Urban Wellness at The Lowry Spa

Our writers took part in a January session at The Lowry to see if there was value in the cost. Our day took shape to suit the Urban Retreat, beginning at 10am with a warm-up and swiftly followed up by a HIIT session. The HIIT class consisted of a well-balanced mix of short bursts of cardio, low weight repetitions and strength training. Depending on your group size, attendees will be split-up and assigned a trainer to help throughout. Both trainers on the day were extremely friendly and attentive, striking a balance of encouragement and understanding (if you can’t quite keep up the pace).

After a tiresome first session, the group is rewarded with fresh smoothies. The snack break was much appreciated and the drinks themselves were flavoursome and energy boosting. The break led nicely to the second session, which was a more relaxed 45 minutes involving yoga. The yoga section proved to be tricky, there was an assumption that we had a little experience (we didn’t) and a few moves were too advanced to tackle but it leaves you feeling better for trying all the same.

The final activity was a mindfulness class, this allowed for full body relaxation after a gruelling morning. Designed more for the mind than the body itself, the session is peaceful. Music plays as a specialist talks you through, asking you to focus on specific parts of the body. A favourite aspect of ours, this final activity was the perfect end to a busy morning.

The retreat ends with a lunch which also serves as an opportunity to ask questions to the trainers and gain insight on how to maintain healthy habits once you leave. A good spread was put on, including a range of cold meats and fruit (sounds odd but it really worked as a combination). Once you leave you feel refreshed and equipped to (hopefully) take away some motivation and ideas for making those more prominent lifestyle changes to suit yourself. 

Verdict: for £45, a lot is packed into each retreat. The value is certainly there and the trainers are all clearly experienced and knowledgeable. Our particular session was in a conference space and would’ve worked better in a more ventilated environment, but we are told Summer sessions are outdoors, which we see as being much better suited to the activity.