An hour and 20 minutes south-east of the capital, Champneys Forest Mere is located in Liphook, a leafy Hampshire village in the South Downs. Forest Mere is the only Champneys spa resort south of London (the other three are in Hertfordshire, Leicestershire and Bedfordshire) and is a rural retreat from city life – as you spot partridges run across the long and winding driveway, you realise you're a long way from the Northern Line and its scuttling rats.
Open in 1995, but refurbished recently, Forest Mere is grand and attractive, what with its cream walls, dark wood, gold trimmings and rich-coloured carpets.
The spa has undergone a significant makeover and now boasts state of the art facilities including a Thermal Poolside Suite - rooms of varying heat complete with tropical rain and cool mist showers, a new outdoor relaxation area with heated water beds, and a new heated outdoor Hydropool.
Treatment-wise, Forest Mere offers everything from Elemis BIOTEC facials to Decleor body firming treatments, seaweed wraps to vibratory massage, but we recommend you opt for a signature Champneys therapy – the gold collagen facial is simply divine.
Overnight stays at Champneys Forest Mere start at £190 per person (prices vary depending on season) and include spa access, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Galvanize the girls or whisk Mum away for a day or two here and you'll feel a million dollars by the time you leave.
Original review updated 17 April 2018