Alexander House Hotel & Utopia Spa ★★★★★

City lights, car horns and an infinite maze of concrete pavements and grey sky scrapers fall away behind us as our train pulls out of London. Before we know it, my love and I have arrived and are wending our way in a taxi through dark country lanes toward our destination, our secret hideaway just beyond the fray. All is silent around us as the headlights pick out shrubs and trees of the acres of parkland that we are driving through. Suddenly, we are met with a blaze of twinkling, warm lights set in a vast, majestic mansion, winking and beckoning us in, ready to welcome us with open arms – Alexander House Hotel.

The impressive façade of the 17th Century building and the initial impression it gives of decadent privilege that can be somewhat intimidating, is instantly neutralised by the very grounded, friendly staff who take in our straight-from-work, crumpled apparel without batting an eyelid. I also spy a group of four women, clearly on a girly trip of pampering, who look as though they arrived on the same train as us and are no less scruffy than we. The décor too, although extremely elegant, is luxuriously contemporary, using sleek, clean lines and fresh tones to bring the antique architecture to life. The overall feel is that of authentic, unpretentious country glamour in the heart of the rolling, lush hills and dales of this stunning part of our green and pleasant land.

Tired and hungry we opt for a less formal supper in the gourmet brasserie, Reflections, but though simpler than the hotel's exquisite AG's Grill Room, everything is delicious and we go up to our room with the happy glow, of stomachs filled with fine food! Now for a bath in the vast Victorian bateau style tub that can easily fit two – I can see how, with such details as these, as well as its enchanting location and decadent setting, this has been named in Condé Nast Johansens Awards 2015 as Most Romantic Hotel. Not to mention its award-winning, ancient Greek style Spa with its sauna, steam room, gorgeous indoor and outdoor pools and array of exclusive treatments. As one of the hotel's principal attractions it's an experience I am very much looking forward to and one of the highlights that drew us to Alexander House. Now with every passing minute I am increasingly happy with our excellent choice - this is the perfect lovers' getaway.

After a long soak, we wrap ourselves in the fluffy dressing gowns provided and pad out in our hotel slippers to collapse on our sumptuous king-size bed. We sleepily curl up to watch a film on our flash flat screen television before crawling under our Egyptian cotton sheets and falling into a sound sleep. Tomorrow promises picnics in fields of flowers and feasting on wild strawberries, of messing about in boats on the river and playing Pooh sticks in the breathtakingly beautiful Ashdown Forest, home of A.A. Milne's beloved bear. It also promises a blissful session in that spectacular Spa and we yet have our whole weekend stretching out lush and dreamy ahead of us, heaven!