The mission To see if a weekend spent at England's most famous golf course could get me “out of the rough” of city life and make me forget that I was only a few miles from Spaghetti Junction.

USP The spa at the Belfry provides a healthy alternative to the 19th hole, offering golfers a soothing end to a competitive day on one of the complex's three golf courses. It's also perfect for their non-golfing companions who simply want a relaxing break.

In-crowd Golfers mingle with well-behaved stag and hen parties (there is a dress code) and couples on weekend breaks.

Ambience Mark Twain once said “Golf is a good walk spoiled”, and looking out at the 500 acres of lush, green English countryside surrounding the Belfry hotel and spa - off limits to pedestrians - the non-golfer can only concur. The spa is situated in a leisure centre at one end of the 324-room hotel and business complex.

Midlands spas

• Aquae Sulis Spa, Worcester

• Ragdale Hall, Leicestershire

• Bamford Hay Barn Spa, Gloucs

• Thoresby Hall Hotel and Spa, Thoresby Park, Nottinghamshire

• Macdonald Albrighton Hall Hotel, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

BACKGROUND

• Bryn Meadows Hotel Spa, Caerphilly, South Wales

• Lake Vyrnwy Hotel Spa, Powys, Wales

• St Bride’s Spa Hotel, Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire

• St David's Hotel & Spa, Cardiff

• Celtic Manor, the Usk Valley

Salon spy: Russell Eaton, Barnsley

A salon with modern decor and funky chandeliers, but not in the least pretentious

Salon spy: Whatley Manor, Malmesbury, Wiltshire

A spa with a vast vault of Romanesque rooms, including a tepidarium, camomile steam grotto and sea-salt scrub showers

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With a swimming pool, hair and beauty salon (make-up lessons and bridal make-up are on offer), gym, squash courts, crèche and café, as well as treatment rooms, you can stay there all day. There's little individual character - this could be a spa anywhere - but the candles, stones and New Age background music help to generate a sense of calm and tranquillity.

Quality of experience I had a detoxifying algae wrap that left my skin smooth, and a vigorous reflexology session, which, happily, sent me to sleep. After a “life-saving back massage”, my husband plumped for the spa's much-trumpeted AquaSpa Fire and Ice bio-thermal treatment, involving foot baths, hot benches, feature showers and relaxing hot rooms. Unfortunately, left unsupervised in the rabbit warren of aromatherapy-infused steam rooms, saunas and ice showers (meant to purify and restore the body), he found himself locked alone in the spa without his clothes or mobile phone. The Belfry says that it has reviewed its safety procedures and this should never happen again.

Products The spa uses a combination of Clarins and Espa, with St Tropez for tanning.

Food There's a café in the spa where you can buy sandwiches and soup, but if you fancy something more substantial you can choose between the informal Atrium restaurant, which offers a decent but unexceptional carvery and buffet, and the formal, upmarket French Restaurant, serving seasonal, locally-sourced modern European dishes. It's pricey, but service and food are both top-notch. Golfers can also eat at Sam's Bar and Grill, replete with views over the golf courses and golfing memorabilia.

Wallet watch A 50-minute facial costs £49, a 40-minute body scrub £38. A night's stay including breakfast is £129 per person, based on two people sharing a room.

Need to know The Belfry, Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B76 9PR (08709 000066; www.thebelfry.co.uk)

The Quinn Insurance British Masters is on at The Belfry from September 24-28

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