IT'S only a few minutes' drive from the hustle, bustle and blaring car horns of the M42, but Champneys Springs spa resort may as well be in a different universe, writes Pete Wallace. 
Driving down the entrance lane as it cuts through open Leicestershire farmland and countryside, you can feel the stresses and strains of modern life evaporating before you even park up and cross the wooden walkway over the koi carp pond to reception.
But it's once you truly cocoon yourself in the laid-back luxury and self-pampering interior that you really forget just how close you still are to the chaos of civilisation beyond the gates.
Recently refurbished to include new fittings and net-screened relaxation areas in the lounge, there's no aspect to how you may find it easiest to rest, relax and recuperate that this plush, friendly spa resort doesn't have covered.
Keep fit fanatics can work out in the state-of-the-art gym or join in an endless list of exercise classes; those with a more laid back approach to healthy living can steam, sauna, swim in the full-sized swimming pool or just ease into the heated jacuzzi and watch the world go by; or the lounge lizards can simply grab a cuppa or a smoothie, pick up a magazine and while away the hours doing very little indeed in the lounge area chairs.
It very much sums up the whole Champneys ethos: do as much as you want, or as little as you want, but the focus is entirely upon you and your personal needs.
The spa treatment rooms offer a bewildering array of facials, body treatments and alternative therapies, from a quick 25-minute pick-me-up massage to elaborate and exquisite pamperings like the chocolate wrapper body treatment or Russian honey massage.
And at mealtimes, Springs really comes into its own. Extensive breakfast and lunch buffets are as packed with imagination and flavour as they are with healthy, varied and balanced ingredients and come the evening, the restaurant's three-course menu, complete with comprehensive wine list, combines a modern flair with traditional classics, sourced from the freshest seasonal produce.
Rooms, as you'd expect are large and luxurious - marbled bathrooms, king size beds, flat screen TVs and, of course, the essential fluffy bathrobe and complimentary slippers for you to laze around in during your stay.
A night or two at Champneys is enough to transport the most stressed, overworked individual into a haven of tranquility you'll find it almost impossible to leave.
For more visit http://www.champneys.com/spa-resorts/champneys-springs/ or call 0843 316 2222.