If you're in need of some sunshine and pampering, head off to the InterContinental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa in Murcia on Spain's south-eastern coast
I'm not quite sure what to make of The Intercontinental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa. The hotel is lovely with huge open lobbies and halls decorated in muted colours and accented with Moroccan lights and wooden screens, spacious comfortable rooms with balconies (always a plus in my book) and peace and quiet aplenty. But it is in a strange setting. Tucked inland at Torre Pacheco near Murcia on Spain's south-eastern coast, the Polaris World resort is principally for golf fiends.
The resort is a gated compound with privately-owned luxury villas and a 9-hole golf course on site (currently being expanded to 18 holes). Shuttle buses connect the resort to the three other Polaris World resorts in the neighbouring countryside. But when I visited in May, most of the villas were empty, so it felt a bit like you were in the middle of nowhere, albeit a perfectly comfortable nowhere.
The hotel itself is a purpose-built luxurious retreat. It has just 57 rooms and seven suites. My room on the third floor was huge, with twin double beds and a really well-equipped bathroom boasting a whirlpool bath and separate walk-in shower. The floor-to-ceiling windows opened onto a balcony that overlooked the pool area with a view to the golf course behind. The whole place felt peaceful, with lots of open spaces and wide corridors adding to its tranquil ambience. It's also incredibly green, with manicured lawns and potted palms everywhere you look, and even a miniature cacti garden in the revolving doors.
I was there to indulge in some top-notch pampering, and I wasn't disappointed. The ESPA echoes the muted colours of the hotel and nods to the Moorish influences with lots of natural woods, subtle lighting and warm tones make this feel like a haven. I was escorted through huge wooden doors into the therapy area where a fluffy white gown was waiting for me. Before changing into it, I had a quick tour of the facilities - seven treatment rooms, separate male and female thermal suites, a private spa suite for couples wishing to share the experience, a fitness studio and indoor heated pool.
Having followed the therapist's advice, I arrived about an hour before my treatment, so that I could fully enjoy the thermal suite. After a few minutes in both the sauna and steam room I was brave enough to try the ice chips which were actually quite refreshing, although I was a wuss and only rubbed them over my arms and legs, completely ignoring my back!
I then hopped into the vitality pool, which is a small hydrotherapy pool. The Jacuzzi area is a bit odd as most of the jets are on the floor so it's a bit like being in an upside-down shower. I then stood under the swan-necked shower, which was fiercer than I'd expected and really pummelled my shoulders, but by the time I crawled on to the bubble rack, I was feeling relaxed and sleepy. The warm water and bubbles were helping my muscles relax, so that I'd benefit more from the treatment to come.
I'd booked the signature treatment - a holistic back, face and scalp massage with hot stones. The volcanic basalt lava stones contain minerals and, when heated, can be used for deep body massage, and can help clear blocked energy centres. My therapist gave me various aromatherapy oils to smell, as they believe that you will choose the oils that your body needs most. I chose the energising ones, a blend of peppermint, eucalyptus and rosemary, which are supposed to help restore lost energy and clear the mind.
The treatment started with a deep cleansing back exfoliation followed by the hot stone massage. It was wonderfully relaxing. The warm stones take away any tension from your muscles and the heat seems to soak up stress. It includes a full ESPA intensive facial and Oriental head massage, which left me feeling blissfully chilled.
One of the nicest things about the treatment was the fact that it managed to switch my mind off. Usually I flit from idea to idea, working out which one will satisfy my inner worrier the best and then analysing it until I can see every nuance. But for the remainder of the afternoon and evening, my mind was still, perfectly happy to sit by the pool and watch the world go by.
The resort has three restaurants and four bars, which is just as well as you can't stroll out of an evening to sample the local eateries. All the food was good and the hotel prides itself on using locally-grown produce. I had lunch at the poolside Al Fresco bar which served Mediterranean-style light meals and snacks. In the evening I ate at the Nomad restaurant, which served world cuisine.
Things to do
You need a car when visiting the InterContinental Mar Menor. The Mar Menor, Europe's largest salt water lagoon is about a 20-minute drive away, Murcia is about 40 minutes and Cartegena about 30 minutes. I went to Cartegena, which is a beautiful old town built on the waterfront and dripping in history.
There has been a settlement here since 227BC and, as our guide explained, fantastic archaeological remains are still being discovered. A Roman theatre was unearthed by chance in 1987 and the rows of seats and some of the pillars are in incredible condition. Stroll along the waterfront and you'll see one of world's first submarines. It was invented by Isaac Peral in 1884, and built in Cadiz in 1888. As you walk through the narrow streets, you'll see fishscale motifs on many of the roofs and Gaudi's influence can also be seen in some of the buildings.
Need to know
The ESPA Signature Hot Stone Holistic back, face and scalp massage lasts for 1 hour and 50 minutes. It costs 195 Euros.
Ryanair, Monarch Airlines, Easyjet and Jet2 all fly to Murcia from the UK
You can book packages to the InterContinental Mar Menor via their website www.intercontinental.com