Ragdale Hall

(01664 434 831; www.ragdalehall.co.uk)

WHERE: An ivy-clad Victorian castellated country house in landscaped gardens near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. Views over the Vale of Belvoir. Off the A46, about 20 mins from Leicester station (£22 taxi fare - you can connect to a nearby station at Melton Mowbray) - and an hour and 45 minutes from St Pancras. Taken over by founders of Our Price Records in 1990 when the decor was upgraded and extensions added.

WHO GOES: Mothers and daughters, female groups of friends. Rosemary Conley (once a guest, now does a residency every year), John Nettles, Matthew Kelly. Men (about 10 per cent of guests) tend to come at weekends.

SPA CREDO: A range of health checks are available from £11. Down-to-earth, traditional "Health Hydro", which has factored in many natural therapies. The variety of treatments is impressive, from the healthandfitness-related nutritional analysis and body-composition tests to stress counselling and colour therapy. There's even Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

SPA FACILITIES: Gym; 56 treatment rooms; 25-metre indoor pool (and one outdoor); two whirlpool baths; mixed and single-sex saunas and steam rooms; two plunge pools plus a sanarium combining sauna, soft steam room, herbal and warm-air bath in one unit. Two studios for classes (18 a day) for step, aerobics, dance plus Pilates, T'ai chi and yoga. Hair studio plus a well-stocked shop. Outdoor pursuits include mountain bikes, tennis courts, croquet, boules, archery and golf tuition. Oriental garden for quiet contemplation.

TREATMENTS: Traditional spa faves such as Clarins, Elemis, Decleor, Guinot and Kanebo. Ragdale is the only place in the UK to offer kinetic massage (NB: given by a tall, dark, handsome male therapist).

ACCOMMODATION: Comfortable, slightly chintzy. No marks for lack of complimentary slippers - you either buy them in the shop (£9.95) or wander around in your own - which hardly complements the desired luxe spa effect. What's more, the white, fluffy robes in the rooms require a £3.50 deposit. Disappointing toiletries in the bathroom.

FOOD: Refreshing attitude - if you want two puddings you can have 'em and menu items are calorie-graded by easy-to-check symbols. Breakfast served in your room is nice, although the choice (muesli, Ryvita, pitta with bacon) is rather unimaginative. Three-course lunch is a hit - soup, roast beef and potatoes with delicious gravy, baked bananas with cr?me fra"che - and there is a four-course dinner with wine (no bar). The Verandah bar has a fine cake selection - but only discovered on the last day.

SERVICE: Helpful treatment desk when faced with potentially annoying last-minute changes of mind: "The Kanebo facial or the kinetic massage?" Friendly atmosphere.

RECOMMENDED PACKAGE: The Ragdale Weekender, two nights from Friday or Saturday, includes an introductory facial, back, shoulder-and-neck massage and a lifestyle talk for £268 pp, based on two sharing.

TIP: The five-night Pampering Holiday (Sunday to Friday) is fantastic value at £92pp per night and includes five treatments: refreshing facial and exfoliation, back, shoulderand-neck massage, Dead Sea mud-wrap, body exfoliationand-nourish and soothing hand treatment.