artwork to buy alongside the food.

At Gorey harbour, Sumas Restaurant is casual but exceptional, with views of the castle. Mum, a huge seafood fan, said the lobster and scallops were the best she’s ever had.

Don’t miss these Jersey gems

The Sandytoes Sauna is my top tip. This Finnish-inspired, wood-fired sauna is right on the beach. Paired with a cold sea dip, it’s the most invigorating experience.

We also walked part of the Jersey Tidal Trail, which trundles the 48-mile circular coast, in eight scenic sections. We started at St Catherine’s Breakwater before heading out with Jersey Seafaris to the uninhabited islet of Les Écréhous, spotting seals along the way.

I loved our visit to La Mare Wine Estate. This vineyard and cider farm offers tastings of award-winning wine, cider and the famous Jersey black butter (which absolutely lives up to the hype), along with apple brandy liqueur, served in a chocolate cup.

And finally, Mont Orgueil Castle (known locally as Gorey Castle) is a fine medieval fortress. Towering over the harbour for more than eight centuries, it’s not for the fainthearted. The climb is steep – but absolutely worth it for the breathtaking views.

How to book this relaxing spa break

Fly from London Southend Airport to Jersey Mon or Thurs, from £17 one way. B&B at The Club Hotel & Spa in St Helier, from £209 for 2. Rooms at The Moorings Hotel & Restaurant in Gorey from £150pn. see visitjersey.com.

PAIR a foodie city break in Canada’s Toronto with vineyards and lakeside luxury in Prince Edward County, says Deputy Picture Editor Antoinette Cumberbatch.

Cocooned in a blanket, I gaze at the yellow hue above the horizon and the colours sweeping across the sky, as the sun sets gloriously over the vast expanse of Lake Ontario.

From my deckchair, all I can hear are the rhythmic sounds of water hitting the pebbled shore as I sip a glass of crisp rosé. This is perfection.  

Feeling vine 

I’m exploring Canada’s Prince Edward County, a 21/2-hour drive east from Toronto, and the eclectic Drake Devonshire in the quaint town of Wellington makes for the perfect base, with its beach-house feel, glass-fronted outdoor sauna and this idyllic lakeside setting.

Airy bedrooms with quirky artwork, plus a ping-pong table and photobooth downstairs complete the vibe.

Double rooms cost from £164 per night (Thedrake.ca/drakedevonshire).  

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“The County”, as it’s called by Torontonians, is fast becoming known for its wineries, too.

Less than 10 minutes’ drive from my pad is Huff Estates, where the team has been perfecting its wines since 2002.

I sample a few silky blends – my fave is the Vines Unoaked Chardonnay – and learn how the region’s limestone-rich soil and cooler climate produces a unique blend. Tastings cost from £12 per person (Huffestates.com).  

Meanwhile, it’s a family affair at TerraCello Winery.

The seven-acre vineyard with Italian heritage is small compared to the others, but it makes exquisite riesling – tastings cost £11 per person – as well as delicious pizza, £10 (Terracellowinery.com).

For fans of elegant pinot noir, Closson Chase is also worth a stop, just a few minutes down the road (Clossonchase.com). 

Top of the crops 

Later that evening, I join a farm-to-table experience that’s as hands-on as it gets, with husband and wife team Luhana and Zach at Littlejohn Farm.

Cooking together in a small group, I’m tasked with rolling and filling fresh pasta for the cheese agnolotti – a skill I vow to continue back home.

But the star of the show has to be tender, home-raised lamb, which is the best I’ve ever tasted. Experiences cost from £122 per person (Littlejohnfarm.com).

I end my night at The Duchess, an elegant art-deco bar just a stroll from my hotel, with a Stay Curious cocktail – a heady blend of brandy, pineapple rum, coconut Campari, bergamot, lime and cucumber, £12 (Barduchess.com).  

Another gem is Base 31, 20 minutes’ drive away. Once a former WW2 airbase, it’s now a creative cultural hub with street food and live gigs.

I wander around the former barracks and gaze up at the restored Lancaster Bomber, before reading poignant love letters from a serviceman to his wife in its Love Notes exhibition. Entry costs £5 (Base31.ca). 

To the tower! 

The sister hotel of my lakeside stay, The Drake, puts me in the thick of Canada’s biggest city and Ontario’s capital, Toronto.

Set in one of the city’s coolest districts – Queen West – indie shops, cafes and restaurants line the pavements, alongside vibrant street art. Double rooms cost from £142 a night (Thedrake.ca/thedrakehotel). 

Of course, my first visit here wouldn’t be complete without whizzing to the top of the CN Tower.

Standing at 533m high, this former communication tower has been a staple of the skyline since 1976. Tickets to the highest platform cost £32 per person (Cntower.ca). 

But for me, Toronto is really about the food. I start at Lakeview diner, in the Dundas West neighbourhood.

You may not know the name, but it’s big-screen famous, having featured in blockbusters including Hairspray and Cocktail.

You can even sit in the booth where Tom Cruise sat, sipping its must-try apple-pie milkshake, £6.50.

Just being here feels like stepping into cinematic history, with autographs scrawled above the bar by actors who have filmed here (Thelakeviewrestaurant.ca).  

Elsewhere, St Lawrence Market, set up in 1814, proves perfect for a crash course in Canadian flavours.

I can’t resist picking up a raspberry-shaped pastry filled with raspberry whipped cream, £2.45, from Future Bakery, and I try the legendary peameal bacon sandwich in its salty, buttery roll from Carousel Bakery, £4.50 (Stlawrencemarket.com).  

Maple matters 

Close to St Lawrence’s, the historic Distillery District oozes character with its industrial red-brick buildings and cobbled streets.

I grab a delicious signature maple latte, £3.25, at Balzac’s (Balzacs.com), before heading to Mexican El Catrin Destileria for lunch.

Guacamole is crushed tableside for the nachos, £11.30, and I devour the fish tacos, £15.50, in seconds.

With tequila flavours including hibiscus and lime, tamarind and pineapple, I opt for a flight of mini margaritas to remove any decision-making, £27 for four (Elcatrin.ca). 

Craving some retail therapy, the next day I head to Ossington Avenue, a 10-minute stroll from The Drake.

Here, I find LoversLand, a stylish concept store selling cute trinkets and excellent socks (Loversland.com), retro fashion heaven Uncle Studios (Unclexstudios.com), and Rotate This, a record shop stacked with nostalgic vinyl (Rotatethis.com). 

The final evening of my trip comes around all too soon, and to mark the occasion I book a table at the achingly-cool Prime Seafood Palace, which is high-end – the chef’s menu will set you back £133 – but without any of the pretentiousness.

The tuna tartare and prime rib are flawless, but it’s the key-lime pie and maple tart that really steal the show for me (Primeseafood palace.ca).  

It makes for a pairing as perfect as Canada’s unofficial capital and the rural haven of Prince Edward County. 

A HUGE aqua park with wakeboarding and cosy lodges is adding even more to its site.

Slightly inland of Sandwich Bay in Kent, Whitemills Aqua Park is building new sauna pods and even a plunge pool with work planned to start in autumn.

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Plans have been approved for Whitemills Aqua Park to build a new gym, sauna pods, and plunge pool.

These were given the green light by Dover District Council (DDC) earlier this month.

Other additions include an outdoor pergola over a decked area at the back of the cafe which overlooks the main lake.

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A decked upper floor and a glass railing will be added to the roof of existing storage containers where the planned sauna pod, hot tub and plunge pool will be.

Managing director, Wayne Cooper, said: “We’re delighted the application has been approved and believe it will provide a real boost to the site, particularly during our off-peak season.

“We’re currently finalising the next steps, with construction expected to begin in the autumn.”

Whitemills Wake & Aqua Park officially opened its doors on July 9, 2022.

It consists of a huge lake with an inflatable playground that’s essentially an obstacle course with slides, climbing walls and balance challenges with sessions from £22.50pp.

The site is purpose-built for wakeboarding from beginner sessions to 1-2-1 lessons and even ‘Wake & Cake’ where every class finishes with coffee and cake.

Other activities include paddleboarding, Ringo Rides and open water swimming.

There is an existing sauna already on site which is designed for ‘deep muscle relaxation, detoxification, and stress relief’.

This is supposed to be followed by a cold plunge which helps with circulation and recovery.

A sauna and cold plunge experience can be booked from £12.50pp.

Visitors can even stay overnight in their wooden lodges or pitch up a tent at the campsites.

The lodges sleep up to six people which come with kitted-out kitchens, a private bathroom, cosy bedrooms and lounge area with a TV – six of the lodges are pet-friendly.

Tantrum Lodge is a special accommodation choice with a private outdoor bathtub designed to be used in the evenings outside.

There are 20 tent pitches too with electric hook-up, access to modern shower and toilet blocks, and there’s an on-site restaurant and bar.

Tent pitches for up to six campers start from £35 (or £5.83pppn).

The Whitemills Kitchen serves up everything from sweet treats and snacks to full-on meals from breakfast to burgers, pasta, pizza and Sunday roasts.

Whitemills Wake and Aqua Park is less than a 15-minute drive from Sandwich Bay.

The sweeping shingle beach is found between Ramsgate and Deal in Kent.

The pretty seaside town of Sandwich is worth the visit too with timber-framed buildings and pubs like the Mermaid’s Locker.