Inside the beautiful Sussex spa that's a 'secret haven of tranquillity' for its guests

Bailiffscourt Hotel and Spa, located in Climping, offers spa days and stays on a beautiful estate, where guests can enjoy the vast, picturesque grounds and the sand dunes of Climping beach.

My mum and I were lucky enough to be invited to spend a day experiencing the magic of this decadent Sussex hideaway last week, which boasts 39 bedrooms in a series of houses and cottages, a restaurant and a spa with indoor and outdoor facilities.

The second we turned off the main road and drove down a quiet lane to get to Bailiffscourt, I had a feeling I was going to have a great day. It might only be minutes from rush-hour traffic and the relentless, busy pace of modern life, but it feels like a world away.

The buildings that make up Bailiffscourt look like they’re hundreds of years old, but they were, in fact, only built less than a hundred years ago.

Then owners Lord and Lady Moyne sourced materials from the 12th and 13th century, such as doorways and window arches, and it has been styled to look much older than it really is.

We arrived on a sunny morning, and the grounds immediately impressed us. There’s acres of space and pathways to walk on, as well as benches and a swing to allow you to stop and reflect.

The state-of-the-art spa is the most recent of the buildings. It it is built in the style of a Sussex barn with dramatic exposed timber frame, but has all the mod-cons you would expect in a luxury spa.

It’s hard not to be impressed as you enter the large reception area, where the smell of the alluring Templespa products immediately hits you and you’re greeted with a view of the indoor and outdoor pools through the large floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

The friendly staff welcomed us and took us through the plan for our day – which was basically to relax and take it easy. Nothing else was required from us – bliss!

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Our first stop was a full-body massage, lasting 55 minutes. This was part of our Relaxation Pamper Day package (prices from £205pp), but it can be bought separately (£120). I already felt relaxed, but even if I hadn’t, there wasn’t a chance I’d have come out of this experience as anything other than completely zen.

Hollie, my massage therapist, was incredible. My tight neck and back muscles – a casualty of being desk-bound for a lot of my working week – were really eased, and it was just a really, really blissful experience.

Next, we were shown to the relaxation room where we spent the best part of an hour lying down, having a quiet chat and drinking fruit-flavoured water. It’s so rare you allow yourself to lay down and do nothing – particularly in the middle of the day – so it was completely joyful.

By now, it was time for lunch, so we hopped over the the main building for our reservation at Tapestry. A two-course lunch and glass of fizz was included in our package, which can include a starter and main, or main and dessert.

We plumped for the latter and really enjoyed our locally-sourced dishes in the elegant surroundings. There are also cosy lounges where you can enjoy a drink after dinner, and on warmer days, a pretty courtyard where you can dine.

My mum and I both plumped for the noodles dish, which was fresh homemade pasta, morel mushroom cream sauce, toasted pine nuts, feta, herb oil. It was delicious.

For pudding, I had sticky toffee pudding and ice cream, while mum had the more summery Eton mess. It was just the right amount of food – we weren’t full-to-bursting, but it hit the hunger spot. The bubbles were a decadent and welcome addition to the meal.

Next, we had an express facial booked and Hollie again worked her magic. My skin felt fresh and glowing after she used a variety of products suited to my skin type – and everything smelled heavenly.

After a quick stop for a coffee (all hot drinks are complimentary) in the upstairs lounge, where we enjoyed sitting outside and overlooking the swimming pool, it was time to enjoy the rest of the spa facilities.

I had a half-hour swim in the outside pool, where I felt like I was abroad as I looked up at the blue sky and clouds. A dip in the indoor pool, a quick go in the indoor jacuzzi and then spent a glorious couple of hours chilling out in the outdoor jacuzzi, just chatting and relaxing with my mum. It was wonderful.

I could have stayed even longer, but I was beginning to turn into a prune, so we chilled on the loungers by the pool for a bit, then tried out the steam room and jacuzzi.

Much as we hated to leave, I wanted to be home to say goodnight to my children, so we had one more quick coffee and hit the road.

I can’t fault any of the facilities at Bailiffscourt. They’re all super clean and everything feels really luxurious. The staff are friendly, and the whole place is a masterclass in escapism. As far as Thursdays go, this one was hard to beat!