Everything about Puente Romano subtly encourages the kind of relaxation it’s hard to achieve on more intrepid getaways. Three minutes’ walk from my bedroom and my toes are being tickled by the Andalusian sea, on the golden sands of a private beach. Five minutes takes me to Rachel’s Organic Cafe, to sip cold-pressed carrot, apple and fennel juice poolside. The resort is big enough that you rarely see the same person twice – a plus in my book, no-one wants to make small talk in their bikini – yet you can roll from sun lounger to restaurant to bar without raising a sweat.

I settle into a morning routine of a beach stroll, three-course breakfast on the terrace under the orange trees, and lounging around one of the three pools binge reading Luckiest Girl Alive (am I the only one who measures holidays by the number of books they devour?). Had I been a very different person (ie. not intrinsically lazy) I would have taken advantage of the ten clay tennis courts (where John McEnroe and Boris Becker have played), or the gleaming gym. I might even have contemplated leaving the resort for dinner. But with nine restaurants there’s no reason to exert yourself. We ate lobster spaghetti overlooking the waves at The Sea Grill, sourdough pizzas at Serafina, and on night three we opted for Bibo, a ‘concept’ restaurant by the Michelin-starred Dani Garcia… words which normally fill me with terror. But the BBQ pork rib steamed bun, tuna tacos and guaca-peas were so good we went two nights running.

But none of this really explains my yearning to return to Marbella, every time I take my seat on the number 38. Last year saw the opening of the long-awaited Six Senses Spa Marbella at Puente Romano. And now I understand why beauty editors, spa industry insiders and R&R-craving A-listers return to Six Senses’ spas time and again. My happy place is on one of the huge white space-shuttle beds that hug the infinity pool listening to the sea. And whoever invented heated toilet seats that play relaxing music to mask ‘sounds’ deserves applause. After a Holistic Signature Massage (products are by The Organic Pharmacy), I eased from the hydrotherapy pool to the shower (complete with mood lighting and 20 different water settings) to the herbal steamroom with a smug smile on my face.

It may not be as hip as Myanmar, but if you want total relaxation, there’s nowhere finer than Marbs.

Stays at Puente Romano (puenteromano.com) start at £180 per night.

Escape routes: Give Marbella a second chance and discover its spa heaven