Review – GAIA MenoPAUSE Break at Boringdon Hall, Devon

Women’s health has become one of luxury wellness travel’s fastest-growing frontiers, and menopause is finally receiving the attention it deserves. Boringdon Hall’s new GAIA MenoPAUSE break is among the UK’s most thoughtfully realised examples.

Set within a historic stone manor house overlooking the Devon countryside, the two-night experience combines Michelin-starred dining, an award-winning spa and a carefully curated programme designed for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

The (Enchanted) Venue

Known as The Enchanted Place on the Hill – a name derived from the Saxon Burth-Y-Don – the estate’s history stretches back to the Domesday Book. Once owned by Henry VII and later remodelled into the Elizabethan manor seen today, Boringdon Hall has welcomed everyone from Sir Francis Drake to Queen Elizabeth I. Today, it has evolved into one of the
South-East’s leading luxury spa destinations without losing any of its historic character.

Driving through the gates, the first impression was exactly as promised: a handsome hillside manor surrounded by manicured grounds, with sweeping views towards the edge of Dartmoor. Inside, the Great Hall, complete with huge, open fireplaces and centuries-old oak panelling contrasts beautifully with Gaia Spa, the contemporary wellness building perched among the gardens, and flooded with natural light.

To Stay

This wellbeing break began before we’d even unpacked. While heritage bedrooms celebrate the building’s history, my peri-menopausal partner-in-crime and I stayed in one of the newer Wellness Rooms, designed with restoration firmly in mind. These rooms encourage guests to continue the spa experience throughout their stay: yoga mats and blocks were ready to use, alongside a thoughtfully curated mini library featuring titles by Vex King and other self-development guides.

A generous collection of GAIA skincare products filled the bathroom, and as menopause guests we were welcomed with additional gifts including nutritional supplements, cooling sleep products and hormone-supporting wellness items from a collection of premium brands.

The spacious bathroom featured twin basins, a freestanding bath overlooking the countryside, bath salts, sleep mists and body butters, while fresh milk in the fridge, filtered water and an excellent tea selection – including herbal cocktails specifically for hormonal balance – reinforced the feeling that every detail of this break had been considered.

And one of the most memorable touches proved surprisingly simple: bamboo bedding (by Panda London) designed to regulate temperature overnight. During a particularly warm July weekend, it definitely contributed to one of the best night’s sleeps I’ve had in a hotel.

The Spa

Inspired by the local countryside, the adults-only spa combines contemporary architecture with calming natural materials and panoramic countryside views.

Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, hydrotherapy pool with an outdoor swim-through, Finnish sauna, crystal salt steam room, experience showers and an expansive sun terrace with hot tubs and loungers nestled in the gardens.

During our stay some guests spent the entire day reading quietly beside the pool, while others moved between classes, treatments and thermal experiences. And almost everybody wandered between room and spa in their robes and slippers (this is a place where lingering is very much encouraged). For the ultimate rest, the lower floor relaxation room contains a sleep cave as well as decadent days beds covered in blankets and oversized pillows.

The Treatment

The signature GAIA MenoPAUSE treatment is centred around some of the physical changes most women experience during menopause. A deeply relaxing back, neck and shoulder massage used cooling products to soothe muscular tension and help counter feelings of overheating, before flowing into a calming jade crystal facial designed to cool the skin and
reduce inflammation. Alongside the facial came practical advice about adapting my skincare routine for hormonally changing skin: small, achievable tweaks that felt really useful and reinforced the supportive (vs remedial) nature of the whole experience.

Like all of the staff at the hotel, the therapists here are attentive but unobtrusive, allowing us to settle into the unhurried rhythm of the place at our own pace.

The Extras

Complimentary classes run throughout the day – we loved the early morning Pilates and yoga – and the fitness studio comes with its own sundeck and hot tub, which made for a delicious private afternoon nap station.

Breakfast runs until 11am daily, and if you’re on a grown-up trip I’d recommend taking it in the light and lovely adults-only Spatisserie to maintain that calm and unhurried vibe. Afternoon tea is also available here – with vegan and gluten-free options available. As well as a ‘+glass of champagne’ option, if that’s the kind of self-care you’re in the mood for.

And while Boringdon Hall’s landscaped grounds are perfect for a gentle stroll, guests looking for a real countryside walk will need to head a little further afield. The nearby National Trust estate at Saltram offers miles of riverside and woodland trails, while Plymbridge Woods and the fringes of Dartmoor National Park are both within a short drive.

That said, there’s something rather lovely about the hotel’s cocooning atmosphere. Between the spa, treatments, classes and leisurely lunches, we actually had very little desire to venture out until we absolutely had to.

The Food

Wellness here isn’t rooted in restriction, or learning how to say ‘no’, it’s about having the freedom to choose (something women approaching menopause age will no doubt appreciate).

Dinner at the Michelin-starred Àclèaf was every bit the occasion we’d hoped for, where the (nine!) courses celebrated Britain’s coast and countryside. Hyper-seasonal ingredients – from sweet crab and delicate turbot to beautifully sourced langoustine – arrived as miniature works of art, while a glass of Kent sparkling wine reminded us that English fizz can be truly
fabulous. (There’s also a host of inventive alcohol-free alternatives available).

The more relaxed Mayflower Brasserie offered excellent seafood and country house dining on our second night. The local Brixham crab on crumpets eaten overlooking the gardens with a glass of rosé felt like Devon on a plate. And mornings could be as virtuous or indulgent as we wished: chia puddings sitting happily alongside brioche French toast, and no raised eyebrows when we asked for a second flat white.

The Verdict

Boringdon Hall succeeds because it understands something many wellness retreats still don’t: menopause isn’t a problem waiting to be solved, it’s a life stage to be supported. Throughout the stay there was no sense of being fixed, only cared for.

Every treatment, meal, class and thoughtful detail acknowledged that women don’t stop wanting beautiful surroundings, exceptional food or luxurious experiences simply because our hormones are changing. Perhaps that’s why this place feels so special.

Like menopause itself, it embraces the idea that two things can be true at once: it is both restorative and indulgent, historic and forward-looking, a place to pause and say goodbye to one version of ourselves, while
preparing for whatever comes next.

Need-to-Know

Location: Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plymouth PL7 4DP

The hotel is a 15-minute taxi from Plymouth station, with direct trains from London
Paddington in around three hours.

Rooms from £245 , including breakfast. The two-night GAIA
MenoPAUSE Break starts from £1,250 per room, based on two sharing.