USP A brand new compact spa run simply by Jackie (front desk) and Emma (the therapist), so you are guaranteed a friendly bespoke service.

AMBIENCE A warm relaxation room with a sauna, mosaic aromatherapy room (with a lavender and eucalyptus aroma) and a monsoon shower (out of order at the time of my visit). The single treatment room has all the necessaries including adjustable massage table laid out with towels and a plastic clematis. There is a small windowless but cool gym next door; thankfully no-one was using it at the time of my massage so no huffing and puffing disturbance.

EXPERIENCE During my back, neck, and shoulder scrub massage from the Men’s sensation treatments menu I kept thinking that the bell I could hear ringing in my relaxed stupor signified the end of the treatment (as it does at the Mandarin Oriental hotel spas) but was relieved to discover it was merely part of the jangly background music. My 45 minutes started with a salty-oil back scrub (using Biodroga products made in Germany’s spa capital Baden Baden), which made me feel like a beef joint and left the skin a bit prickly. It was followed by a soothing back and neck massage. The only problem, I find, when you focus on one particular area of the body – in this case the back – is that the others feel neglected. So my limbs (which had spent two days watching not playing tennis) were left aching for some attention, and my arms frozen into numbness above my head for 45 minutes. Also, it could have been the salt or possibly Emma’s nails but my back felt a little scratched at times.

FOOD H2O in the spa. The newly refurbished hotel has a seaview restaurant. Its menu looks quite tempting on paper but my halibut was battered (literally, not breadcrumbed and deepfried) and the spuds didn’t seem to have been refried in fresh oil. It all smacked a bit of old school mass catering in terms of décor, delivery, sourcing and taste.

IN CROWD Eastbourne’s strength is that it has no jostling crowds really. The spa no doubt attracts local show performers from the town’s five theatres, international women’s tennis players during the tournament week in June and hotel guests. Because of the spa’s size you probably wouldn’t want to be here on a busy day. But the spa is open until at least 8pm on three nights of the week.

WALLET WATCH Very good value indeed: my back, neck, and shoulder scrub massage cost £35 for 45 minutes; a customised facial is £35 for 55 minutes and a Golden Caviar facial is £60 for 90 minutes. A full body massage is £45 for 90 minutes and an Aroma Algae Wrap costs £45 for 60 minutes. If you’re heading out onto the beach a 15-minute Toe Tidy will set you back £10.50.

NEED TO KNOW Pebbles Spa, Cavendish Hotel, Grand Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex (01323 410222; www.cavendishhotel.co.uk); Email: pebbles@cavendishhotel.co.uk

For more than 200 reviews of spas worldwide visit Times Online's Good Spa Guide

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