USP Their claim of even the slimmest possibility of being able to look ten years younger in a single day calls like a siren.

AMBIENCE Clean and simple. What facilities? Just treatment rooms.

EXPERIENCE Fabulous; the best facial I've had. The therapist had magic fingers. It was a mixture of consultation, with a nutritionist and physiotherapist, therapy and Pilates with Carolan Brown, the former personal trainer to the late Diana, Princess of Wales.The one hour slimming and detoxifying body treatment using algae harvested in the North Sea actually made my skin feel ten years younger.

FOOD You go to the hotel for food.

IN CROWD I didn't see anyone else there.

WALLET WATCH The day costs from £400, with anti-ageing work, such as Botox, costing extra.

NEED TO KNOW The Soma Centre, Royal Garden Hotel, London W8 (020-7937 8000; www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk )

Read the full review

Times recommends

• Our globetrotters relax in New Zealand
• How to minimise the euro holiday misery
• A break for every weekend in 2009