With two restaurants, a chic bar and a luxurious spa, the Felbridge Hotel in Surrey has plenty to offer by way of R&R

Situated just 10 minutes from Gatwick airport in the beautiful Surrey countryside, the Felbridge Hotel in East Grinstead could be just the spot for a travel-weary soul. Although not travel-weary, since my husband and I only drove in from a nearby village, we were very much in need of some pampering and a little bit of kid-free peace and quiet.

The hotel has just undergone an extensive refurbishment, and as you enter the rather glamorous reception, you immediately feel like you're in for a bit of a treat. The new style is all brown leather seating and shiny marble and has a very 'boutique' feel to it.

We stayed in a Junior Suite, which was spacious and had a sitting area and vast bathroom, complete with roll-top bath. Treats in the bathroom included Elemis products and gorgeously fluffy bathrobes and slippers.

Pamper yourself

One of the big attractions of the hotel is the serenely luxurious Chakra Spa, where you can be massaged and manicured to within an inch of your life, work up a sweat in the state-of-the-art gym, or relax in the kidney-shaped pool and Jacuzzi area.

I opted for a Fruit Active Glow facial, which promised to 'bring back the glow to tired, dull and listless complexions'. It sounded marvellous! The moment I lay back in the beautifully scented, dimly-lit treatment room, I could feel the stress seeping away.

The dulcet tones and soothing hands of the therapist, combined with the soporific chill-out music and the calming aromas soon sent me off to sleep! The therapist used a variety of beautifully scented Elemis skin products to deep cleanse and moisturise my face and neck, while using Eastern massage techniques to bring a bit of life back into my complexion.

An hour later I emerged from the treatment room feeling amazing and my skin did look much brighter. I met up with hubbie, who had been tempted by the full-body massage (he declared it 'fantastic') and we tried out the very cool gym and then floated about in the luxuriously heated pool, while we contemplated dinner.

Where to eat

The hotel has two restaurants, The Bay Tree Brasserie, which is informal, light and airy, and The Anise; small, intimate and very inviting. The chef is award-winning and the cuisine is fine dining with a modern twist. The list of ingredients in our dinner choices is, frankly, too long to include, but the food was indeed splendid.

My halibut was beautifully cooked and my husband said his beef was perfect, accompanied by a mini rib and kidney suet pudding, which literally made him drool. But top marks from me go to the 'Valhrona Hot Choc 'biscuit', Saffron and Tonka Bean' desert. It was without doubt the most delicious pudding I have ever tasted and I still dream about it.

So if you're looking for some serious pampering, mouth-wateringly delicious food and a stylish and comfortable place to lay your head, you might just find what you want in East Grinstead.

The Felbridge Hotel and Spa
London Road
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 2BH
Phone: 01342 337700

Prices start at £130 for a standard double. Chakra Spa: Facials start at £30 and full-body massages start at £55. The Spa Escape package costs £185 for a full-day experience with 3 hours and 15 minutes of treatments.

Dinner at The Anise restaurant is £34 for three courses.

Visit the website for special promotions and seasonal packages.