Carton House Spa review: I felt like my body was floating – no aches, pains or tightness. It was remarkable

Over the years, I’ve used many words to describe spa treatments: relaxing, mind-clearing, rejuvenating, and so on. One word I rarely use, however, is “personal”.
I’ve seldom encountered a treatment that focuses intently on the finer details – namely how my body, muscles and skin respond to the treatment. Even rarer is a 10-minute debrief to discuss what was observed during the treatment, along with recommendations on self-care practices to extend the benefits at home. This was my experience at Carton House Spa.
I had never visited Carton House in Maynooth before, despite hearing great things. Due to the arrival of Storm Ashley, my visit started slightly later than planned. The wind was practically shoving cars along the road, trampolines were wrapped around signposts – you get the picture. Once I finally arrived, I quickly changed and hurried toward the spa.
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Housed in a carefully restored 18th-century mill building, the spa is small but welcoming. I had booked the Forest De-Stress Ritual (€210), one of several new Susanne Kaufmann treatments available. It included a one-hour full-body massage followed by a 30-minute facial and a full-size bottle of Susanne Kaufmann Hayflower Bath Oil to take home.
Having filled out my short pre-treatment questionnaire, my therapist, Natalia, arrived to collect me. Warm and friendly, she immediately put me at ease. Upon entering the dimly lit treatment room, she asked some additional questions: what kind of pressure would I like? What specific issues was I experiencing in my body? How severe was my lower back pain? Noticing I had marked my skin type as sensitive, she followed up, asking if it was always this way or triggered by something. Her questions were thoughtful and made me feel like I was in for a truly customised treatment.
The full-body massage came first and it was blissful, though there were moments when I clenched my teeth due to the tightness in my shoulders and back. Several aspects of the massage stood out, particularly the unique, almost needling approach to releasing tension around my spine and shoulder blades. Unlike many full-body treatments that skip over the abdominal area, this one included it, which I found refreshing. The stomach is a key area of tension, yet often overlooked.
Once the full-body massage concluded, the facial began. At this point, I felt like my body was floating, an almost surreal sensation of weightlessness – no aches, pains or tightness. It was remarkable.
After the intensity of the full-body massage, however, the facial itself felt like a bit of an afterthought. The movements were softer and slower, which is to be expected, but in comparison to the vigorous massage, they felt somewhat underwhelming. That said, the Susanne Kaufmann skincare products were impressive – the textures and scents memorable.
At the conclusion, Natalia gently woke me, as I had dozed off, and slowly raised the bed. She asked how the treatment was and if I was comfortable. She complimented me on my skin and added that the tension in my shoulders was significant, likening it to being stuck in “fight or flight” mode. She asked what I did to relax at home, and I mentioned my halfhearted attempts at stretching now and then. “Is it okay if I make some recommendations for you?” she said. I gladly said yes and then she left the room so I could get changed.
As we walked down the hallway a few moments later, she handed me a card. On it were several suggestions for ways I could relax and release tension at home, including warm baths and applying a specific anti-inflammatory body oil to tense areas before bed, allowing it to work overnight.
On exiting the spa, I purchased the aforementioned product – Susanne Kauffman Marigold Body Oil (€35 from Carton House Spa). I applied it to my neck and shoulders that night.
I don’t remember falling asleep, but when I awoke, it felt like I had slept for years. I’m not sure a spa treatment gets more personal than that.
Fresh from the stable of excellent Irish beauty brand Hildun Beauty comes a new collection of lip products: Silk to Set Longwear Lip Pencil (€20 from hildunbeauty.com) and Melting Moisture Lip Balm (€23). I’m so impressed with the latter that it now lives permanently in my handbag. Available in three universally appealing shades – my favourite is rose gold – this rich, lipstick-meets-balm formula nourishes and soothes while delivering an intense flush of colour without stickiness.