This Spanish resort helped me soft launch autumn

My Sea View Plunge Suite put me in good stead for the long weekend, including a spacious living room with TV, a private terrace with plunge pool and chilled outdoor sofa area. Fairmont beds are so renowned that you can actually buy their own bedding in the US (sorry, Brits), and I can confirm that I enjoyed the best sleep I’d had in months in this suite, with there being no better feeling than ending the day melting into my mattress and drawing the blackout blinds for maximum effect. Bathrooms, meanwhile, are marbled and elegant, featuring generous bath tubs (perfect for bubble baths and watching TSITP finale from, tried and tested) and a rainfall shower so relaxing that stepping out of it felt near impossible.

Though I am firmly of the mindset that if you’re staying in a resort near the sea you are morally obliged to swim in the ocean, the plunge pool rooms and main pool area make a compelling case for otherwise. Truly, there’s no shortage of dreamy spots to lounge the day away in, nowhere more so than the spa where I fell asleep on the massage table in the capable hands of one of the resort’s friendly masseuses. Beyond a range of face and body treatments on offer, Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol’s spa also offers a picturesque indoor pool, two hammams, a sauna, hydrotherapy and a fitness centre equipped with state-of-the-art machines, a yoga studio, gym and cardio room for good measure.

When it comes to food, between Umbra, El Faro la Hacienda and Dalmar, there’s always a reason to look forward to meal time at Fairmont. Headed up by Michelin-starred chef Benito Gómez, Dalmar showcases the best of authentic Andalusian cuisine, prepared with quality and care that comes through in every bite. From Gómez’s hearty signature jamón croquettes to delicate tuna tataki, dining here is an experience in every sense of the word.