Huge passport queues, fights breaking out over lost luggage and harassed baggage-handlers hollering at ear-splitting volume. We all love getting away, but the airport? Not so much. That's the obstacle course we endure through gritted teeth. With all the yells of 'Shoes off! Jackets off! Electronics out of your bags!', it can sometimes feel more like a military boot camp operation than the start of a holiday.

Heathrow Airport has been declared by many as the most stressful place on earth - but I found a hidden haven of peace and tranquillity just a few minutes walk away from it, and my experience was so good I'd gladly go back even without a flight to catch. There's a good reason why this place is rumoured to be a hangout for sleep-deprived celebs before and after their trips, as I was about to find out. At Hilton Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 Hotel, with scarcely any sounds apart from those of nature, it's difficult to believe you're technically still in the vicinity of London. 

The chaos of the baggage carousel is replaced by the chirping of birds, the gurgling of a water fountain and the serenity of a secret garden filled with home-grown fruits, vegetables and herbs.

The fresh, clean air feels a million miles away from the pollution pumped out on busy London streets and yet it's still so close to the capital. One glance at the Chef's Garden told me I would be in for a treat when it came to dinner, with 80% of one salad's ingredients being grown on the premises.

The Oxbo Kitchen restaurant - less than a minute's walk from the garden where all the magic happens - offers an authentic field-to-fork experience in the most unexpected place. Homegrown honey can be found everywhere from the breakfast table to the restaurant's signature evening meals - and that's thanks to the hotel's 160,000 resident bees toiling away.

One highly recommended sharing starter is the hot honey baked camembert, which comes complete with toasted sourdough bread, and for larger bites, the honey roast chicken dish from the grills menu is equally delicious.

Meanwhile, the prospect of smothering my toast with homegrown honey gave me a reason to wake up at the crack of dawn for my absurdly early flight without a grumble.

Elsewhere, 70 to 80 per cent of the ingredients in the aptly named Oxbo House Salad are sourced directly from the garden, including baby gem lettuces, tomatoes, radishes, sweetcorn and onions.

Another sumptuous starter that stood out from the dinner menu was the sticky garlic squid, served with crispy capers and a generous helping of lemon and fresh parsley from - you guessed it - the garden.

Anyone craving a meatier dish will be satiated by ordering the free range pork chop with crushed new potatoes, apple remoulade and sage brown butter. Home-made ingredients in this dish include chives, apples and sage, while a plate of flavoursome tenderstem broccoli with garlic and chilli on the side completes the feast.

My dark chocolate mousse dessert, which came with biscuit crumble and whipped cream, was accented by raspberries and blueberries grown on the premises just seconds away.

Other produce from the garden that finds its way to hungry guests' plates includes beetroot, garlic, leeks, spring onions, spinach and kale, while herbs like coriander, mint, sage, rosemary, thyme and oregano also feature on the menu - and even make their way into Hilton branded gin.

Ingredients couldn't be fresher and, as they haven't travelled from afar, there's no need to load them with chemical preservatives. The difference in taste from the average restaurant is huge - and, although I had a flight to catch, it would have been worth the trek to Heathrow Airport for the quality of the food alone.

Returning from a scorching winter sun holiday only to feel your heart sink as you touch down in chilly England and it's pouring with rain? Not a problem, as you don't even need to step foot outside - the hotel is directly connected to Terminal 4 via a covered walkway, whisking you straight from the airport to a secret paradise sanctuary.

As the other passengers groan and reluctantly reach for their umbrellas, anyone staying here can smile smugly in the knowledge that their holiday is not yet over and, for the day at least, they don't need to get soaked.

Whether unwinding and destressing after a long-haul inbound flight or getting an early night before an outbound one to avoid a painful 3am start, this hotel - which is barely 30 minutes from London Paddington - will fit the bill.

However, with Windsor Castle less than ten miles away, and Legoland also nearby for those with kids, the hotel could be a viable staycation spot in its own right, even for those with no intention of travelling overseas.

Kempton Park Racecourse is less than six miles away, and Bedfont Lakes Country Park and tennis and squash courts are even closer. Meanwhile, on the premises, plump raspberries and giant melons are among the fruits proudly displayed in the garden just steps away from reception. 

I liked the restaurant so much that I'd definitely return, just for a mouth-watering field-to-fork meal quite unlike most London eateries. While the food might command the lion's share of the attention, the guestrooms deliver too, with even standard rooms boasting 50-inch flat screen HD TVs, soundproofing (a lifesaver for jetlag and unconventional 'night times') - and super-comfortable beds.

It was the last place I expected to find such a relaxing venue, combining an organic foodie feast with the vibes of a wellness retreat. It's easy to see why the hotel is a fave of celebrities looking to wind down before or after a lengthy flight - but why wait for the next holiday when this secret sanctuary can be a mini break in its own right?