USP Its central Soho location and down-to-earth feel.

AMBIENCE The word sanook means "enjoy yourself" in Thai and there's a Buddhist tone to the decor at this slightly claustrophobic spa.

EXPERIENCE Relaxed but thorough. My feet had never felt so good.

FOOD The Silk restaurant is housed in the old courtroom no.1 and serves fusion food from the old silk route specialising in aphrodisiacs. You can also have a drink in former prison cells – which have been renovated into designer drinking cubicles complete with non-functioning lavatory. They would make ideal treatment rooms.

IN CROWD Me. At least I was the only one there on a midweek afternoon. Ordinarily the hotel houses an eclectic bunch of celebs, including David Hasselhoff, Jack Johnson, the Sugarbabes and Bollywood casts – who hopefully don’t all want to use the bedroom-sized gym at the same time.

WALLET WATCH An O2 Relax treatment costs £85 for 120 mins; 30-minute lunch-hour facials start from £35 and a 90-minute aromatherapy massage designed to help you sleep is £100.

NEED TO KNOW Sanook Spa at the Courthouse Hotel – Kempinski, 19-21 Great Malborough Street, Soho, London (0207 297 5555; www.courthouse-hotel.com)

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