Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, West Sussex

Could we have found the perfect British getaway?

Set in 30 acres of English countryside and just a stone's throw from the beach, Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa is luxurious, friendly and cosy in equal mesaures.

The award-winning spa offers a long list of heavenly sounding treatments as well as all the usual steam rooms, saunas, jacuzzis, indoor and outdoor pools. I opted for the full body Drift Away massage, and as the rain battered down outside and my therapist got to work on my tired, stressed self, any problems, aches and pains seemed to melt away.

While the spa is undoubtedly one of the best in the South, it's the rest of the Bailiffscourt experience that really makes this a must-do British getaway. The rest of the property sprawls across the 32 acres of rugged land, where breathtakingly beautiful peacocks roam free, and each of the 39 rooms and suites are uniquely inviting and decadent, having been indvidually and luxuriously decorated.

The oak beams and panelled passageways give the hotel an other worldy feel as do the sculpted four poster beds in the rooms and the authentic 12th century chapel in the grounds - which can be booked for weddings. Working open fires are dotted around the hotel giving the place a cosy, warm feel.

All food in the elegant Tapestry Restaurant, with its medieval architecture, mullioned windows and tapestry-hung walls, is locally sourced. The focus is modern English cuisine and the breakfast is one of the best I've had.

If lulling around at a spa isn't your cup of tea, there are plenty of other fun activities and ways to while away the hours - head to Climping Beach for a bracing walk, sightsee in picturesque Arundel or drive to the Brighton Lanes which are just a 40 minute drive away.

Rates at Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa start from £210 per room per night, based on two sharing a Standard Room, including breakfast, full use of spa facilities and VAT. For more information visit the website or call 01903 723511