WHEN the offer of a weekend trip to Basingstoke came in, I have to admit my first reaction was not one of delight.

The invitation was to promote a special Relax and Recharge package in the run-up to Christmas.

Basically, hotels in and around Basingstoke offering a variety of special offers, with pampering being a big part of the deal.

Basingstoke? Why would anyone want to go there?

Well, I’ll tell you why. For a start the hotels were all great berths – most with spas – and each offering a whole host of other welcome extras, such as complimentary Pimms or chocolates.

Secondly, Basingstoke is home to a simply huge indoor shopping mall, the Festival Centre – yes, you really could get all your Christmas shopping done in one hit.

But, and few people really consider this when they think of the town, it is surrounded by some of the most lush countryside imaginable.

Although I could have stayed more centrally, I wanted a chance to explore some of the auntumnal glory of this Hampshire hot spot.

I opted for the magnificent-sounding Tylney Hall Hotel near Hook, and it didn’t disappoint.

Arriving in darkness on the Friday evening, the lit-up facade of this grand house shone like a welcoming beacon for those seeking a retreat.

And judging by the (almost constant) queues at reception, this place is obviously a popular choice.

Waiting in the large but cosy room was the key to a successful Relax & Recharge break – a Basingstoke passport.

A list of exciting ideas for days out in and around the town – plus, more importantly in these recession-hit times, money-off vouchers with which to do them.

This included such freebies as an adult pass to Jane Austen’s House Museum in the pretty village of Chawton, half price entry to the Royal Green Jackets Museum, money off an afternoon tea and two for one at several destinations, including nearby Basing House.

Plenty of time to formulate a plan of action – although, frankly, relaxation was more in mind – over pre-dinner drinks downstairs.

My companion and I made the mistake of attempting to walk straight into the dining room.

No, no. That would be to skip one of the highlights of the evening. We were swiftly re-routed into the lounge where lingering over a menu has been turned into an art form.

A small army of staff danced attendance. Fetching G&Ts (choice of five types of gin, mind you), followed by a scrumptious round of gorgeous hot and cold nibbly things, all accompanied by tinkling piano music.

Dinner was an equally theatrical affair, with much flourishing of silverware, domed plate covers, and joints carved at table. Really superb food.

After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast it was time to get out and about.

We took a turn round the grounds (extensive and practically an attraction in themselves) before heading out to explore.

No wanting to make a day trip out of it, we stayed fairly close to home with a pootle up the road to Old Basing.

There, the battered remains of Basing House dominate the pretty village.

Once the site of a Norman castle, you can still see the defensive ditches.

When first built, it was the largest private house in the country with 360 rooms. The remains are a crumbled testament to three Civil War attacks, the final assault on this Royalist stronghold being led by Oliver Cromwell himself.

Old Basing is well worth exploring. As well as a fine church, there are some lovely circular riverside walks.

Later in the day, we headed into Basingstoke to check out its famed retail potential.

With more than 200 shops, cafes and restaurants, Festival Place can be quite a dizzying experience. Or maybe it was Basingstoke’s legendary number of roundabouts that had put us in a spin.

All in all, we were pleasantly surprised with all that the town and its rural surroundings had to offer.

It doesn’t take a lot of getting to from Dorset and is a great value base from which to explore more expensive locations like Winchester, Windsor and even London.

Basingstoke? Yes please...

Further details of all the hotels and offers in the Relax and Recharge programme can be found at destinationbasingstoke.co.uk/relax.