There's something about Jersey that feels as if you're stepping back in time. It's all twisting lanes and small villages with tea shops. But if you want a bit of top-notch luxury from which to enjoy its 'quaint' appeal, two hotels are well worth investigating

The Royal Yacht is a new luxurious hotel in St Helier (it only opened in July 2007). There's a nautical feel about the place, but it's not over the top, and doesn't make you feel as if you should sing sea shanties. The reception area is small but nicely decorated, and the rooms are bright and airy.

Jersey is sunnier than mainland Britain and the hotel takes advantage of the climate by providing an outdoor restaurant and popular champagne bar. And the rooms at the front of the hotel benefit from balconies, beautifully furnished with steamer chairs and chaise-lounges.

The rooms are warm and inviting and decorated with muted colours. And the bathrooms are superb. There's even a television above the bath. There's a feeling of being spoiled, and it's addictive! I'm told the philosophy behind the hotel is one of guilt-free, healthy selfishness, and I certainly didn't feel guilty enjoying the soothing atmosphere of the place.

Pamper yourself

There's also a spa area - called Spa Sirene - and fully-equipped gym with a personal trainer. And it is a lovely place to chill. There's a big vitality pool, separate hydrotherapy pool with a bubble rack, Jacuzzi, full thermal suite with sauna, steam room and aromatherapy steam room. There are even mini Jacuzzis just for your feet! There are also five treatment rooms for some extra pampering.

Spa Sirene I tried their signature Smell the Flowers facial which was a total treat. After a short, relaxing neck and shoulder massage, my face was scrubbed clean using poppy seeds as an exfoliant.

They are really gentle but surprisingly affective, although do have the disadvantage of getting everywhere! My face was then massaged with hot stones and crystals. The whole thing finishes with a hibiscus shell mask, which contains extracts of everlasting desert flowers. The mask sets solid on your face and is cracked off, in one piece, leaving you squeaky clean and totally relaxed. I really recommend it!

The treatments use natural products, including some made from sea water, in keeping with the marine theme. Rich in minerals, it's said to increase cellular turnover and stimulate the production of elastin and collagen. The sea water is used in the Smooth Sailing facial.

Eating and drinking
As for restaurants and bars, The Royal Yacht does these in style. There are three restaurants, Restaurant Sirocco on the first floor with a balcony and serving traditional meals in a chic and stylish setting, Cafe Zephyr, an al fresco, informal restaurant with a brasserie menu, and The Grill which serves old favourites like steak and chips in a relaxed setting. On the Friday night we visited, all were popular and doing good business.

Restaurant Sirocco The hotel's four bars cater for everyone. There's the POSH champagne bar with its outdoor seating, The Drift which regularly hosts live music (the Cuban Brothers were playing when we went), and The Cabin, a more traditional snug bar, all of which are also open to non-residents, while The Lazyjack lounge bar is only for residents.

Unfortunately, the area around the hotel does let it down. Although there is a promise to convert the disused bus park directly in front of the hotel into a park, at the moment you look out over a vast expanse of tarmac, which also seems to serve as a meeting place for the town's kids.

The contrast between the luxury of the hotel and the reality of the surroundings was a bit strange, and we had a bit of a Marie-Antoinette 'Let them eat cake' moment while sipping champagne in the POSH bar before dinner! But overall, it's a lovely place to stay.

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Jersey's luxury hotels