Lying on a treatment bed, covered in warm body oil, I am drifting into a contented doze, as a beauty therapist 'brushes' me from my little toe to the top of my head. On a table at her side is a dazzling array of brushes: some of which are firm and exfoliating, others are so soft that it feels like I am being caressed by feathers. Even my scalp and hair end up getting a good brushing.
This is 'A Brush With Heaven', the signature treatment at Alexander House Hotel's Utopia Spa and whilst it may sound a little bizarre, but it is in fact utterly blissful. I left the beauty room feeling relaxed and refreshed, and those feelings remained for the rest of the weekend.
Alexander House Hotel, just a few miles from Gatwick Airport, was originally a 17th century manor house with a farm. It later became home to English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and William Campbell, a former Governor of the Bank of England. It has recently been refurbished and a modern wing, housing the spa, has been added.
Enter the front door of the hotel, which is set in 170 acres of private stunning gardens and parkland (with its own helipad) and you will find yourself on the house's own equator of old meets new. Turn left, and you'll be in the original country manor, complete with flagstone floor, panelled rooms, grand staircase, and croquet lawn.
Turn right, and you enter the spa, which has 25 treatment rooms, a gym, and its highlight: a subterranean swimming and hydrotherapy pool, complete with Romanesque pillars and lit to make it feel like you're taking a dip by moonlight. And outside in the gardens, rabbits, birds and squirrels run around rhododendrons and rose bushes.
On arrival, we were treated to a guided tour of the entire hotel by the cheerful concierge Brian. Parts of the building may be old, but throughout, the décor is ultramodern and achingly trendy. Throughout the hotel, keep an eye out for all the unique ornaments and pieces of furniture, such as the two pretty metal peacocks as you exit the lift, the birdcage near the front door and the unique side tables and chests in all the communal area. Everything has been hand selected by the hotel's owner and brought back to Sussex from all around the world.
The 38 bedrooms, are named, not numbered and are all decorated differently. We stayed in 'Elm', which was huge with an en suite bathroom complete with rolltop bath, walk in powershower, two sinks and sound system. The room felt like home from home and was decorated exactly as I would have decorated my bedroom and bathroom at home if only I'd been interior-savvy enough to do so (I don't mind admitting I photographed every corner of the bathroom for future inspiration should I ever be doing a bathroom makeover). And I particularly loved the butterscotch and banana biscuits left out in the tea and coffee making corner.
All hotels want their guests to feel relaxed, but Alexander House has truly achieved that ambience. You can sit and quaff cocktails in the Champagne bar, yet at the same time, guests feel relaxed enough to walk around the entire place their soft waffle dressing gowns. There is a sunny 'relaxation room' in the spa overlooking the outdoor hot tub which is set in a pretty courtyard garden, but the bottom line is everywhere you turn in Alexander House there is sofa or armchair on which to lounge, and lounge the guests do. We'd intended to take out the hotel's mountain bikes and follow their designated 'Trekking trail' but we ended up barely getting out of our dressing gowns.
In terms of food, a buffet breakfast includes cereals, fruit, yoghurts and cooked breakfast. Dinner takes place in AG's Grill Room, run by head chef Paul Nixon, which offers locally sourced food in the style of the Savoy Grill. We had steak and chips, which was delicious. The service was impeccable too, although the atmosphere in the Grill Room itself was slightly quiet and formal for my liking.
We'd definitely return to Alexander House, not least because aside from a lovely and relaxing weekend, my partner and I have unexpectedly completely fallen in love with their own brand of beauty products, Temple Spa.
I normally eye a spa's own brands with suspicion, but my partner picked up a pot of their Double Cream moisturiser after his 'Go Guy' male facial for £35, as well as a face mask. It's absolutely brilliant and within a few weeks, the two of us had powered through the lot and both had softer and more supple looking skin as a result.
Actually, with it available online, I don't need to physically return to the hotel to buy a new pot. But the excuse of just having to go there again to pick up some more face cream and sample their other products feels like the perfect excuse to treat myself once more.
Turners Hill, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH10 4QD (+ 44(0)1342 714914; alexanderhotels.co.uk/alexander). Prices start at £119 per room including breakfast.
Utopia spa: signature treatments
Japanese hot oil massage: £75
Warmed oil is gently massaged into the body, followed by heated towels and a thermal wrap.
A Brush with Heaven: £98
Followed by a facial, you are brushed head to toe with a series of brushes of varying sizes and textures to drain toxins, relax and massage the body.
The Totally Quenched and Drenched Facial: £90
An anti ageing facial for dehydrated and neglected skin, which includes Utopia Spa's 'Windows of the Soul' eye therapy, which is clever massage to lift and smooth the eyes.
