The Spa at Bedford Lodge Hotel

Bedford Lodge is a grand, whitewashed Georgian hotel in manicured grounds near the Suffolk town of Newmarket, famous for its racecourse. The two-storey spa is housed in a modern extension with its own entrance. Walk down a path leading from the car park and through Grecian stone pillars wrapped in fragrant lavender.

Staff warmly greeted us and took us through to the spa lounge to fill out consultation forms, sip a hot drink, and down a shot of blueberry smoothie. The interior is subtle and classy; there are flickering scented ESPA candles and tactile, neutral furnishings.

Small but perfectly formed, the changing rooms have stone-effect tiled floors, mocha-coloured walls and large wood-panelled lockers with keys hung on pretty bracelets -- a nice touch. You'll find a robe, towel and flip-flops inside each locker.

There's a central bench for getting changed, one private changing cubicle and a double vanity mirror with moisturiser, two hairdryers and a pair of GHD straighteners. The three shower cubicles (each containing shampoo/conditioner and shower gel) and toilets are at the other end. All were immaculately clean during out visit.

The main spa space is on the ground floor. Heated to a pleasant to 42-46 degrees C, the steam room looks smart, with black marble seating and spotlights in the ceiling; sit or lie on the central slab of marble and breathe in the oil-infused steam. Mock embers give a warm glow to the toasty sauna which is nicely heated to 80-100 degrees C; pull the cord of the ice bucket outside for an instant way to cool down afterwards. The experience shower delivers everything from a cold mist to a full on downpour; the "tropical rain" was rather bracing.

We loved Bedford Lodge's oversized hydro-pool; natural light floods the area through the floor-to-ceiling windows. There are five different pool features to try: a standing Jacuzzi, seated Jacuzzi, foot spa, two hydrotherapy jets, and a bench to recline on as water jets gently massage your body. Our favourite was definitely the standing Jacuzzi: perfect for giving your muscles a good pummelling.

The roof terrace, with a hot tub and recliners, is an ideal place to relax before or after treatments. We turned on the jets and enjoyed the bubbles until our fingers wrinkled.

The main relaxation area is on the upper floor, overlooking the hydro-pool and roof terrace. Bright and airy, it's decorated in calming creams and greens, with plenty of seating including four recliners, two chairs and two sofas. Help yourself to water and a good selection of glossy magazines.

Dimly-lit, the second relaxation room -- designed for post-treatment time -- is like an Aladdin's cave, with dark wallpaper, thick curtains, comfortable sofas and bright fuchsia cushions.

We had a Balinese massage with hot stones (90 minutes, £100).

My therapist, Zoie, collected me from the upstairs relaxation room and led me to a stylish treatment room with wood floors, and truffle-coloured walls and furnishings. She explained the stages of the treatment, asked about my areas of concern, then asked me to lie face down on the warm treatment bed. Zoie passed two ESPA fragrances under my nose -- one fresh and zingy, the other calming -- and asked which I preferred; I went for calming.

Using hot stones coated in my chosen oil (ESPA's Soothing Bath and Body Oil), Zoie expertly massaged my entire body, starting with my feet, then moving on to my legs, back and arms. She used long sweeping strokes and shorter sharper movements, pressing the stones into the knots in my back. I turned over and Zoie repeated the massage on my front; the stones were still lovely and warm.

The treatment ended with a head massage using ESPA's Pink Hair Scalp Mud, a mask designed to nourish and condition the hair and scalp.

The blend of sandalwood, rose geranium and frankincense massage oil left my skin soft and smooth, while the gentle scent helped relax my mind. My hair also felt soft and silky for a couple of days afterwards.

The Spa at Bedford Lodge Hotel offers everything from relaxing massages and reviving facials to nourishing wraps and scrubs, as well as microdermabrasion, skin peels, reflexology and flotation. There are also treatments for men and mothers-to-be, plus makeovers, manis/pedis and beauty finishing touches.

We ate lunch in our robes in the comfortable spa lounge with a large fireplace, silver-framed mirrors, high-backed chairs and abundance of soft furnishings. Choose from wraps, paninis, salads and sharing platters; hot drinks, smoothies and detox drinks are on the menu, too. We had a coronation chicken wrap, an apple, avocado and spinach smoothie, and an indulgent slice of chocolate fudge cake. Everything was tasty and well-made.

Staying overnight? Try the hotel's two AA rosette restaurant, Squires, with its large Georgian windows and bright palette of fuchsia and florals. The gastro-pub-style menu includes seafood, steaks and traditional burgers; ours was perfectly cooked and the service was flawless.

We loved

The comfortable flip-flops: We felt safe padding around on wet floors.

The peace and quiet: We often had the pool and thermal facilities to ourselves.

The decor: Bedford Lodge is not afraid to experiment with colour; it's stylish rather than over-the-top.

We didn't love

The rooftop hot tub: As much as we loved the setting of the hot tub, it wasn’t as warm as we would have liked.

The lack of wi-fi: We appreciate that many people visit a spa to switch off, but as a millennial I wanted to 'gram my lunch.

Couples: The grounds, rooms and restaurant all scream romance.

Mothers and daughters: Bedford Lodge is the ideal place to spend some relaxing time together.

We awarded The Spa at Bedford Lodge Hotel a Good Spa Guide Rating of 5 bubbles. The spa is stylish, functional and -- on our visit -- peaceful. Bedford Lodge feels like a real getaway in the Suffolk countryside. Visit for the high-quality facilities and stay for the fabulous treatments.

Super Spy visited in April 2017 and awarded it 5 Bubbles.