Cheshire

Carden Park – the luxury spa with outdoor hot tubs and saunas that’s been named one of the best in the world

Heated outdoor pool, thermal pods, and hot tubs everywhere.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 13th October 2022

A luxury spa near Greater Manchester has been named as one of the best in the world – and it’s easy to see why.

Carden Park is a huge Cheshire country estate which revealed its £10m spa in 2020, including spa facilities in the gardens.

Guests can soak in hot tubs, relax in saunas and even swim lengths in a heated pools outdoors in all seasons.

There are fire pits and thermal pods included in the al-fresco thermal experiences, as well as all the classic facilities and treatment rooms inside the main building itself.

There’s even an outdoor Bollinger bar. Fancy.

ADVERTISEMENT

Carden Park has been attracting celebrities since it opened like very glamorous moths to a flame, with famous guests including the cast of I’m A Celebrity! and more recently Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury.

Click or swipe through the gallery below to see more.

ADVERTISEMENT
Carden Park in Cheshire. Credit: Carden Park

And now it’s gone and scooped itself a big prize, and has been named the Best Country House Hotel Spa in England at the 2022 World Spa Awards, beating out 15 others.

The spa is famed for its state-of-the-art facilities, like the huge sauna with panoramic country views through floor-to-ceiling windows.

There are heated loungers beside the pool and huge experience showers too.

ADVERTISEMENT

Read more

The hotel itself has 200 bedrooms (including four luxury suites) for those who want to make a weekend of it, plus two championship golf courses and a number of restaurants.

Emma Priddling, spa director at the Spa at Carden, said: “It is another exciting feat for us to be recognised as the best hotel spa. We are truly dedicated to serving our guests with the very best when it comes to spa and wellness and are pleased to be leading the way.

“We are extremely proud to find ourselves amongst such strong competition and it is an honour to be crowned ‘Best Country House Hotel and Spa’ on an international level.”

You can find out more and book rooms and spa breaks at Carden Park here.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter here.

Featured image: Carden Park

Cheshire

Carden Park – The award-winning Cheshire hotel with a stunning outdoor garden spa

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Hot tubs in the outdoor garden spa at Carden Park

Carden Park has long been one of the UK’s best spa hotels – in fact, just in September it was named Spa Hotel of the Year… again.

In the last 12 months its shelves have begun to groan under the weight of all the awards it’s accumulating, with its fine dining restaurant The Vines at Carden earning a third AA Rosette, placing it within the top 10% of venues in the UK.

And now Carden Park has unveiled the first phase of its £6.5m refurbishment, boosting its status even further with smart new bedrooms decorated in soft hues of blue and gold.

Carden Park is famed for its golfing and its outdoor pursuits, as well as its outdoor garden spa (we are very much here for the latter).

The luxury spa opened back in 2020, and features staggering features like a vitality pool, heated relaxation beds, Finnish sauna, a salt steam room, an aroma steam room, aroma showers, and a beautiful bio sauna with panoramic windows overlooking the hotel’s sweeping grounds.

And that’s just the indoor spa at Carden Park – I’m just getting started.

Carden Park's indoor pool
Carden Park’s indoor pool
The Finnish sauna at Carden Park
The Finnish sauna at Carden Park
The indoor pool at night
The indoor pool at night

Its crowning glory is its outdoor garden spa, where footpaths weave between sunken hot tubs and heated thermal pods.

There’s an outdoor pool, also heated, with body massagers built in, and the sight of the steam rising from the pool over the frosty lawns is one for sore eyes and limbs.

From the all-weather Bollinger champagne bar, you can order a mulled wine or a glass of fizz, to sip around the fire pit or on a sun lounger (maybe not the latter at this time of year).

There’s also a panoramic herbal lounge, with sweeping views of the 1000 acre estate at Carden Park.

A panoramic herbal lounge
A panoramic herbal lounge
The fire pit
The fire pit
The Bollinger Bar at Carden Park Spa
The Bollinger Bar at Carden Park Spa
Carden Park's outdoor pool
Carden Park’s outdoor pool
A heated outdoor pod with Carden Park in the background.
A heated outdoor pod with Carden Park in the background.

A current package running until the new year – the Comfort & Joy Spa Experience – includes access to this incredible spa as well as a 50 minute ‘Time to Pause’ treatment.

Here, your sore muscles are scrubbed and loosened before you flip over for an invigorating facial, using cold stones to cool, soothe and drain toxins from your face.

It’s one of the most thorough and efficient treatments I’ve had at a spa and will leave you feeling pampered, relaxed and invigorated all at once.

The Comfort and Joy Spa Experience package also includes overnight accommodation, dinner in either restaurant, breakfast, a mulled wine or hot chocolate, and loads more.

A refurbished bedroom at Carden Park
A refurbished bedroom at Carden Park
The view from the refurbished bedrooms
The view from the refurbished bedrooms
A refurbished bedroom en suite at Carden Park
A refurbished bedroom en suite at Carden Park

And back across at the main hotel, Carden Park’s 197 rooms are slowly being refurbished and crafted into luxury spaces with plenty of British details.

From the premium beds to the huge marble bathrooms, you’ll want to stay forever.

While The Vines at Carden might be the hotel’s more lavish restaurant, its Redmond’s Brasserie is also exceptional, with a menu full of British dishes including steaks, pies, and puddings.

This is also where guests head for breakfast, where there’s a full buffet of hot food, continental items and even a pancake-making machine.

The bar upstairs at the Carden Park spa
The bar upstairs at the Carden Park spa
Dinner at Redmond's Brasserie
Dinner at Redmond’s Brasserie
Redmond's Brasserie
Redmond’s Brasserie

And after your breakfast, you can stroll around the hotel’s magnificent grounds, where there’s a vineyard, tennis courts, a lake, and a full sculpture park.

Director and general manager of Carden Park Hotel Hamish Ferguson said of the new
refurbishments: “The overhaul of our hotel bedrooms marks a significant chapter in Carden Park Hotel’s
journey.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We are thrilled to embark on this exciting project to enhance our luxury accommodation, reinforcing our commitment to providing an exceptional and rejuvenating experience for our guests.

“Sustainability has been at the forefront of all previous renovations at the hotel, and we endeavour to continue this trajectory in all future transformation projects.”

The Comfort and Joy Spa Experience at Carden Park

  • A morning garden spa experience between 9am and 1pm (8.30am arrival)
  • Overnight luxury accommodation
  • A divine 50-minute Time-to-Pause ritual treatment; including back exfoliation and calming facial. Learn more about the treatment here.
  • £30 dinner allowance to be used in either Redmond’s Brasserie or The Vines (Thursday only) – Cheshire’s award-winning fine dining restaurant
  • Full English and Continental breakfast included in your stay
  • Access to the hotel state-of-the-art leisure club and 20-metre pool
  • Either a mulled wine or luxury hot chocolate included in your spa experience

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

Cheshire

Lyme Park’s enchanting animal-themed Christmas event returns

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Much-loved National Trust venue, Lyme Park, has welcomed some very special guests this winter time with the arrival of fascinating animal sculptures.

The ‘Animal Crackers’ exhibition is a returning favourite for the country park and sees the grand mansion filled with lots of wonderful guests.

Lyme Park has now reopened after a three week sleep and is ready to welcome guests back inside its incredible halls.

You’ll be sure to find comfort in these animals as you walk round the property as many of them are participating in some familiar Christmas activities.

There’s an appearance from a turkey at the table, who’s patiently waiting on their Christmas dinner and even a brown bear who you’ll find hibernating in one of the mansion’s many beds.

All of these creations have been made by Stockport-based artist, Sophie Tyrell, who loves taking inspiration from the carnival and masquerade scenes to make sculptures and art that pops.

When you’re making your way around the building and its countless rooms, you’ll soon notice a lot of these animal sculptures are multi-coloured and incredibly vibrant.

fun things to do at Lyme Park this Christmas. Chris Doyle
The fox who’s just one of many animals living in this carnival wonderland.
fun things to do at Lyme Park this Christmas. Chris Doyle
The majestic deer draped in bright and colourful bunting at Lyme Park.
Credit: Chris Doyle via Publicity Picture.

Although the main focus of the ‘Animal Crackers’ trail is the amazing large-scale animal figures on display in Lyme Park, a big helping hand has come in the form of nearby locals.

The National Trust staff, volunteers and community groups have been working together to deck the halls with handmade decorations made from recycled and donated materials.

It’s not just Lyme Park itself that’s undergone a makeover so has the menu, especially the much-loved afternoon teas which are receiving a ‘festive twist’.

The Lyme Park based event is suitable for all ages and is a fun way to spend some quality family time together over the Christmas period.

As well as the art installation in the house itself, Crow Wood, next to the Timber yard, will have some glorious trees decorated by local primary schools and organisations from Disley and nearby areas.

‘Animal Crackers’ at Lyme Park is running until 24 December, standard admission applies while National Trust members are free.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image: Chris Doyle via Publicity Picture

More Cheshire

Boroughs

Alternative Christmas Markets you need to visit in Manchester this year

The best Christmas light trails in and around Greater Manchester

Art & Culture

The best light trails around Greater Manchester to explore this winter

Neighbourhood Weekender back with 2025 lineup

Audio

Neighbourhood Weekender returns after hiatus with incredible first wave lineup for 2025

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches