After the chaos of Christmas and in the midst of never-ending January, who doesn't feel the need for a bit of pampering?

So when I saw an offer for an afternoon tea and swim at a Greater Manchester hotel for £59 for two, I jumped at the opportunity.

Available at two Lavender Hotels sites - Oaks Hotel in Burnley and Old Mill in Ramsbottom, Bury - it was the latter I chose for a midweek treat with my mum.

The booking process was where the problems began and while the website lets you choose a slot, it doesn't actually tell you whether that time is for the swim session or the afternoon tea.

A phone call assured me that's the time of afternoon tea and most people arrive two hours earlier to use the health club.

A day later an email arrived stating the time I'd booked was the arrival time for the health club with afternoon tea served two hours later. Confused? Well, yes, we were.

Yet undeterred, and........

© Manchester Evening News