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Ragdale Hall, Leicestershire
Gawping at the lush Leicestershire countryside, my friend and I - both partied-out urbanites - arrived at the sprawling Victorian estate at Ragdale Hall ready to be soothed, calmed and chilled out
We were warmly welcomed by staff, for whom nothing seemed too much trouble, and hot-footed it to our room where our pre-requisite fluffy robes and slippers awaited us.
Our treatments were scheduled for the following morning, so we padded down to Ragdale's state-of-the-art Thermal Spa to explore its intricate labyrinth of nautically-themed enclaves.
Inside a nautilus
Designed like the cross-section of a giant nautilus shell for a cosy, cocooning effect, we started off in the Candle Pool. We paddled like kids down the steps and settled in its warm, mosaic-lined pods, chatting quietly, enjoying the flicker of candles and star-lit ceiling. Next we braved the intense Volcanic Salt Bath, a stylish set-up of black granite walls and benches, where we were engulfed by the 42-degree celsius heat and 100 per cent humidity.
It soon became obvious we weren't the only ones opting for some post-new year 'R and R' and some areas, such as the gently-scented Thought Zone, felt more like Piccadilly Circus than a positive thought-inducing sauna.
But the Waterfall Pool more than made up for the busyness - my favourite part by far - allowing us to swim outside in mercifully well-heated waters, our heads tingling in the chilly Northern air.
Feed the body
After all our splashing about, our thoughts soon turned to our stomachs, and we headed to the restaurant for dinner - still proudly enrobed - where low-fat options were readily available. We shunned these in favour of a hearty, calorie-rich three-course meal, with the highlights including duck with cherry and mustard mash, and vanilla bean and mint creme brulee, which tasted like a giant after-eight!
All this was washed down with a glass of red, and finding ourselves the last to leave at 10pm, we retired sheepishly to bed.
The next morning, we were woken from deep slumbers by the arrival of breakfast, which we enjoyed in bed. Then it was time for yet more pampering as we shuffled off for our treatments.
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