Actress Keeley Hawes, 29, lives in south-west London with her actor husband, Matthew Macfadyen, and two children. She tells Paula Kerr about her favourite retreat in London.

When I was pregnant with Maggie, who is now 17 months, Matthew booked me into the spa at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hyde Park, London. Now it is my favourite place for a special treat, a real oasis. They do ayurvedic treatments and the most amazing deep facials, and everything is incredibly calming.There’s subdued lighting, and as soon as I arrive I am offered herbal tea, which is specially blended according to my mood. There is Balinese music playing gently in the background and I have a foot massage based on reflexology – all of that happens before the booked session even begins.

They use little Tibetan cymbals to signify the start and the end of each treatment. The first time I went, I had Ritual For New Beginnings, designed for mums-to-be, which was wonderful. It’s a three-hour pampering session. They used endless lotions and oils, and I felt like I was walking on air by the end. I don’t usually spend much time on myself. I have a terrible guilt complex – if I’m not working, I feel I should be doing something with my kids or doing something for the family, so I don’t get to go to the spa as often as I’d like. I think all mums deserve a treat.

I went back to work soon after Maggie was born. I had to have a medical and the doctor said; “This is amazing, just two months after giving birth, your weight is the same as before you were pregnant”. I don’t have any stretch marks and I didn’t use any moisturisers to prevent them. I have lucky genes.

Between the ages of 16 and 18, I worked as a model, so I learned how to be comfortable with my body at an early age; taking my clothes off for work doesn’t bother me. I don’t worry about how my body looks and I don’t go to the gym. I’ve got more important things to do with my time! I make sure I have breaks in between jobs, and sometimes the children come to work with me.

When I filmed the TV version of Thomas Hardy’s Under The Greenwood Tree, my son Myles, who’s now six, came onto the set; the wardrobe department dressed him up and he ran around shouting, “ mummy can I be in the play too?”.

Generally Matthew and I do the childcare between us. We don’t have a nanny, though my mum helps us out. My favourite way to unwind at home is just sitting with the children. If I can’t make it to a spa, I bring the spa to me and unwind with a long bath. I’ll use relaxing oils, such as lavender, and I light some candles.However, with two children, as most mums will testify, this is a very rare treat.