It was just how I imagined it would be, writes  Cathy Spencer. My head was being massaged while soothing music played in the background and I was covered, from my neck down, in lashings of warm chocolate.

It is every chocoholic’s dream come true, and the bonus is this treatment is guaranteed to leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. The chocolate wrapper is just one of the many treatments available at the Champneys Springs Health Resort in Leicestershire.

And they are not just for women, as my husband found out with this surprise trip for his birthday.

Men love to be pampered as well and the body radiance treatment meant that after his skin was exfoliated he could relax with a massage before lunch.

My chocolate therapy treatment was a guilt-free body wrap designed to look, feel and smell like chocolate but it is actually a mixture of honey, shea and cocoa butter, which is warmed up and applied to your skin, before you are wrapped up snugly in protective foil and soft towels.

Then the lights are dimmed, soothing piano music plays in the background and it was then that Claire, my therapist, started the relaxing head massage.

After showering off, body butter was massaged into my skin leaving me looking and feeling like a new person.

That morning we had arrived at the resort early, keen to start the day and after looking over the extensive list of classes we opted to make the most of the sunshine and take out two of the spa’s bicycles.

The spa has a cycle route planned out for visitors, which takes you into the nearby village of Packington.

When we got back to Champneys we could see an indoor cycling class going on in the fitness studio, which looked a lot tougher than our gentle bike ride.

Among the classes available are pilates, tennis knockabout, fitness hula hoop and yoga.

However, the sight of the 25m swimming pool was too tempting for us. Surrounded on three sides by floor-to-ceiling windows, swimming around in the warm water looking out at the idyllic views across the rolling Leicestershire countryside is wonderful. The pool has a jacuzzi as well as a small sauna room, while the changing rooms have their own sauna and steam rooms.

After our first treatments we were booked in for lunch, which mainly consisted of a hot and cold buffet with jacket potatoes, rice and pasta dishes, salads and mixed beans.

Guests walk around all day in bathrobes, which are provided by the resort, and slippers or flip-flops, which you have to bring yourself.

However, it wasn’t long before we went along to the treatment rooms again for our personalised facials.

My skin was cleansed and a face mask applied and while that soaked in, my feet were massaged and wrapped in warm towels. Then my therapist applied a toner, illuminating beauty balm and a day cream to leave my skin glowing.

My husband doesn’t usually enjoy his birthday, but he left Champneys feeling rejuvenated and with the scent of chocolate on my skin I couldn’t have felt happier.

* A day at Champneys Springs Health Resort in Leicestershire starts from £65. The A La Carte Spa Day with two treatments costs £115. For more information go to www.champneys.co.uk or call 0843 316 2222.