A fabulous treat - and it's just down the road

SITTING in a heated hot tub with one of your best friends, overlooking a stunning ocean view in the middle of winter, was nothing short of wonderful.

It's the sort of thing you see incredibly glamorous people enjoying on the TV and there Georgie and I were, doing just that at a beautiful hotel just down the road in Cornwall.

Fowey Hall is an imposing building modelled on Toad Hall overlooking the fishing town of Fowey in Cornwall. Inside it has contemporary decor mixed in with some lovely antique features.

In the main lobby guests can sit and enjoy drinks and food next to one of the two roaring open fires, something Georgie and I treated ourselves to before dinner in the evening as we studied the extensive menu.

From the moment we arrived at Fowey Hall we felt like we were having a real treat. The smell of the wood burning on the open fires as you walk through reception was so homely and inviting we felt instantly relaxed.

The staff were also fantastic and attentive, without being too overbearing or coming across as false. They chatted and all seemed to genuinely love working at Fowey Hall.

Our front of house host showed us to our lovely twin room, which had floor to ceiling windows and a view overlooking the sea.

The room was gorgeous, with a fabulous bathroom which had a huge free-standing bath as well as a power shower.

The bathroom also had a pair of snuggly dressing gowns which Georgie and I spent an inordinate amount of time in, generally mincing about and pampering ourselves.

After checking out the room we were shown to the spa which is separate to the main building and sits perched on a headland overlooking Fowey Harbour. The view really does make Fowey Hall – from most of the rooms, the restaurant, the hot tub and the swimming pool, one can enjoy panoramic views of the ocean.

The building and staff are lovely enough to make the hotel a real treat, but the view and elevated position of the hotel give it a real sense of luxurious isolation, perfect for those wishing to indulge in a bit of escapism for the weekend.

The spa itself comprises of a number of treatment rooms, a child-friendly swimming pool and a hot tub. The highlight for us was the hot tub where we talked for hours and basked in the low winter sun.

I had an excellent facial treatment from a very thorough beautician who explained exactly what products she was using and made me feel really relaxed and special.

After the treatments Georgie and I ventured down into Fowey, which is only a five minute walk, and spent a peaceful afternoon milling around the shops and coffee shops.

Fowey itself is definitely worth a visit, it's utterly charming and so quiet you can't help but feel completely relaxed. The town itself is quaint and there is an array of quirky shops, pubs and eateries suitable for families and singles alike.

The same can be said about Fowey Hall. We were on a self-indulgent girlie weekend, but the hotel is definitely geared up for children – and not in an overbearing "here's a pile of plastic brightly-coloured toys in every corner" way, but in a clever, subtle way.

There is a massive, fully-equipped and Ofsted registered crêche in an outbuilding, away from the main building. And there are brilliantly equipped children's rooms dotted throughout the main building, so the children and adults can relax independently of each other if they wish.

Dinner at the hotel is also a real treat. The hotel does cater for people just going to enjoy dinner, but dinner and breakfast were included as part of our package organised by spabreaks.com

Dinner was excellent, but the highlight for me was the excellent full Cornish breakfast. The pair of us ate so much it was verging on embarrassing and this, coupled with the sun pouring through the breakfast room windows, made for a perfect morning.

I would thoroughly recommend a trip to Fowey Hall for a girlie weekend, a romantic couples' break or to get away with the family. The place is a real treat and it's only down the road.

We didn't have to think about anything, we just let spabreaks.com do all the booking for us and turned up on the day.

We went in the middle of winter but I can imagine the grounds would come into their own in the heat of summer – we will be going back.

To book a trip to Fowey Hall visit www.spabreaks.com or call 0800 043 6600.

Spabreaks.com

Spabreaks.com was started by Devonian Abi Wright and sends more than 2,500 people on spa days and breaks each week.

Spabreaks.com has been particularly proud this year of the launch of Spa for All – an umbrella initiative designed to open up the spa industry to anyone who has previously felt marginalised for reasons beyond their control.

Key among these have been Recovery Retreats – an industry first which dispels the traditional exclusion of anyone who currently has or has recently had cancer from being treated at a spa by offering tailored treatments that are safe, and with ultimate discretion in the consultation process.

The company has also launched Accessible Spas which has a twofold format detailing accessible facilities that venues offer and packages where carers can go along for free to use facilities – with the aim of absorbing any cost implications a disability may incur.

The Spa for All concept is set to grow further in 2013 with the further progression of Recovery Retreats; Teen Skin Clinics; Friendship Spas for those who are looking for a solo spa break but are nervous of going by themselves; and Spa for Me combining postnatal depression counselling and spa treatments in venues with crèche facilities, for new mums who need that extra bit of TLC.

Website: www.spabreaks.com

Blog: http://hottub.spabreaks. com

Twitter: @spabreaks