Tried and tested: Spa stress break

THERE are times in your life when it all becomes too much: when your stress busting reserves are at zero and the most benign request or unexpected situation can send you into floods of tears.

A few months ago that person was me. But then at 4pm one Friday afternoon, one of my friends was sitting in her car outside my office, engine purring, with a cup of coffee and a beaming smile. I collapsed into the front passenger seat exhausted.

We were headed for the ultimate spot for a depleted person, Monart in Co Wexford. It’s called a destination spa as you will not want to leave once the 20-foot electric gates click behind you.