Having attended countless spas and retreats over the fifteen years that I have been a beauty editor, from the luxe to the low key, the wacky and the wonderful, the strange and sublime, I can attest that there are some collaborations that seem a little … unexpected or ill-aligned. Others that feel inevitable, seamless, destined to be. As it turned out the partnership between Estelle Manor, Oxfordshire’s grand country house hotel and Kamalaya, Thailand’s revered wellness sanctuary on their first ‘cultivating resilience’ retreat, was the latter.
You’d be forgiven for assuming that these two worlds seem distinct: one is a history-steeped, luxurious, occasionally high-octane English Estate regularly frequented with a starry set from from Kate Moss to Taylor Swift, Eve Jobs and Elton John, the other a remote hillside healing retreat perched on the southern side of Koh Samui, rooted in Eastern Philosophy and dedicated to healing, respite and restoration.
As I was to learn however — having been generously invited to attend the retreat, a four day immersion at Estelle Manor’s recently unveiled, very spectacular, Roman-inspired Eynsham Baths — it is never safe to assume.
I was initially unsure about accepting the offer: when the email landed in my inbox I wasn’t feeling particularly resilient. Having recently returned to work following the arrival of my second baby, my to-do list felt long and rather frightening, the logistics of managing work and two kids complex, and as such, taking days off work unwise. Dashing to the Cotswolds would require back-bending logistics from my family.
But it had been a sticky few months and I am a firm believer that sometimes things turn up exactly when and where you need them, so I begged some favours, and took off, arriving 24 hours late, but arriving nevertheless.
The retreat — the first for its kind at the property — came about after the opening of Estelle Manor’s Eynsham Baths spa caught the attention of the seasoned Kamalaya team, impressed by its Eastern influences and dedication to excellence.
The spa was imagined and brought to life by Eiesha Bharti Pasricha, Estelle Manor co-founder and a passionate, long-time advocate of holistic wellbeing. Drawing from her Indian heritage, Eiesha not only produced an architectural masterpiece, but established a unique, rich, authentic offering with integrity and meaning at its core. She had envisioned collaborating on a retreat — but the partnership had to feel right. This one did.
Bonds form fast on retreats and I felt slightly nervous about joining the 10-strong group a day in, but I needn’t have worried, they were welcoming, already serene and cheery. Before long I was off on the ride.
For the next 72 hours I ditched my laptop and to-do lists, handing myself over to the retreat’s superlative experts — a mighty team made up of Eynsham Bath staff, and a six-strong Kamalaya party who had flown over for the occasion.
We experienced everything from 7am guided walking meditations, taken bare foot, to nurturing yoga sessions, meditation and breathwork classes in the spa shala. Each one quietly nudged us towards making space to observe our thoughts, being more self-aware and trying to cultivate a sense of peace and mental calm.
At first the silence felt overwhelming and the physical and mental stillness made me fidgety, sore and irritated. Did I want to sit still and confront my thoughts? Not really. But as the hours went on I was shocked by how quickly my body and mind began to adjust.In between scheduled sessions, I stomped the grounds and took endless laps of Eynsham Bath’s thermal pools, shutting my eyes, breathing deeply and listening to the hum of conversation around me.
Halfway through the second morning I realised — to my surprise — that I was beginning to look forward to the moments of peace and learning — coached by the team — how to create some much-needed space in my body and mind. During one particularly powerful sound bath session with Teena Lyle, new ideas began to flood into my consciousness, and I felt a wave of calm and clarity that I had been struggling to find for months.
Each guest experienced two treatments: The Eynsham Baths’ Warrior Massage, a deep tissue massage designed to melt unwanted muscular holding patterns and realign the nervous system. Incorporating assisted stretches and hot stones, it was truly one of the best I have ever had. Kamalaya’s Three Treasures treatment was also a showstopper. Rooted in Taoist theory, it featured traditional reiki, aromatherapy and crystal healing alongside Tui Na massage to balance the body.
Food and drink — all delicious, varied and fabulously fresh — from banana-leaf wrapped fish, to curries and Ayurvedic dishes, was served by different chefs at destinations across the property, from the Orangerie to Brasserie, the newly built Fallow House and the spa’s Tea Lounge. Crafted to complement the retreat, the menus were consistently filling and flavourful. Restorative tea blends awaited us on each return to our rooms.
My retreat schedule closed with a one-on-one session with Kamalaya’s life coach Sujay Krishna Seshadri. The session was confronting, and at times painful, but I felt in the best hands and left with a plan — and a new sense of understanding.
What made this retreat meaningful was not spectacle, nor luxury, although there was plenty of both, but a shared commitment by the Estelle and Kamalaya teams to support attendees in the way that they needed most.
The 10 guests, from all over the world, and all walks of life, were treated as individuals. Listened to, understood, given tools for change that would work within the boundaries of their means and experience. Nothing felt too excessive, extreme or overwhelming. There was no performative detoxing, or pressure to emerge transformed, no assumptions made.
The retreat offered the opportunity to pause, learn, think and emerge sufficiently restored so that we could walk away stronger, steadier and better equipped. It was sincere and powerful. It had intention and meaning. Maybe true indulgence lies in finding the time and space to breathe deeply and start afresh.
The Estelle Manor x Kamalaya cultivating resilience retreat was £4,299 (or £3,435 for Estelle Manor members). Kamalaya will return for their next residency in June 2026 (estellemanor.com)
