Champneys Springs

Champneys Springs is a small destination spa in the Leicestershire countryside. Enter via a long winding driveway lined with well-kept fields. Premier guests can park next to the hotel entrance while all other spa-goers go to the other side of the car park. A wooden bridge over water, lined with flower baskets, takes you to the resort reception. The reception team will check you in with a welcome juice. The entrance is light, airy and quiet, setting a wonderful tone for your stay. By the reception is a boutique with Champneys, Elemis and Decléor products. You can also buy sports goods and swimwear.

Peace, quiet and an abundance of space to breathe.

Champneys Springs has an open-plan, spacious layout unlike most traditional spas.There's a Wellness Centre which has a well-equipped gym with personal trainers. Two studios offer an array of around 20 classes a day, from yoga and Pilates to Zumba and spinning. If you prefer to exercise outside, the grounds will not disappoint. You can hire a bike to explore the resort's ten acres or pick up a map of the local area with jogging trails outlined.

You can use the wet or dry changing rooms depending on whether you are swimming or not. The wet rooms are large but soon felt smaller as they became busy with health-club members. When you check in, you receive a robe and white Champneys flip-flops. Towels abound in the wet areas and changing rooms. Champneys products are in the showers and by the vanity areas so you need not bring much with you.

Poolside, you will find five compact showers, a standard wooden sauna, and a blue-mosaic steam room; both comfortably hold five people. We particularly enjoyed using the steam room which was hot and filled with steam.

The 25-metre pool has a stunning countryside backdrop; we enjoyed swimming some lengths and basking in the daylight. Adjoining is a bubble pool --nicely warm and full of people chatting and enjoying the experience. A further small wooden sauna by the pool would seat around four people, and was as hot as you would hope a sauna to be.

You can book the thalassotherapy pool for half-hour sessions for up to 12 people at a time for an extra charge. The pool is large, with powerful jets and treated salt water.

You can relax by the pool on a lounger or chill in a quiet zone. The décor throughout is light and homely with fresh white walls, comfortable sofas and patterned accessories.

There's also a hair studio and a mani-pedi area so you can leave looking glam. 

We tried the Lava Shell Full Body Massage (55 minutes, £79) and the Champneys Collagen Gold Facial (55 minutes, £69).

The spa has 56 treatment rooms. The pre-treatment waiting area has five different pods to wait in, depending on the letter your last name starts with or whether you are a Premier guest. Take a seat in the relevant pod and wait for your therapist.

My therapist, Jemma, met me with a warm smile and a handshake and led me to our treatment room. I took a seat and Jemma took time to find about my skin, how I was feeling and where she should focus her massage.

I got comfortable lying face down on the treatment bed and Jemma began the massage on my back. She used a sweetly-scented mango oil with the heated lava shells. She used long flowing movements mixed with pressure points to release tension, focusing on my shoulders and lower back as I needed.

Jemma carried on the massage to the back of my legs, front of my legs and arms before moving on to the Collagen Gold Facial. I hadn't tried the Champneys products before so was looking forward to experiencing them.

Jemma began with deep cleansing and exfoliated my skin with a Clarisonic brush. This gives a slightly odd sensation as it vibrates and spins simultaneously but it was comfortable and my skin felt alive afterwards. Next came a lovely relaxing massage with a flowery-scented oil. Jemma massaged my neck, shoulders, then up onto my face.

The star of the facial is definitely the gold mask: true to its name, it is gold, almost rubbery with a gel absorbed inside. Jemma laid it over my face with my nose, eyes and mouth positioned in the holes for them. It felt cool, moist and comfortable.

After the mask had done its work, Jemma removed it, toned my skin with cotton pads, and applied a serum and moisturiser to finish. I loved the facial and could visibly see a difference in my skin. I would definitely have these treatments again: the perfect mix of results and relaxation.

Champneys Springs has an extensive treatment menu of Champneys own, Decléor and Elemis treatments. If massage is your favourite, you can choose from Deep Tissue, Bamboo, Hot Stone, Lava Shell, Aromatherapy or Hot Poultice. Beauty treatments are available, too, as well as treatments for men and mums-to-be. 

As Champneys is a destination spa, you can comfortably wander around in your robe; this includes the restaurant at breakfast and lunchtime.

For lunch, you can choose what you would like from the buffet: a mixture of colourful salads, fish, meat, pulses and roasted vegetables. We enjoyed sea bass with salad, roasted beetroot and sweet potato wedges. For dessert, we had poached pear. All fresh and delicious.

At dinner, the restaurant feels more formal with low lighting and table service. We enjoyed a goat's cheese, basil and tomato salad followed by fish.

Breakfast is a buffet with cereal, fresh fruit and hot options, as well. Our omelette was both healthy and filling. 

We loved

Our treatments: wonderfully personalised and relaxing.

The outdoor activities: We loved being encouraged to go outside. You can hire a bike, play tennis, or have a leisurely walk around the grounds.

Our rooms were comfortable and we loved having doors that opened out on to the grounds; we were accompanied by half a dozen ducks on our early morning walk around the lake.

We didn't love

The lack of a post-treatment relaxation space: a dark relaxation area where you could snooze would be a welcome addition.

Champneys Springs is limited in its thermal facilities. 

Fitness lovers: The large gym, and classes that run throughout the day, are ideal for fitness lovers of any level.

Locals have the perfect excuse to become a member at Champneys Springs, then you can enjoy the spa as often as possible.

Spa newbies: Champneys Springs has a traditional spa offering with a non-intimidating feel, making it an ideal place for your first spa trip.

We gave Champneys Springs a Good Spa Guide rating of 4 bubbles. Champneys Springs is set in beautiful green grounds with space to breathe and stunning backdrops. The accommodation is comfortable, the food is good and there are lots of classes and treatments to enjoy. Champneys Springs would make an ideal introduction to spa-ing. 

Suave Spy visited in August 2016 and awarded it 4 Bubbles.