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.
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And that’s just the indoor spa at Carden Park – I’m just getting started.
Carden Park’s indoor poolThe Finnish sauna at Carden ParkThe indoor pool at night
Its crowning glory is its outdoor garden spa, where footpaths weave between sunken hot tubs and heated thermal pods.
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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.
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A panoramic herbal loungeThe fire pitThe Bollinger Bar at Carden Park SpaCarden Park’s outdoor poolA 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 ParkThe view from the refurbished bedroomsA 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.
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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 spaDinner at Redmond’s BrasserieRedmond’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.
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“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
Peak District hotel named the best place to stay in the UK
Daisy Jackson
A hotel in the Peak District has just been named the best place to stay in the UK in the prestigious Sunday Times list.
The Cavendish Hotel in Derbyshire, which stands in the grounds of the magnificent Chatsworth House, topped the list for 2025, praised for its beautiful interiors and ‘epic’ views of the Peak District.
The Sunday Times’ 100 Best Places to Stay in the UK is compiled by a team of experienced reviewers, who narrow down hundreds of stays into the definitive guide of the best accommodation around the UK.
Hotels are judged on several factors, including design, facilities, and value for money, plus dining and service.
There are a fair few successes this year for the North West beyond the achievement of The Cavendish.
Another consistently award-winning spot – The Gilpin – was named the top spot in the North West.
This beautiful spa hotel is home to a Michelin star restaurant, award-winning spa facilities, lakeside hot tubs, and spa suites built on top of natural ponds, spanning across two sites in the beautiful Lake District.
Spa suitesLakeside hot tubsSpa suitesThe Gilpin has been named one of the Best Places To Stay in The UK by the Sunday Times. Credit: The Manc Group
Judges said that The Gilpin is ‘snug and homely’ in parts while being ‘seriously slick’ in others.
Even closer to home, Gary Neville’s Stock Exchange Hotel was the only spot in central Manchester to make the list, praised for its ‘old-school opulence’.
The Sunday Times said: “This grade II listed hotel is a tasteful flurry of marble pillars, gleaming brass fixtures and charming service.
“Rooms are refined and restrained, the hushed palette of creams, greens and greys allowing the tasteful furnishings to draw the eye.
“And the A-list love it: the former footballers Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs are co-owners, Madonna once booked out the entire place and Paul McCartney was a recent guest.”
Credit: The Manc Group
Moor Hall, the restaurant of which just scooped the ultimate accolade of a third Michelin Star, features in the top 100.
This beautiful bolthole in Ormskirk has been celebrated for its fantastic food offering, which includes another on-site one-Michelin star restaurant in The Barn, as well as its rooms which range from the botanically-themed garden suites in the grounds to the more traditional bedrooms in the manor house.
There’s another Lancashire favourite on the list too, as Northcote swoops in with its ‘exquisite Michelin-starred fine dining and warmly welcoming service’.
Moor Hall in Ormskirk, the best restaurant in EnglandNorthcote
“Located near Clitheroe and overlooking the Ribble Valley, it offers easy access to some superb country walks,” The Sunday Times list says. “But most guests find themselves tempted to stay in, sipping cocktails on the terrace or a whisky in the lounge.”
But claiming the prestigious top spot to be named Hotel Of The Year is The Cavendish.
Its reviewer said: “Given she had permission to raid the attics of Chatsworth House, one of the UK’s most beautiful stately homes, to furnish this Baslow bolt hole owned by the estate, it’s hardly surprising that the in-demand designer Nicola Harding has given its 18th-century interiors and 28 bedrooms impressive sparkle.
“Harding’s trademark zingy colours (from teal to tomato) contrast winningly with antique furniture and paintings by distinguished artists such as Elisabeth Frink, Barbara Hepworth and Phyllida Barlow.
“There’s a cosy bar for post-walk snifters and an elegant dining room where your three courses are admirably food-mile friendly. Nature adds another touch of class, with epic views of the Peak District available through almost every window.”
A popular staycation company is recruiting for a hot tub holiday tester
Daisy Jackson
The UK’s leading self-catering holiday brand is currently on the look-out for someone to test its hot tub holidays.
Look, it’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it…
Hoseasons, which operates more than 29,000 places to stay in coastal and countryside settings throughout Britain, is now on the hunt for a Chief Relaxation Officer.
The new ‘CRO’ will be responsible for testing out some of the many Hoseasons hot tub holidays on offer around the UK.
The successful candidate will be tasked with going on five two-night hot tub breaks, with a plus one, and with all travel and food expenses covered.
And in return, they’ll just need to document their local holiday with ‘inspiring and engaging’ content that can be shared on the Hoseasons social media channels.
So no, it’s not a salaried role, but you will get to sample some of the best hot tub breaks around the UK, with a friend, in exchange for showing off your trip.
Hoseasons says you’ll ‘need to be serious about creating great content, passionate about UK holidays and – most importantly – love hot tub breaks!’
Hoseasons is recruiting a hot tub holiday tester. Credit: The Manc Group
Gemma Brown, general manager at Hoseasons, said: “Hoseasons has long been at the forefront of providing unforgettable hot tub experiences, and we’re now taking that legacy a step further by offering one lucky winner the chance to enjoy the ultimate series of hot tub getaways.
“As our Chief Relaxation Officer, they’ll explore some of the UK’s finest hot tub breaks, gaining insight into why we’re considered the leaders in crafting moments of true relaxation.
“With guests’ preferences evolving and the demand for indulgent getaways rising, we’re redefining what it means to unwind in style.”
Hoseasons says it’s seen a five percent increase in total bookings year-on-year in January.
The Chief Relaxation Officer will receive:
Five 2-night hot tub breaks at stunning Hoseasons locations
Travel expenses covered (up to £300)
Food expenses covered (up to £200)
An exclusive CRO title
To apply, you can submit an entry form and short video HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
5th December 2024 
