Our favourite UK spas

Champneys spas, nationwide

Champneys spas offer an array of treatments and first-class facilities. From Alexander Technique to dry flotation, there is now a therapy for every need. Residential stays and one-day packages are available at Champneys Resorts in Tring, Wigginton, Hertfordshire; Henlow Grange, Henlow, Buckinghamshire; Forest Mere, Liphook, Hampshire and Springs, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire. There are also now seven Champneys Town & City Spas. Visit www.champneys.com.

Sequoia Spa at The Grove, Hertfordshire

A range of luxurious ESPA treatments are offered in the Sequoia Spa at The Grove, a beautiful, historic estatein Chandlers Cross, Hertfordshire. The house is believed to date from Elizabethan times and the gardens feature 47,500 trees. A children's club is available. Visit www.thegrove.co.uk.

Atlantic Health and Spa, Houghton Hall, Suffolk

New-England-inspired interiors and a swimming pool set within a vaulted 15th-century timber-framed barn are just some of the attractions at the Atlantic Health and Spa, a day spa and health club set within the grounds of Houghton Hall in Sudbury, Suffolk. Regular workshops are also available. Visit www.atlantichealthandspa.co.uk.

Spa InterContinental, Park Lane, London

If you're planning a visit to London and want to escape the mad rush of the city, head to the Spa InterContinental on Park Lane for exotic Elemis treatments and a steam temple. Visit www.spaintercontinental.com.

Cowley Manor, Cotswolds

A breathtakingly beautiful house, just 30 rooms furnished with elegant furniture and designer fabrics, indoor and outdoor pools and 55 acres of gardens make Cowley Manor, near Cheltenham in the Cotswolds, an idyllic escape. Visit www.cowleymanor.com.

Hoar Cross Hall Spa Resort, Staffordshire

Hoar Cross Hall Spa Resort in Staffordshire is surrounded by 100 acres of tranquil countryside. The Grade II-listed stately home has a relaxing saltwater swimming pool and steam rooms and grottos in a Romanesque spa. Visit www.hoarcross.co.uk.

Historic house spas

If you enjoy staying in stately homes, see www.historichousehotels.com for details of the company's destination spas, such as Bodysgallen Hall, which has awe-inspiring views of Snowdonia and Conwy castle, and offers exclusive Anne Semonin spa treatments and Middlethorpe Hall, York, which has traditional, elegant rooms.