The Rookery Luxury Hotel and Spa oozes countryside grandeur. Sandstone exteriors are paralleled inside by beautifully maintained period features, and the triple-AA Rosette-wielding restaurant plus extensive spa facilities, all set against the beautiful Cheshire Peak District.

Part of the Handpicked Hotel brand (with standards accordingly high), the main mansion was built in 1816 by a wealthy land-owner and you’ll find feature rooms contain original period features from wood panelling to ornate cornices and large bay windows and billowing curtains. The elegant event spaces play host to weddings, birthdays, baby showers, you name it –  rows of white chairs strewn with flowers on a lush lawn, set against Cheshire’s rolling countryside.

The modern brick spa is housed in what used to be the stable block, with eight treatment rooms offering a range of treatments (a two-hour full-body massage and luxury facial costs £164), plus the ‘Amber Lounge’ for maximal relaxation, and all the classics: indoor pool, sauna, steam room. The spa has held 5 Bubble Spa status since 2008 so no worries on the quality front.

The Restaurant carries through the same wood panelled style with elaborate latticework on the walls and ceilings, and the large bay windows make the space elegant and homely. It’s recently won three AA Rosettes, and head chef Dion-Wyn Jones crafts the ever-changing menu based on what’s local and in season, inspired by the Peak District nearby – and where they don’t source locally, they bring in the best from further afield; beef from Herefordshire; scallops from Orkney; turbot from Scotland.