What makes a holiday in Dorset? Maybe it’s fish and chips at the seaside, or hiking to the highest point on England’s south coast before rewarding yourself with a pint of local beer. Or visits to nude hill figures or an iconic limestone arch might take your fancy. This jewel of the West Country has things to do in spades – eating, drinking, active or laidback – plus plenty of on-trend hotels in which to lay your head. If Dorset’s much-extolled salted sea air and bucolic tranquillity isn’t enough to bring you utter relaxation, you’re in luck. Among the county’s hills and on its rugged coast are hotels that have getting guests to unwind baked into their being. Think warmed underground pools, blissful treatments ranging from traditional through modern, and space to just… be. There’s more to Dorset than just apple cake and Thomas Hardy. If you want a UK getaway – and to give your wellbeing a holistic boost – these are the best spa hotels in Dorset to book. The best spa hotels in Dorset are: Best for style by the sea: The Nici Best for the traditional approach: Summer Lodge Country House Hotel Best for a hidden escape: The Eastbury Best for a foodie getaway: Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa Best for coastal cool: The Pig on the Beach Best for style by the sea: The Nici Location: Bournemouth The hotel that Bournemouth – overstocked with dowdy, dated seaside accommodation – has been crying out for. Inside, spaces are filled with art, tropical prints and a hint of Art Deco; outside, the star is a 30m heated pool, very much a nod to Miami’s South Beach, and the town’s long stetch of sand can be reached by a short zig-zag path. If you can wrench yourself from a cabana, The Nici’s swish spa beckons, all soft lighting and gentle music (a change from the pumping soundtrack poolside). Treatments incorporate products from British “nutri-cosmeceutical” beauty brand Oskia, as well as CBD pioneers OTO. The latter’s Nici signature massage is a joy, where CBD-infused oils soothing tired muscles and dislodge long-held knots; afterwards, curl up in the relaxation space and pop open a can of OTO’s CBD seltzer, before making use of the steam room, sauna and indoor pool (or the gym, if you feel suitably energised post-treatment). Best for the traditional approach: Summer Lodge Country House Hotel Location: Evershot Summer Lodge remains Dorset’s countryside grande dame (and the county’s only five-star hotel). The quintessential rural pad, it has beautifully restored rooms with high ceilings, watercolours, and chandeliers. The four-acre estate is set in Evershot, a village little changed since it featured in local author Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles (and while there, prop up the bar or sit beside the fire at the trad-yet-cool Acorn Inn). The spa is a major highlight of Summer Lodge, packed with Elemis treatments, from deep-cleansing facials through to rejuvenating wraps, plus a hefty list of massages and manicures. Bespoke spa packages can be arranged depending on the occasion, and if you’re on a family break there are special “junior” treatments for younger guests. Wellbeing extends to a gym, sauna and heated indoor pool, and there are quiet corners of the fragrant gardens in which to unwind in private. Best for a hidden escape: The Eastbury Location: Sherborne This is perhaps the prettiest little spa in the West Country, hidden at the bottom of The Eastbury’s walled garden and reminiscent of a Hobbit hole. Only the occasional ringing of bells from the abbey reminds you that you’re in the historic market town of Sherborne. There are two treatment rooms, where massage therapy mollifies any pesky aches, as well as a hydrotherapy tub, sauna and relaxation areas which you have all to yourself (you book the space by the hour). The hotel dates from the 18th century, built as gentleman’s townhouse, so expect plenty of traditional style as well as modern touches brought in during a 2018 refurb. Since the start of 2023, they no longer have a restaurant (a shame, as chef Matthew Street’s tasting menus were impressive) but instead offers breakfast, light lunches and afternoon tea. Best for a foodie getaway: Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa Location: Christchurch Christchurch’s natural harbour is wonderful sweep of the Dorset coast, and the best ways to soak up its views – over to Mudeford Spit and its expensive beach huts, and beyond to the Channel – is by staying at its namesake hotel. The 1930s property has a blended palette of muted and vibrant tones inside, and right on the water is its headline restaurant, The Jetty. It’s seafood-heavy menu comes from Alex Aitkin, who held a Michelin star at Le Poussin; for a reliable, fresh taste of local waters, plump for the catch of the day. The HarSpa is found below-ground – they describe it as “subterranean” – and is lit by coloured spotlights around a heated pool and whirlpool tub. While away a day on one of the sun loungers (indoor and outdoor), an activity you can break up with Espa beauty treatments or full-body massages. The spa menu also features offerings designed specifically for men and pregnant women. Best for coastal cool: The Pig on the Beach Location: Studland The litter of Pig hotels has one of its very finest locations in east Dorset, at the edge of land overlooking the Old Harry Rocks chalk formation. There’s whimsy in the turrets and sloping roofs that make up the 16th-century manor, and – in classic Pig aesthetic – there’s a surrealism in the luxe Victoriana-meets-countryside décor. The restaurant makes use of the county’s incredible larder, only sourcing produce within a 25-mile radius, and its menu favours unfussy, well-paired flavours. Don’t forget to visit the pigs and sheep in their pens, which you can hear as you knock back cocktails (try the rum-drenched Jungle Pig 2.0) on the lawn. Beyond the garden, which guests can discover down a path, are two adorable shepherd’s huts. These comprise the spa, simple and understated. They’re very Mr McGregor’s garden (of The Tale of Peter Rabbit fame) in style, in keeping with the kitchen garden ethos of the restaurant. The six treatments, each 60 minutes and costing £115, use products from the County Sligo seaweed brand VOYA. thepighotel.com Read more on the best Dorset hotels

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People think Jeff Bezos was ripped-off after he reportedly spent more than $4,000 on a bottle of wine that sells just in the hundreds. The Amazon founder, 59, reportedly went all out to celebrate his engagement to fiancée Lauren Sanchez, 53, last week. According to People, Bezos forked over $4,285 for an off-menu bottle of Dugat-Py Grand Cru from Domaine Bernard, which the couple enjoyed at La Petite Maison in Cannes, France. However, many wine experts believed that Bezos was stiffed on the bottle of red Burgundy wine – which apparently sells for much less. Parcelle Wine, a wine seller and bar located in New York City’s Lower East Side, poked fun at Bezos’ faux pas on social media. “Wine fact of the day: Bezos knows less than you and got mega ripped off in France,” they captioned the post, which included a photo of the seemingly high-priced bottle of Dugat-Py Grand Cru. Fellow wine lovers trolled the billionaire businessman in the comments, writing: “LOL what did he think he was ordering, Rousseau Chambertin?” “This explains Amazon’s s****y wine selection,” another said. According to the New York Post, the same bottle of pinot noir sold at auction in March 2022 for just $647, a more than $3,500 difference compared to how much Bezos spent on the Dugat-Py Grand Cru. “The wine, Chambertin, is from the fabled Chambertin vineyard in the Cote D’Or section in Burgundy. This vineyard is one of the most revered in the world,” a wine expert told the outlet. The Dugat-Py Grand Cru is available on alcohol delivery app Drizly for $552, and appears to be selling in the hundreds from a number of online retailers. However, Wine Searcher estimates the 2015 bottle of Dugat-Py Grand Cru to be within the thousands. Plus, restaurants are typically allowed to charge around two to five times more for a bottle of wine than the wholesaler cost. Although Bezos seemingly paid more than $4,000 for an overpriced bottle of wine, it’s likely the pinot noir didn’t put a dent in his pocket. The Amazon founder is worth an estimated $141bn. On 22 May, People confirmed that Jeff Bezos was engaged to Lauren Sanchez after five years of dating. He popped the question during the getaway in the South of France, where the couple had spent time on Bezos’ new $500m superyacht. The Emmy-winning journalist was spotted wearing what appeared to be a large diamond engagement ring while aboard the yacht. Bezos and Sanchez, who took their relationship public in January 2019, have both been married before. The Amazon CEO and his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott divorced in 2019 after 25 years of marriage. The couple share three sons and a daughter. Sanchez – who was married to Patrick Whitesell – shares son Nikko with former NFL star Tony Gonzalez, and son Evan and daughter Eleanor with her ex-husband. Read More Lauren Sanchez seemingly hints at Jeff Bezos engagement after five years of dating $500m price tag and bronze statue similar to his girlfriend: What we know about Jeff Bezos’s wild superyacht Jeff Bezos appears to wear $12 butterfly shirt from Amazon at Coachella

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