Spa director Liz Holmes feels Craftsman’s high-end changing facilities and service match the top-flight offering at Rockliffe Hall
In the north-east of England, Rockliffe Hall hotel, spa and golf resort offers a five-star destination embracing wellness programmes, residential memberships and spa days that complement each other perfectly, says spa director Liz Holmes.
“A membership base of 750 ensures a lively class programme and supports excellent facilities, while day visitors drive a separate yet integrated revenue stream,” she explains.
So successful is the spa that revenue is coming in line with that of the 61-bed hotel, which itself won five red stars last year, one of only 10 hotels outside London to achieve the coveted accolade.
Treatments such as the Tibetan Sound Massage, introduced last summer, continue to place Rockliffe Hall at the forefront of spa innovation. “The Tibetan Sound Massage has become our signature treatment and is only available at Rockliffe Hall,” Holmes says. “The 90-minute session uses the vibrational sound from Tibetan bowls in what is a Tibetan medical tradition to remove tension, help relieve stress and ease joint and muscle pain.”
The resort’s stress management and meditation courses are also proving extremely popular, she reports.
Long-standing relationship Craftsman installed male and female changing rooms when Rockliffe Hall opened four years ago after a £65m-plus (US$106m, €78m) investment by entrepreneur and owner Steve Gibson to convert a derelict mansion near Darlington into a top-flight leisure destination incorporating a five-star hotel and spa, an 18-hole golf course and exclusive spa.
The company returned two years ago to upgrade the female changing facilities as demand grew, installing further three-quarter length lockers more suitable for robes and long coats.
Now arguably the largest spa in the region, Rockliffe Hall once again called in Craftsman to prepare for the next stage of expansion as the resort builds on its reputation and experiences yet another period of unprecedented growth. “As we drive forward spa day and treatment revenue, it’s crucial to ensure that the scale of our changing facilities can cope comfortably with our rising popularity,” Holmes stresses.
Working with customers Last autumn, Holmes worked closely with Craftsman to meet a brief to enlarge and adapt the female changing facilities, reconfiguring them to prepare for the expected upsurge in demand as Rockliffe further expands its range of heat experiences. It fitted further lockers, cubicles and bench seating together with a new keyless digital locking system to remove the need for spa and hotel guests to carry a locker key during their visit.
“We were keen to ensure that every guest and member could enjoy equal use of the lockers,” Holmes explains. “Some 80-90 per cent of those using the spa are female and some members, anxious to keep their own locker, took their key home with them overnight. On busy spa days as many as 20 lockers could be out of action for day visitors and hotel guests. Under the digital locking system, lockers open automatically overnight. Holmes adds: “The switch to digital locks ensures we provide a tighter level of security for both members and visitors.”
Holmes also worked closely with Craftsman’s managing director John Gibbs to provide additional holdall lockers in the gym itself for those members who come to work out and then go back home to shower and change but who also wish to stow away over-jackets, keys, phones and iPads while they work out.
“These members can exercise safe in the knowledge that their valuables are secure, in a locker sited alongside the exercise area, adding another level of convenience and reassurance.” Holmes says.
“When I arrived here five years ago, the 20m swimming pool and 11m hydro-pool were just holes in the ground,” Holmes recalls. “The period since Rockliffe Hall opened has proven that spa is no longer just an add-on leisure experience but is a sustainable and thriving business model in its own right.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Interview: Paul Scialla
Delos founder talks to Katie Barnes about creating the first set of wellbeing building standards and securing investment from Leonardo DiCaprio
Ask an expert: Detox
Done well, detox presents numerous business opportunities – but what's the best approach to take and what treatments should be avoided?
Business analysis: Spa inclusive
Some resorts are enticing clients with free, daily spa treatments. Neena Dhillon takes a look at the business model
Wellness tourism: Time to shine
Sophie Benge reports on wellness tourism in central and eastern Europe – a market that's ripe for development
Wellness research: Culture king
The Futures Company provides an insightful overview on how different cultures view health and wellbeing
Hotel spa research: Top division
In the hotel sector, spa revenue is growing faster than other revenue streams, according to a new PKF report. Andrea Foster analyses the findings
To discover how to create changing provision that matches the needs and expectations of your members and day visitors, contact John Gibbs: Tel: +44 (0)1480 405396 Email: [email protected] Web: www.cqlockers.co.uk
Rockliffe Hall
Craftsman has worked closely with Rockliffe for more than five years, enlarging and improving changing facilities as the spa has expanded
Craftsman has worked closely with Rockliffe for more than five years, enlarging and improving changing facilities as the spa has expanded
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
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Spa director Liz Holmes feels Craftsman’s high-end changing facilities and service match the top-flight offering at Rockliffe Hall
In the north-east of England, Rockliffe Hall hotel, spa and golf resort offers a five-star destination embracing wellness programmes, residential memberships and spa days that complement each other perfectly, says spa director Liz Holmes.
“A membership base of 750 ensures a lively class programme and supports excellent facilities, while day visitors drive a separate yet integrated revenue stream,” she explains.
So successful is the spa that revenue is coming in line with that of the 61-bed hotel, which itself won five red stars last year, one of only 10 hotels outside London to achieve the coveted accolade.
Treatments such as the Tibetan Sound Massage, introduced last summer, continue to place Rockliffe Hall at the forefront of spa innovation. “The Tibetan Sound Massage has become our signature treatment and is only available at Rockliffe Hall,” Holmes says. “The 90-minute session uses the vibrational sound from Tibetan bowls in what is a Tibetan medical tradition to remove tension, help relieve stress and ease joint and muscle pain.”
The resort’s stress management and meditation courses are also proving extremely popular, she reports.
Long-standing relationship Craftsman installed male and female changing rooms when Rockliffe Hall opened four years ago after a £65m-plus (US$106m, €78m) investment by entrepreneur and owner Steve Gibson to convert a derelict mansion near Darlington into a top-flight leisure destination incorporating a five-star hotel and spa, an 18-hole golf course and exclusive spa.
The company returned two years ago to upgrade the female changing facilities as demand grew, installing further three-quarter length lockers more suitable for robes and long coats.
Now arguably the largest spa in the region, Rockliffe Hall once again called in Craftsman to prepare for the next stage of expansion as the resort builds on its reputation and experiences yet another period of unprecedented growth. “As we drive forward spa day and treatment revenue, it’s crucial to ensure that the scale of our changing facilities can cope comfortably with our rising popularity,” Holmes stresses.
Working with customers Last autumn, Holmes worked closely with Craftsman to meet a brief to enlarge and adapt the female changing facilities, reconfiguring them to prepare for the expected upsurge in demand as Rockliffe further expands its range of heat experiences. It fitted further lockers, cubicles and bench seating together with a new keyless digital locking system to remove the need for spa and hotel guests to carry a locker key during their visit.
“We were keen to ensure that every guest and member could enjoy equal use of the lockers,” Holmes explains. “Some 80-90 per cent of those using the spa are female and some members, anxious to keep their own locker, took their key home with them overnight. On busy spa days as many as 20 lockers could be out of action for day visitors and hotel guests. Under the digital locking system, lockers open automatically overnight. Holmes adds: “The switch to digital locks ensures we provide a tighter level of security for both members and visitors.”
Holmes also worked closely with Craftsman’s managing director John Gibbs to provide additional holdall lockers in the gym itself for those members who come to work out and then go back home to shower and change but who also wish to stow away over-jackets, keys, phones and iPads while they work out.
“These members can exercise safe in the knowledge that their valuables are secure, in a locker sited alongside the exercise area, adding another level of convenience and reassurance.” Holmes says.
“When I arrived here five years ago, the 20m swimming pool and 11m hydro-pool were just holes in the ground,” Holmes recalls. “The period since Rockliffe Hall opened has proven that spa is no longer just an add-on leisure experience but is a sustainable and thriving business model in its own right.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Interview: Paul Scialla
Delos founder talks to Katie Barnes about creating the first set of wellbeing building standards and securing investment from Leonardo DiCaprio
Ask an expert: Detox
Done well, detox presents numerous business opportunities – but what's the best approach to take and what treatments should be avoided?
Business analysis: Spa inclusive
Some resorts are enticing clients with free, daily spa treatments. Neena Dhillon takes a look at the business model
Wellness tourism: Time to shine
Sophie Benge reports on wellness tourism in central and eastern Europe – a market that's ripe for development
Wellness research: Culture king
The Futures Company provides an insightful overview on how different cultures view health and wellbeing
Hotel spa research: Top division
In the hotel sector, spa revenue is growing faster than other revenue streams, according to a new PKF report. Andrea Foster analyses the findings
To discover how to create changing provision that matches the needs and expectations of your members and day visitors, contact John Gibbs: Tel: +44 (0)1480 405396 Email: [email protected] Web: www.cqlockers.co.uk
Rockliffe Hall
Craftsman has worked closely with Rockliffe for more than five years, enlarging and improving changing facilities as the spa has expanded
Craftsman has worked closely with Rockliffe for more than five years, enlarging and improving changing facilities as the spa has expanded
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
In the fast-paced world of fitness and wellness, where high-intensity workouts push us to
our limits and the sweat pours, the importance of efficient recovery cannot be overstated. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Sothys Paris Founded in 1946, Sothys is owned by the
Mas family. Chief executive Christian Mas
oversees the com [more...]
