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08
Jul 2023
Hotels in Harrogate district jump on rising 'ecotherapy' trend
In the past few weeks, three local hotels have opened new outdoor spa experiences to customers.
Swinton Estate, Grantley Hall and Rudding Park are hoping to attract guests with the promise of ‘reconnecting with nature’.
In June, Swinton Estate offered up a new wild swimming experience in its private lake at the heart of the hotel’s grounds.
A week later Grantley Hall opened a ‘Nordic spa garden’ complete with outdoor ice baths and a sauna for immersion therapy.
Gillian McGraffin, spa and wellness manager at Grantley Hall’s Three Graces Spa, said:
Shortly after Grantley announced this new spa addition, Rudding Park opened a woodland spring bathing experience, equipped with mineral-enriched freshwater tubs.
Sarah Johnson, head of the hotel's spa, said:
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All three additions demonstrate the increasingly popularity of outdoor spa and wellness experiences – often referred to under the broader term of ‘ecotherapy’.
It encompasses a number of therapies and practices which promote interactions with nature as valuable tools for improving psychological and physiological health.
The demand for outdoor spa experiences has grown significantly since covid.
According to data collected by the People and Nature Survey last year, nearly half of adults in England spent more time outdoors than they did before the pandemic. Meanwhile, 39% also said that after the pandemic, nature and wildlife had become more important than ever to their well-being
Commenting on the trend, Ms Johnson told the Stray Ferret:
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