Set among private gardens, the Macdonald Frimley Hall Hotel & Spa provides the ideal accommodation for an idyllic romantic hideaway in Surrey woodland.

With a blurb like that, how could I be anything but excited as I approached my weekend away?

And the four-star Frimley Hall didn't disappoint.

I may have got a little lost on the way – the hotel unexpectedly pops up down a rather posh-looking residential street – but the calm started to sweep over me from the moment I arrived.

Well-kept lawns surround the listed manor, house giving the whole place a tranquil feel before you even step through the front door.

The peaceful atmosphere seems to have rubbed off on the staff, who met us at reception with a friendly and in-control attitude, despite being in the middle of a computer glitch that meant they couldn’t issue room keys.

Our check-in was handled professionally, and we were shown up the impressive gallery staircase to our room.

The hall was built in 1882, but – with its Gothic feel, heavy woodwork and impressive tapestries – it is clear the architects were harking back to an earlier era.

It has the feel of a Scottish hunting lodge, complete with roaring log fires in the winter, which is maybe why the north-of-the-border Macdonald group invited it into its stable of hotels.

In the 1920s the house was sold to JF Wright of Wright’s Coal Tar Soap fame. I did wonder if there would be a bar in each room as a nod to the building’s heritage, but alas there wasn’t. Maybe that’s for the best, though: doubtless, not all the hotel’s guests would find the distinct scent as nostalgic and comforting as I do.

Our comfortable room had a wonderful view across the lawns: you could almost imagine looking out to see JF Wright and chums enjoying a sophisticated post-war drinks party in their boaters and slacks.

Food is a real treat at Frimley Hall. The Macdonald group prides itself on serving only the highest quality food, using the finest seasonal ingredients, and this is evident in the taste.

Over the two nights of our stay we tried lamb, beef and fish – all cooked to perfection and complemented well by the vegetables served up.

I’ve stayed in numerous hotels over the years, but I would like to go on record and say the breakfast on offer at Frimley Hall was one of the best I’ve ever had.

The cold offering was exemplary, with a good selection of fresh fruit, mini pastries and cold meats. The cooked meal also well exceeded expectations.

If you are feeling energetic after feasting, you can head over to the Vital Health and Wellbeing Club to use the gym facilities and swimming pool.

Or head upstairs to the beauty rooms and be pampered. I indulged in a 60-minute facial to refresh and liven up my skin.

I don’t know whether it was the products, the therapists hands or the fact that I felt so relaxed at the end of it, but my face certainly had a glow at the end.

Helen Fairley travelled curtesy of Macdonald Hotels