HAVING never been on a skiing holiday before, I was unsure of what to expect. But I was in good company as I would be using the same slopes as those graced by the Spanish royal family.

Furthermore I was to stay at a five star hotel so I was hoping the experience would be rather good. I was not wrong. La Pleta is an exquisite 70-room hotel perched near the top of the Val d'Aran valley in the Spanish Pyrenees mountains.

And just a short bus ride away are dozens of breathtaking ski runs graded from green (easy) to black (difficult) at Baqueria. It is Spain's premier ski resort and has a top elevation of 2,510 metres.

Much of the skiing equipment needed is available at a ski shop attached to the hotel but you should take ski jackets and salopettes (ski trousers).

Being a skiing virgin I thought it prudent only to brave the green grade slopes. I still managed to fall over plenty of times - despite the guidance of the hotel's jovial ski station guide Enric Jimenez, a Barcelona fan with many useful tips for novices like myself.

It took me three hours just to learn to turn to the left and I found muscles that I never knew existed. It was exhausting but exhilarating. The weather was perfect. There was no wind and the sun shone like it was a summer's day. From the slopes the view down to the hotel was magical, especially from the ski-lifts that took us to the skiing station.

A caf sited at the slopes provided some much needed refreshment after my exertions in the snow and then it was time to get back to the hotel to sample some five star food. I enjoyed a superb main course of duck with apple sauce that was enhanced by lashings of delicious local red wine. For dessert I went for my old favourite, chocolate ice cream that was dreamy, delicious and delightful even to a connoisseur like myself.

After digesting my food in the plush lounge, which includes a brandy and cigar bar, I went up to my room to rest my aching thighs and calves. There I just relaxed on the balcony and took in the most beautiful view down into the valley.

My room was cosy and plush and the 24-hour room service proved useful as I did not arrive at the hotel until midnight.

There are regular flights from Bristol Airport to Toulouse and the hotel drives customers to and from the French airport as part of the five star service it offers.

After enjoying the panoramic view of the mountains from my room, which no photograph could ever justify, I decided to visit the hotel's newly-built spa. But first I wanted a shower. And what a shower it was. Water blasts out at you from above and the sides at such a pace it is like receiving a massage. Bliss. At the spa I enjoyed a luxurious back and neck massage that was even better than the shower.

I then tried the sauna and followed that by a dip in the hotel swimming pool. Having worked up my appetite I decided to sample the second restaurant situated at the hotel, which was a five course delight.

For my aperitif I enjoyed an anchovy dish and followed that with my starters course, the most satisfying mushroom soup with truffle oil and crayfish. For the main course I had suckling pig with green beans, which I enjoyed with a refreshing fizzy white wine. For dessert I had pineapple ice cream garnished with a delicious mint sauce. My fifth and final course was a delightfully sweet blueberry liqueur - unique to the Val d'Aran region - that was so nice I had to have three glasses.

By the end of the meal, I wanted to shout "C'est magnifique" but did not know the Spanish equivalent so I kept quiet. My host for the day was the hotel's assistant manager Estel Caballe who took me to the nearby town of Veilha to sample the local nightlife.

The place was filled with bars and restaurants but did not really get going until 11pm, as people traditionally go out later in Spain. After a late night I felt like a hearty breakfast the following morning and the hotel did not disappoint. The selection was astounding.

Dozens of meat and fruit dishes were available so I tried most of them. I washed it all down with freshly squeezed orange juice. The hotel offers these magnificent buffet breakfasts free to customers to ensure they have enough energy when they hit the slopes.

La Pleta is a true five star hotel and in the words of a certain Hollywood actor - I'll be back.