he green and lovely county of Kent in southeast England is no stranger to spas. In its day the curative waters at Royal Tunbridge Wells, a famous 18th century spa town, rivaled Bath. Today the county's best known spa is The Pavilion, at Eastwell Manor, in Ashford. The spacious gabled building has a 65-foot heated pool set between square pillars against a background of hand painted murals of lush green vistas; a circular hydropool ringed with columns, a whirlpool, mosaic tiled steam room, sauna, and 15 treatment rooms where you can get a wide range of therapies, from full body massages and wraps to beauty treatments. A well-equipped 3,000 square feet gym sports state-of-the art 'Technogym' equipment: XT bikes; XT upper body; XT rotex; XT treadmills; concept rowers; bio-strength resistance equipment; and weights. A personal trainer is available, and a resident fitness manager can plan a personalized fitness program monitoring blood pressure and lung function. If all the pampering and exercise leaves you hungry, the Pavilion is also home to The Brasserie, a full-scale restaurant for lunch and dinner. The Pavilion's most unusual treatment is a Dry Floatation Therapy (30 min, $43). You lie on a flat bed in a dimmed room with soft background music. Over you is a light cover that fills with warm water, and then the bed is lowered so it floats in a warm water tank. Cocooned in the warm buoyancy of the special bed, you don't get wet, and, in fact, don't even see the water you are floating on. An alternate version of the Dry Floatation Therapy, called the Phytomer Re-Mineralization Wrap (55 minutes, $95), first utilizes a phytomeralgae or seaweed application as a therapeutic detox or contour body wrap which increases the skin's absorption in the dry float. Either version is beneficially relaxing and soothing, and said to be equal to four hours of sleep. The other spa therapies are more conventional, and include full body massages, scalp and neck massage, aromatherapy massage, cellulite treatment, de-stress muscle release, electro cellulite body massager, stress relieving body treatment, exfoliating body treatment, revive detox body booster, luxury spa peel, reflexology, body wraps and scrubs. In general, 30-minute sessions cost about $43, and 55 minute treatments are about $86. The spa uses a variety of products, among them Clarins, Guinot, Aromatherapy Associates, La Prairie, and Phytomer. Full-day spa packages group a variety of treatments for both women and men. For instance: Classic Day Package ($250): Pick Me Up Facial Full Body Massage Classic Manicure Classic Pedicure Spa Special Day Package ($267): Full Body Massage Dry Floatation Therapy with Seaweed Envelopment Classic Manicure Classic Pedicure Deluxe Day Top to Toe Package ($305): Clarins Pro-Active Facial Clarins Pro-Active Body Massage Deluxe Manicure Deluxe Pedicure Transformation Toning Day Package ($293): Ultratone Body Treatment Caci Micro Current Facial G5 Massage Firming Body Wrap with Exfoliation Stress Eliminator Day Package ($336): Dreams Stress Relieving Body Massage Essential Rose Facial Deluxe Manicure Deluxe Pedicure Dry Floatation Therapy with Seaweed Envelopment Perfect Pamper Day Package ($345): Full Body Massage Clarins Pro-Active Facial Dry Floatation Therapy Deluxe Manicure Deluxe Pedicure Stress Buster Package ($267): Dry Floatation Therapy Dreams Stress Relieving Body Massage Deluxe Manicure Deluxe Pedicure Men’s Stress Buster Day Package ($302): Dry Floatation Therapy with Seaweed Envelopment Body Massage Pick Me Up Facial or a Scalp Massage Men’s Pamper Package ($258): Dry Floatation Therapy Back Massage Men’s Prescriptive Facial Men’s Manicure Men’s Pedicure You don't need to stay at Eastwell Manor to enjoy The Pavilion. Non-residents can buy a Spa Day voucher for $120 per person that includes use of all spa facilities and the gym, and $17 towards lunch in the Brasserie. All treatments are also available at extra cost. For spa information and treatment reservations, call The Pavilion, 011-44-(0)1233 213100. At Eastwell Manor, the 23 Manor House rooms start at $422 for two. Courtyard apartments in the Mews, converted from Victorian stables, have a total of 39 bedrooms; rates for two start at $379 including English breakfast and VAT. The hotel also offers several spa packages on its website. Eastwell Park Boughton Lees Ashford Kent TN25 4HR Tel: 011-44-(0)1233 213111 Fax: 011-44-(0)1233 21311 www.eastwellmanor.co.uk