THE MISSION To empty my head and stop people saying: “You look pale/tired/awful.”

USP Go for the fabulous open-air treatment rooms, the delicious-smelling candles in the changing rooms and the unusual Cinq Mondes products they use - a real treat and a lovely beauty discovery

AMBIENCE Relaxed, unstuffy, the opposite of what you might expect. Gone is the aggressively French, enforced jollity, with compulsory activities 24/7. In its place is a suit-yourself mentality: a huge, new luxurious resort, in lush grounds on a perfect beach, with every possible activity, but no pressure to do anything.

QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE Top notch. The spa is fantastic, a dedicated 800sq m space of teak, slate, fluffy robes and orchids, with treatments ranging from four-day rituals to facials and eight types of massage. Unlike some hotel spas, this isn’t a couple of beds and a moonlighting waitress as a therapist.

The place uses proper products, administered by properly trained therapists, and it shows. My facial was relaxing and thorough, with the soundtrack of real waves breaking over rocks outside. The Royal Sirodhara Treatment, a massage that ended with warm sesame oil being trickled over my forehead, was beyond relaxing.

The post-treatment chill-out area is a deck overlooking the ocean, where you are served lemongrass tea and shavings of coconut. Outside the spa there are two infinity pools, the fabulous beach, and proper, adjustable wooden sun-loungers, with comfy mat-tresses and soft beach towels. Teams of jolly staff bring platters of fruit every afternoon. As it’s Club Med, most want to do something: diving, tennis, archery... you name it. The rest of us get the beach to ourselves. Bliss.

PRODUCTS A range called Cinq Mondes. Big name in France, the products are gentle and smell delicious.

FOOD Mostly pretty amazing, with astonishing choice. There are two restaurants. Le Phare served me fresh baguettes, tropical fruit and good coffee at breakfast (I could have had eggs, bacon, waffles), and a shrimp salad for lunch. La Distilleraie, a series of big interconnected terraces under thatched roofs, looks over the beach and has the famous Club Med buffet. They cooked me a melting fillet steak to order, with a pile of salad from the salad bar. There’s endless types of cheese, bread and a million puddings.

IN-CROWD An international bunch of couples, honeymooners and anyone interested in an indulgent break in the sun. I’d happily go on my own.

WALLET WATCH Club Med offers seven nights at La Plantation d’Albion from £1,499 per person, including all meals, drinks, complimentary sports and watersports tuition and return flights economy class with Air Mauritius. Air Mauritius offers a daily nonstop service to Mauritius from London Heathrow with regional connections from 17 UK airports.

NEED TO KNOW For further information and details, visit www.airmauritius.com; for spa details, www.clubmed.co.uk or phone 08453 676767.

For more than 235 independent spa reviews log on to timesonline.co.uk/goodspaguide

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