SEVENTY years ago, the islanders of Jersey had their first taste of freedom in five years. As the only part of the British Islands to be occupied by Germany in the Second World War, Channel Islanders had more reason than most to celebrate when war finally ended. They had endured occupation since June 1940 and it would be another five years before they could raise their flag in the Jersey capital’s main square.

Standing in St Helier’s Liberation Square today, you can’t help but be overcome by the tiny island’s historic past.

All around, former gun points and underground bunkers remain as a reminder of those years.

However, Jersey has rebuilt itself to become a favourite holiday destination. A short walk from the main square, which is now surrounded by plush marina developments and new restaurants, is the Grand Jersey Hotel and Spa, a luxury establishment that commands majestic views over St Aubin’s Bay. Opened in 1890, it has earned a place in Jersey’s tourism heritage, having hosted a variety of VIP guests, including the then HRH Princess Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.

In 2005, Queen Elizabeth II visited to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the island’s liberation at a civil lunch hosted at the hotel, which was itself commandeered between 1940 and 1945 as an administrative and accommodation centre for occupying German personnel. Hotel furniture was burnt as fuel, which meant it was unable to reopen directly after liberation by Allied Forces.

Drawing up to the hotel, now under the direction of Hand Picked Hotels, you’ll be distracted by the stunning views of Elizabeth Castle and St Aubin’s Bay.

Stepping into the building, a welcome reception desk makes guests begin to relax from the get-go. We were booked into a deluxe room with views over gardens. The rooms have a modern feel with plasma televisions and air conditioning (in summer, Jersey temperatures frequently top the 30s).

In 2006, the hotel was upgraded to a five-star level and all 123 bedrooms were refurbished. During this time the hotel was rebranded as the Grand Jersey and new features were created, including the Champagne Lounge and dedicated Park Suite business centre. It also houses the only bespoke private cinema in Jersey. The spa area and pool looked like the perfect place to relax, but with so much to explore around the island, it was time to venture out but I planned to keep the spa visit for later.

Though Jersey’s local bus service caters for tourists and locals alike, hiring a car gives you the freedom to explore those hidden gems. While waiting for our hire car to arrive, we paused on the sun terrace: the perfect place to while away the hours with a gin and tonic. That would have to be after our drive, of course, as drink driving laws are as strictly enforced on Jersey as they are in Scotland.

We decided to head west along to St Aubin, one of many picturesque bays dotted along the coast, then on to the popular St Brelade’s Bay, where a Jersey ice cream cone was just too difficult to resist.

Taking the coast road along the west and heading north we took in the stunning views at St Ouen’s Beach. The beautiful sandy beach, washed twice daily by the waves rolling in from the Atlantic Ocean, stretches for five miles from end to end and is a surfers’ paradise.

Winding north you can’t fail to notice the vast fields of Jersey Royal Potatoes. It’s a huge industry and export and dotted around the various potato farms are honesty boxes where you can leave money for a bag of freshly picked potatoes. We arrived at Plemont just in time to sample the Jersey crab sandwiches at the beach cafe.

The stunning beach is north-facing and the surrounding high cliffs provide good shelter. Its lovely sand is completely covered at high tide but when it retreats, numerous sandy-bottomed pools are exposed.

Winding our way back to the hotel, the familiar landmark of Elizabeth Castle helped us find our bearings.

Built on a rocky islet in St Aubin’s Bay, Elizabeth Castle has defended Jersey for more than 300 years. Built in the 1590s, the castle was home to Sir Walter Raleigh while he was Governor of Jersey, from 1600 to 1603. The future King Charles II sought refuge there during the English Civil War, and during the German occupation the castle was refortified and used as one of the strong points commanding the sea approaches to St Helier. Today, it can be accessed by foot at low tide or, at both low and high tide, by the Castle Ferry.

Back at the hotel, I opted to take full of advantage of the spa facilities. The heated swimming pool was the perfect way to soothe away the aches and pains but if you are looking for a quick wake-up, the “experience showers” are not to be missed, offering various settings, from “monsoon” to “rain forest”.

After a relaxing massage, I was almost floating back to the room before dinner with that gin and tonic beckoning me on the terrace. The weather was too good not to take advantage of the late evening sun, but the Champagne Lounge is another stylish place to enjoy a pre-dinner drink.

For dinner we were booked into Victoria’s restaurant as there was no room at the inn at the hotel’s Michelin-star restaurant Tassili. It’s difficult to offer a unique dining experience when catering on a larger scale especially when the venue doubles up for breakfast. But while atmosphere might have been lacking, the helpful and attentive staff made up for it.

The following morning, breakfast was certainly a winner for the hotel with every palate catered for. It set us up for the day exploring some of the sites associated with the island’s Second World War history. The occupation of Jersey happened two weeks after the British government had demilitarised the island, fearing the safety of civilians if there was any conflict.

Sadly, lives were lost and many more people were wounded when the German Air Force bombed and machine-gunned Jersey, eventually delivering an ultimatum from the air and demanding the island’s immediate surrender. White flags and crosses were placed in prominent positions, as stipulated by the Germans, and on July 2, 1940; Jersey was occupied by air-borne troops under the command of Hauptmann Gussek.

No visit to Jersey would be complete without going to the war tunnels at Trinity. Dug deep into the hillside by forced and slave workers from nations across Europe, these extraordinary tunnels run nearly a mile in length. You’re hit by a sense of calm and an eerie silence, knowing full well that 70 years ago it would have been a hive of activity. Today, they contain an underground collection of thought-provoking galleries that detail Jersey’s occupation history from resistance, through to starvation, and then eventual liberation.

After our visit, we fortified ourselves with afternoon tea in the Grand Jersey’s Champagne Lounge. Presented on a three-tiered cake stand, the finger sandwiches, scones with Jersey cream and jam, and dainty petit-fours, would even have met the Duchess of Bedford’s high standards.

It was too late to think of burning off any calories with a last dip in the spa, so I opted for one final G&T on the terrace.

Deborah Anderson flew with easyJet from Glasgow to Jersey. She was a guest at the Grand Jersey Hotel and Spa

www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/hotels/grand-jersey/