A Spring Reset At the Rabbit
From a dreamy Fire and Ice treatment to a blissful hour asleep under a weighted blanket, Local Women editor Kim Kelly checks back into The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat and discovers that sometimes the best company for a spa day is your own.
There are some invitations that arrive and instantly feel like a yes. That was exactly how I felt when I was invited back to The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat in Templepatrick this spring. I had visited before and absolutely loved it, so the idea of returning for a full spa day was already enough to make me smile. I could have brought a friend. I should probably have brought a friend. But the truth is, the minute the invite landed, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
I wanted to go on my own. And I’m so glad I did.
Set just a short drive from Belfast, with plenty of parking and a wonderfully easy, stress-free arrival, The Rabbit manages to feel like a proper escape without any of the usual faff. It is part of Galgorm Collection, and you can feel the family resemblance. There is the same sense of indulgence and feeling that you are being looked after from the moment you arrive. But where Galgorm feels grand and expansive, The Rabbit feels a little more playful. Quirkier. Smaller. Like the chic younger sister with a disco ball and a great sense of humour.
And that is exactly why I love it. From the moment you step inside, the mood is set. The interiors are beautifully done, but not in a way that feels stuffy or over-designed. It is warm, funky and full of personality. The staff are genuinely lovely, and everything feels relaxed in the best possible way. Even the hotel dog adds to the charm. Yes, they have a hotel dog. A big, gorgeous floof of a creature padding around the place as if she owns it, which, frankly, she probably should.
After slipping into my robe and slippers, I headed through to the spa area, and it really is one of the prettiest spa settings in Northern Ireland. The outdoor pool is striking, with its clear glass side and giant overhanging disco ball, but what makes it special is the view. You are surrounded by water, countryside and that lovely soft sense of being away from everything.
My treatment was first, and what a way to start. I had the Baltic Fire and Ice experience, and I can honestly say it was one of the best massages I have ever had. I’ve had hot stone massages before, but this is something else entirely. The combination of heat and cold is incredible. The hot stones do exactly what you want them to do, easing tension and sinking into tired muscles, but the cold element is the surprise. It somehow wakes everything up without ever feeling harsh. It is invigorating and soothing all at once.
I had quite a lot of tension around my neck, and by the end I felt like I had been physically reset.
The treatment room itself looked out over the countryside, which somehow made it feel even more special. There was just something magical about lying there, warm and relaxed, with that view beyond the window. My therapist was fantastic too, so knowledgeable and friendly – exactly what you want when you are handing yourself over to an hour of complete surrender.
Afterwards, I floated upstairs to the relaxation area, where I had a little sorbet and tried to gather myself before the next part of the experience: the NEXA skin scanner.
Now this was genuinely useful. Using a specialist camera, the scanner gives you a detailed look at what is really going on with your skin, including dryness, fine lines, pores and broken capillaries. It is not exactly for the faint-hearted, but it is fascinating. Happily, my skin was not too bad, although it definitely needed more hydration. The therapist then talked me through the results and recommended products that would help.
The spa is now using ELEMIS again, which I was delighted to hear. I love an ELEMIS spa. It feels classic and luxurious, and it suit The Rabbit perfectly.
The rest of the afternoon was exactly what a spa day should be – just dreamy! I drifted between the hot tubs, the pool, the salt room, the steam room and the sauna, and spent quite a bit of time in one of my favourite spots — a covered and heated pebble beach that feels half indoors and half outdoors, where you can sit wrapped in your robe, with little heaters beside you, looking out over the scenery and doing absolutely nothing. Which, I increasingly think, is a vastly underrated skill.
Lunch in Hunter’s was another highlight. I had a tuna melt panini with salad and a juice, and yes, once again, I ate alone and absolutely loved it. There is something deeply luxurious about being somewhere beautiful, with nowhere to be, no one to talk to unless you want to, and a nice lunch in front of you.
But the moment that really sealed the day for me came later. I wandered into one of the relaxation rooms and discovered water beds. I climbed onto one, found a weighted blanket, curled up in a little ball and fell asleep for a full hour. A proper, deep, middle-of-the-day spa sleep. The kind where you vaguely know people are coming and going, but you simply do not care. I have never used a weighted blanket before, but after that experience, I am now fully converted.
When I woke up, the sun was shining. Outside, couples were clinking glasses in the hot tubs, the place was glowing in that golden late-afternoon light, and everyone looked blissfully happy. I pottered about for a while longer, dipping in and out of the pools, sitting quietly, doing very little at all. And honestly? It was one of those days that makes you feel glad to be alive.
The Rabbit is stylish, playful and beautifully done, but what I love most about it is how easy it is to enjoy. Whether you go with your other half, your best friend, or in my case, gloriously alone, it gives you exactly what you need. If I had my way, I would prescribe it on the NHS.
The Rabbit Hotel, 882 Antrim Rd, Templepatrick, Ballyclare BT39 0AH. www.rabbithotel.com
