Gift ideas for someone who really needs a break
You know the person. They say they’re fine, they say it’s just a busy patch, and the busy patch has now lasted most of the year. You’d like to get them something that helps, and you suspect another scented candle won’t.
If you’ve been searching for a spa voucher in St Albans, the thing you’re really after is simpler than a spa day: an hour or two where they don’t have to do anything for anyone. That’s the gift. The rest is choosing the right version of it for the person you have in mind.
Getting the gift right is half of it. Making sure it gets used, rather than ending up in a drawer, is the other half.
Why time off lands better than another thing
Most people who need a break already have enough stuff. What they’re short of is time that belongs to them, and permission to take it. A physical present adds to the pile. An experience takes something off it.
There’s also the question of who books it. Someone running on empty rarely books an hour for themselves, because there’s always something more pressing. A gift does that part for them. The decision has been made, it’s paid for, and saying no would mean wasting your present. For a lot of people, that’s the only way they’ll go.
And it’s memorable in a way most presents aren’t. People forget the jumper. They tend to remember the first time they floated, or the massage that finally loosened a shoulder that had been stuck since spring.
Matching the gift to the person
Being is a small St Albans centre with three things under one roof: open pool floatation, infrared sauna and expert massage. It’s the only place in town with all three. Each one suits a slightly different kind of tired, so it’s worth thinking about who you’re buying for.
The one who can’t switch off
Their phone is always in their hand. They answer emails in the queue for coffee. When they do sit down, they’re still running through a list.
A float is the obvious choice here. You lie back in a private room, in an open pool of body-temperature water with over 500kg of Epsom salts dissolved in it, and the water holds you up. There’s nothing to do and nothing to hold. A standard float is 60 minutes for £60. If you think an hour might feel like a lot for a first go, the 45-minute mini float (£45) is a gentler introduction. Our guide to your first float is worth passing on with the voucher, and you can read more about floatation in St Albans here.
The one who’s always cold or sore
They wear a jumper in July. They mention their back more than they’d like to. Autumn and winter hit them harder than most.
For this person, an infrared sauna in St Albans is a good fit. The sauna is a private room, so there’s no sharing and no small talk. A 30-minute session (25 minutes in the sauna, plus time to change and shower) is £30. If they’ve only ever used a traditional sauna, we’ve written up infrared versus traditional sauna.
The one with desk shoulders
They sit at a laptop all day and it shows: shoulders up near their ears, a habit of rolling their neck, a hand that drifts to the back of their head mid-conversation.
A massage is the practical choice. The 60-minute being Massage is £80 and the 90-minute version is £110. If you know the tension sits in one place, there are more focused options too, like the Back Massage (£50) or the Upper Body Anti Stress (£70). For anyone expecting, there’s a Pregnancy massage at £80. You can see the full menu on our page about massage in St Albans.
The couple who never get time together
Maybe it’s your parents, maybe it’s friends with young children, maybe it’s the two of you. Either way, their evenings are spent on logistics.
Couples can float together for £75, or share the infrared sauna for £37. If you want to make a proper occasion of it, they can do both in one visit. In that case, float first and sauna after. The float leaves you loose and quiet, and the sauna is a warm way to come back round before heading out.
Not sure which one fits? A voucher lets them choose for themselves. More on that below. Once they’ve decided, they can book online whenever suits them.
How being gift vouchers work
Being gift vouchers start from £50 and you buy them online, any time, at our gift voucher page. You choose the amount, then they choose how to spend it.
A rough guide to amounts, based on current prices:
- £50 covers a mini float, a solo sauna session or a couples sauna.
- £60 covers a 60-minute float.
- £80 covers a 60-minute being Massage, or a couples float.
- £110 covers a 90-minute being Massage, or a float followed by a sauna.
If you’re unsure, a round amount is the safe bet. It lets them decide what they want rather than what you guessed.
How to give it so it actually gets used
Gift vouchers have a habit of getting lost. They go on the fridge, then in a drawer, then nobody can remember where they went.
Say what it’s for
“Here’s a voucher” is easy to put off. “This is for a float, because you haven’t stopped since March” is harder to ignore. Naming the thing makes it feel like a plan rather than credit.
Pick a date with them
If you can, sit down together and book it there and then. People who need a break are often the worst at making time for one, so take that step out of their hands.
Offer to cover the rest of the day
For a parent, the real gift might be the voucher plus two hours of childcare. For a partner, it might be dinner sorted that evening. Removing the reason they’d say “I can’t really get away” matters as much as the session itself.
Make it easy to get there
We’re at 1 Francis Bacon House, Bricket Road, AL1 3TN, a short walk from St Albans City station. If they’re driving, The Maltings (AL1 3HL) and the Civic Centre car park (AL1 3JX) are both close. Mentioning that up front removes one more small obstacle.
Go with them
Some people will only take time off if it’s shared. If that sounds like your person, book a couples float or sauna and make it a day out together. We’ve got ideas in our post on things to do with a friend in St Albans.
Something different from the usual spa day
Being isn’t a spa, and doesn’t try to be. There’s no packed itinerary. It’s simpler than that: a private room, an hour or so, and one thing done properly. For a lot of people that suits them better than a full day out, especially if they’re short on time to begin with. If you’d like to know more about how it compares, we’ve written a guide to an alternative to a spa in St Albans.
If you already know what you want to give, you can buy a being gift voucher online now. Or if you’d like to try it yourself first, book a session online and see what you’d be giving.
Frequently asked questions
How much are being gift vouchers?
Vouchers start from £50 and you choose the amount when you buy online. A 60-minute float is £60, a solo infrared sauna session is £30 and a 60-minute being Massage is £80, so you can pick an amount that covers the session you have in mind.
What if I don’t know which one they’d like?
Buy a voucher for a round amount and let them choose. If they can’t switch off, point them towards a float. If they’re always cold, the infrared sauna. If it’s their shoulders, a massage.
Is floating suitable for someone who’s never done it?
Yes. The room is private and the pool is open, so there’s no lid and nothing closing in. The 45-minute mini float is a good place to start.
What’s a good gift for a couple?
A couples float (£75) or a couples infrared sauna session (£37). For a longer visit, they can do both. Float first, then sauna.
Where is being?
1 Francis Bacon House, Bricket Road, St Albans AL1 3TN, near St Albans City station. The nearest car parks are The Maltings (AL1 3HL) and the Civic Centre car park (AL1 3JX).
Sorting the gift
Want the easy option? A voucher lets them choose float, sauna or massage and book when it suits them. Buy a gift voucher.
Not sure how much to put on it? Tell us who it is for and we will suggest an amount that covers a proper visit. Message us on WhatsApp.
Think a massage is the one? Our massage page lists every treatment, so you can see what they would be getting. See the massage menu.