From the Sunday Times Travel Magazine, February issue

GRAYSHOTT, SURREY, UK

From the manicured gravel drive, Grayshott looks like any other grand country pile: a creeper-clad manor framed by oaks and rhododendrons. But wafts of aromatic oils at reception give the game away. Behind the historic façade lies a warren of quiet corridors, hushed treatment rooms and guests padding about in robes and slippers. While other so-called spa retreats are simply hotels with a handful of massage rooms bolted on, Grayshott has been a fully-fledged healthfarm since the 1960s – when guests detoxed on a diet of grapefruit and little else.

These days – much to my relief – the decor has been given a modern, country-chic makeover, and the menu is more good-for-you-gourmet than bootcamp. I certainly wasn’t expecting low-cal champagne and free canapés at the hotel’s cosy Bubbles Bar when I arrived on a rainy Friday evening. But here, you can be as saintly or sinful as you choose. It’s this laid-back attitude, along with a handy location – just an hour from London by car – that makes it so popular (loyal clients return year after year).

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When drastic action is needed... head to a retreat that will make you sweat for that dip in the infinity pool

• The French version of a boot camp

BACKGROUND

• Taj Green Cove spa, Kerala, India

• The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram, Kerala, India

• Banyan Tree Spa at Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India

• Ananda Spa, India

5 of the best Irish spas

From designer chic to a retreat in the wilds, Ireland has some of the best spas in Europe

• Monart Spa, County Wexford

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There’s not a whiff of stuffiness, and the fluffy robes that guests wear from dawn to dusk (changing only for dinner) are a great leveller. After just a day, I had abandoned any thoughts of make-up – and joined the other guests wandering around with hair slick from massage oil. Reached through heart-shaped doors, the spa is a softly-hued haven where expert therapists transform guests from stressed to jelly-limbed. Warning: don’t book a ‘Dream Time’ massage in the morning unless you want to spend the whole day snoozing. Afterwards, I floated between saunas, steam rooms and a midnight-blue mosaic-tiled pool. But my favourite treat was the steam cabinets – you’re locked in for a heated clean, with only your head sticking out into the fresh air. For less lethargic types, there are guided power walks, tennis courts, fitness classes and excellent personal training classes.

The wood-panelled dining room serves dishes that taste indulgent, but are nutritionally balanced. Did I shed kilos? Not really – but according to friends, I have a newfound glow, and my pulse has slowed from a frenetic flutter to a steady beat. JD

A four-night ‘De-stress’ break costs from £975pp, including all meals, non-alcoholic drinks, health consultation on arrival, body wrap with dry float experience, Dreamtime massage, aromatherapy full body massage and Oriental Wisdom massage (01428 602 000, www.grayshottspa.com).

The Six Senses Spa, Phuket, Thailand

Marooned on a tiny knarl of rainforest in Phuket’s iconic Phang Nga Bay, this is a triumph of style overlaid with substance. There’s not just one but four exquisite spas here: the Indian one is all delicately carved wood; the Chinese version incorporates an impressive apothecary with wall-to-wall cabinets stuffed with herbal remedies; the Thai centre includes Pra-tin Siam (a steam-based cleansing ritual); while the Indonesian offers minty scrubs. But the stand-out treatment is watsu – that’s shiatsu massage in a pool – where you will be turned to spaghetti. The resort is also home to one of the country’s few raw-food restaurants, but the spa isn’t too worthy – there’s also a cellar stocked with organic, biodynamic wines and Champagne.

Scott Dunn (020 8682 5060, www.scottdunn.com) has seven nights at Six Senses from £4,485pp including flights from Heathrow, all meals and selected spa treatments as well.

Monart, Co. Wexford, Ireland

If a profusion of carbon-dioxide-gulping trees is the key to keeping healthy, then Monart is a doctor’s dream. It’s surrounded by swathes of Waterford woodland and trimmed with gardens designed by a former Chelsea Flower Show winner. Among all that is a seriously technical spa that’s half listed building and half slick timber-and-glass confection. Lit up at night, and surrounded by lakes and glowing candles, it has more than a whiff of UFO-investigation-facility about it. Inside, the fun comes from the nine thermal treatments included in the price – everything from a salt grotto to an outdoor log cabin sauna. Irish hospitality prevents ‘spa deprivation’.

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