Panticosa Resort & Spa ★★★★

Skiing can be great fun, don't get me wrong. There's nothing quite like the exhilaration and the deep relaxation that follows a day on the slopes. But I'm a fair-weather skier. When the sky is blue, the powder fresh, and my muscles bruise-free and happily unsuspecting, then you'll find me merrily gliding around with a smile on my face. But if the weather is less that perfect and I am nursing a single ache, there's no one who can persuade me to strap on the ski boots, no one. As a family it works fine, and it helps that ski resorts are often vibrant places in which to spend time. This year we were heading to the Pyrenees, and to a very special place. This is no ordinary ski resort, but one that has attracted royalty in the past. It has been known and adored for its therapeutic hot springs long before anyone had the brainwave of strapping on slippery shoes and hurling themselves down a mountain.

“This is not so bad” I was thinking, sweating it out in the thermal baths, gazing out to the snowy wonderland outside. This year I decided to start by indulging in the spa’s therapies before heading to the hills with my slippery skis on. Mineral waters flow through the spa, and even though my intellect didn't quite understand how that was beneficial, my body did. The number of different watery experiences topped any record I'd previously held. There were thermal waters, aromatic pools, cold water pools to get your blood flowing, outdoor pools to swim with the mountains as bystanders, and then various steam rooms. The cabins for personal treatments were serene, in wood and white, where nothing jarred the senses and you were invited to relax deeply.

In fact, this year, I didn't make it out onto the slopes until the last day! I thought, why ruin my holiday with the subsequent aches and pains? My family were happily out all day getting their adrenaline kicks, and I was perfectly content with seeing them for meal times in the restaurants and having plenty of me-time. Our room had a great view of the mountains, and the décor was calming, in neutral tones. I loved the abstract seventies-style wall paper on one wall, providing a splash of colour and creativity to an otherwise minimalist room. The bathroom had twin basins, a feature I think should be mandatory! It was in shiny marble, with a great rain shower and plenty of space.

I had a wonderful time this year at the Panticosa Resort & Spa. Between the six places to dine and enjoy an après-ski or post-spa drink, all serving high quality international and Spanish cuisine, I never felt bored or that my secret had been discovered – that I was sitting out the slopes!