An award-winning hotel has opened a brand new attraction - a state-of-the-art spa - to help guests relax, unwind, and connect with nature. 

Middleton Lodge, which sits on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales near Richmond, is a privately owned 200-acre country estate that has built a reputation as one of the best hotels in the UK, and a globally recognised event space.

Today, they have opened their Forest Spa, which is the latest in an ongoing 20-year restoration project. The new therapeutic facilities will add to Middleton Lodge's existing 59 bedrooms, two restaurants, and event space. 

In 2014, the estate introduced two treatment rooms at the Coach House, which quickly became sought-after havens for massages and beauty therapies, receiving national acclaim.

For more quality journalism, subscribe to The Northern Echo for £1.50 a week here. 

As the estate continued to evolve and grow with its 59 bedrooms, the demand for additional leisure experiences for visitors and hotel residents became evident. The Forest Spa, an entirely original offering exclusive to Middleton Lodge Estate, was born out of this need. 

The Forest Spa has been designed by creative director Rebecca Tappin, and draws on the concept of forest bathing. Advertised as "elemental and inviting, with an earthy and rustic authenticity", the spa is located on the estate's Old Farm. 

At the core of the Forest Spa is a 15m by 7m heated outdoor pool, surrounded by two authentic buildings, the pool house and the thermal spa. The pool house features a central log-burning stove, comfortable seating, and open brick walls offering views of the pool. 

The thermal spa features a sauna with panoramic views of the estate's fields and woodland, a tadelakt steam room, an arch stone plunge pool, and a relaxation zone complete with fireplace and pool views.

The North Yorkshire spa also includes a stone outdoor hot tub area with seating and six treatment huts, two of which are 'bathing huts' equipped with tin baths and woodburning stoves. 

Read more: In Pictures: Guests enjoy restored garden at Middleton Lodge

To complement the Forest Spa experience, a "balanced and nourishing" spa menu has been created, incorporating ingredients sourced from the estate wherever possible.

The spa is open to both hotel residents and spa day guests - though it will set you back a chunk of change. 

There are four packages available at the Richmond-based Forest Spa. These are: 

  • Half Day Spa: £155 (Monday to Thursday) or £170 (Friday to Sunday). Morning or afternoon half-day spa experience, including a 45-minute treatment and a thoughtfully curated spa menu. 
  • Day Spa: £200 (Monday to Thursday) or £220 (Friday to Sunday). Full-day spa experience, featuring a 60-minute treatment ritual (choice of massage, facial, or body scrub) and lunch in the Pool House from the spa menu. 
  • Day Retreat: £300 (Monday to Thursday) or £330 (Friday to Sunday). Extensive full-day spa experience, offering a two-hour treatment ritual, a rejuvenating bathing experience, and lunch in the Pool House from the spa menu. 
  • Evening Ritual: £75 (Monday to Thursday) or £95 (Friday to Sunday). Evening spa experience, including a delightful two-course dinner at the Coach House restaurant or a four-course tasting menu at Forge on Thursday to Sunday evenings. 

Bookings for Middleton Lodge's Forest Spa at the hotel's website, over the phone (01325 377 977) or by emailing forestspa@middletonlodge.co.uk.