Ragdale Hall strikes the balance between indulgence and health perfectly

We all love a mini-break, but sometimes you come back to normality feeling sluggish, overindulged and more tired than when you left.

What we all could sometimes do with is a break that offers time out for your mind and body, while gently guiding you to stay on the straight and narrow (and offering a spot of indulgence if you fancy it).

Ragdale Hall, in the heart of rural Leicestershire near Melton Mowbray, strikes this balance perfectly.

It’s truly away from it all in a perfectly peaceful, lush green parkland setting. And from the moment you step in the door, everything is taken care of. All you need to worry about is making your treatment appointment time.

The Hall has the grandeur of a Victorian stately home in the entrance and the wood-panelled dining room. Thick carpets and sumptuous furnishings welcome you, and attentive staff are poised, ready to deal with your every need.

After checking in, you are free to enjoy the spa facilities before lunch and then dinner (depending on your package - we stayed on the overnight reviver break). We headed straight to lunch, where there was a sizeable selection of healthy options to pick from.

Diners have the choice of a small indulgence for dessert, or of course you can stick to the lighter options if you wish. Dining at Ragdale Hall is always informed; menus are illustrated with ‘windows’ which denote the level of calorific indulgence of your chosen dish, three windows containing the most calories.

Heading off to the spa in our cosy robes, we couldn’t help but notice that although busy, the Hall never felt too packed. Each spa experience was beautifully quiet, despite visiting on a weekend over the Easter period.

There are a number of different areas to relax in, from drier saunas and tropical showers (with sound effects!) to my personal favourite, the candle pool. Pure bliss. There’s also the outside pool with powerful jets for a quick back massage.

The icing on the cake, however, has to be the recently-opened rooftop infinity pool. Beautifully warm, and with stunning views over the Leicestershire countryside, this is the jewel in Ragdale’s crown. Sit back and relax on the bubbling jets, or lean over the side and take in the cool air.

Our package included a back massage and facial too, and with 65 treatment rooms and more than 100 treatments on offer, you will be absolutely spoilt for choice (and sure to find something you like). My treatment was one of the best I’ve ever had.

Before dinner, we relaxed with drinks in one of the Hall’s bars, and then headed over to our three-course meal. A number of residents were dining in their dressing gowns, and with a dress code as relaxed as Ragdale’s, you of course can do as you please.

Breakfast the next day was served straight into our bedroom. Another little luxurious touch that Ragdale just does so well.

We left Ragdale feeling fully revived and peaceful, and like we’d had a chance to indulge ourselves too. I can’t rate this place highly enough.