USP Quellenoasis is a new a three-storey, luxury spa facility built into the woods with riveting rural views and exclusivity to guests staying in the hotel.

There's a ladies-only sauna area – the first of its kind in Austria - a natural swimming lake incorporating a thermal mineral pool, an indoor and second outdoor thermal pool, various types of sauna and steam rooms, aqua and sound meditation rooms, sun decks and a café/bar.

The Heiltherme Day Spa is also directly attached to the hotel and offers a vast range of indoor and outdoor baths, pools and treatments combining therapeutic thermal waters with a slick fitness programme. The latter includes the Ying and Yang Energy Path in the Wellness Park, Nordic walking and in summer months guided medicinal nature walks.

AMBIENCE The recently refurbished 4-star hotel is bright, fresh and practical. Staff are smiley and helpful and the bedrooms are neat and comfortable. This is “health farm” Austrian style – lots of rest and relaxation alongside good food and drink.

The day spa becomes busy with locals during the day but is fabulous in early morning and late evening; the Quellenoasis remains spacious even when the hotel is at full capacity.

Golf, Tennis and Squash are all within a mile of the hotel. Local culture includes visits to historic castles, wineries and the university city of Graz, which untouched by war is a wonderful medieval city where café culture abounds.

EXPERIENCE I had watsu (underwater shiatsu), a two-hour facial, an hour-long Ayurvedic massage, and tuina (Chinese) massage. All were top-class. The exercise plan devised by the spa’s personal trainer worked its magic so that endorphins were leaping about my brain.

The Styrian Spa Treatment Centre and Feng Shui Beauty Centre offer a wide range of treatments for holistic, beauty, cure and rehabilitation needs. Their own Traditional Styrian Medicine combines local knowledge with products from the region.

FOOD The Hotel restaurant caters for special dietary requirements and serves a delicious four-course dinner with choices from a set menu. Everything was organic and produced by local farmers.

The day spa has an a la carte restaurant and self- service snack bar with a terrace bar by the pools in the summer. Quellenoasis has a café/bar with glass walls opening onto the sundecks.

IN CROWD Mainly Austrians on a weekend break from Vienna. Oh, and it’s a blissful place for the unhappy girlfriend to mull over matters of the heart.

WALLET WATCH Five nights cost from £296. There are more than 115 holistic and beauty treatments listed and ten inclusive packages to choose from. Treatments cost about £30 each, plus unlimited access to mineral pools and saunas of both spa areas. You can have a 25-minute therapeutic back massage for €27 (less than £20), full-body massage for 45mins at €45; full 90-minute facials start at €64.

NEED TO KNOW Quellenhotel & Spa, Styria, Austria (00 43 3333 5000; www.quellenhotel.com) Email office@quellenhotel.com Ryanair flies to Graz, the nearest airport or schedule from Heathrow to Vienna.

For more than 245 independent spa reviews click here: timesonline.co.uk/goodspaguide

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