We’d been floating in our hotel’s outdoor vitality pool for almost an hour and had completely lost track of time.

Officially, we’d signed up to a weekend of culture, visiting Shakespeare’s birth place Stratford–upon-Avon, including tickets for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Unofficially, it was a ‘girlie’ trip with one of my best pals.

Back in the days before mortgages and kids, we muddled through college together and later shared a house.

Now she’s in Manchester and I’m here, we don’t see each other often.

As a result, it was pretty much non-stop chin-wagging, from the minute we arrived to when we crunched off down the gravel driveway heading for home.

But back to our second day, when after a late breakfast at the four-star Menzies Welcombe hotel, we made a beeline for its amazing spa.

It’s been recently added and has a full-size indoor swimming pool, sauna and various treatment rooms.

But the outdoor pool is the clincher, with its jacuzzi-style bubbles and open skylight.

Little wonder we stayed longer than planned and had to leg it into town in time for the matinee performance of Hamlet.

It was spellbinding and the interval was spent at a table overlooking the River Avon, sipping coffee, eating cake and throwing the crumbs to the many ducks and swans.

Visiting the theatre itself is a treat, with the fabulous costume displays, gift shop and backstage tours.

But the great thing about Stratford-upon-Avon is the theatre isn’t limited to the stage.

Everywhere you look, there’s something going on, often hammed-up to the hilt.

Tudor-beamed pubs proclaim they are the oldest in town, or that the great bard took a draft of ale there once.

There are boat trips up and down the river, including a floating restaurant and guided tours of the town, including a ghost walk.

Of course, Anne Hathaway’s cottage is one of the biggest draws for tourists and there’s also Shakespeare’s birthplace and Holy Trinity Church which houses his grave.

We’d arrived at the Jacobean mansion-style hotel early on Friday evening.

Our huge bedroom came complete with four-poster bed, sofa and comfy armchair, ideal for lolling around and catching up over a glass of bubbly.

After a couple of gin and tonics, we tucked into a sumptuous dinner of leek and potato soup and pan-fried scallops, followed by salmon on a bed of wilted spinach and duck and rounded off with iced peanut butter parfait and chocolate chalice of Grand Marnier.

After spending the rest of Saturday afternoon checking out the tourist attractions and a pub or two, we decided to try one of the many eateries in the centre of town.

We ended up in a traditional-style Italian trattoria, where we had steaming plates of home-cooked pasta at a very reasonable price.

On our last day, Sunday, we went for a walk in the hotel grounds, which stretch to a staggering 157 acres.

Pretty soon, we were back in that outdoor vitality pool, this time climbing out for cappuccino and croissants in the spa cafe.

We’d started the day full of good intentions of visiting the nearby Heritage Motor Centre, Kenilworth Castle or exploring the Warwickshire countryside.

In the end, it was more fun to take it easy and gossip.

But I like to think Shakespeare, who knew all about friendship, would have heartily approved.

ESSENTIALS

A weekend package at the Welcombe Hotel & Spa in Stratford-upon-Avon costs from £290 per person with dinner, bed and breakfast for two nights and full use of the spa, including two treatments. For more information, visit www.menzies hotels.co.uk