Cheshire

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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<p>Looking to escape? Well, my friends, you&#8217;ve come to the right place because the theme at <a href="https://www.manorhousealsager.com/">Manor House</a>, on the verdant fringes of Alsager, is rest, refuel and reset &#8211; but at an exceptional level. It&#8217;s grown-up and swish, attracting a diverse crowd looking to linger over cocktails or snooze by its glittering pools. Though one that&#8217;s playful and down-to-earth and all about slowing right down.</p>



<p>You&#8217;ll probably have seen it on instagram; a plush spot where influencers pose poolside and float over to the swim-up bar to the tinkle of DJs in the background. All very cool yet serene. And talk of the town this year is the team has unveiled a second swim-up bar in a different gem-green pool with loungers to loll about in your fave bikini. </p>



<p>For an all-encompassing spa break in rural loveliness, that could easily pass for some twinkly Ibizan hideaway when the sun shines, Manor House is the indulgent bolthole you need in your life. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vibe">THE VIBE</h2>


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<p>Manor House&#8217;s savvy owners have got the entire set up bang on and there&#8217;s a calmness and ease swirling about the place that&#8217;s wholly contagious. The ultimate escapist&#8217;s fantasy, the spruced-up 17th-century farmhouse unfolds out the back with a dreamy, outdoor spa opening to romantic visions of green fields and two swim-up bars that have evolved into the hotel&#8217;s infamous ace card. Rosé&nbsp; and swimming and boho music. Yes please!</p>



<p>This is reset and repair territory, where robe-wearing guests wander around arm-in-arm, grabbing afternoon tea in the restaurant beside the pool and turning pink-cheeked in the outdoor hot tub. As spas go, it&#8217;s not a medically-backed one with progressive treatments. But a proper lean-into-it-and-snooze-by-the-pool sort of spot. </p>



<p>And later, sharply dressed diners potter on over to the hotel&#8217;s bar, ordering cocktails and sinking into squishy leather sofas (roaring fires, too, when it&#8217;s chilly), where the vibe is mellow and the drinks are stiff. Grabbing dinner in The Stables is an absolute must with globe-trotting dishes cooked with precision. Oh and my advice? Leave the kids at home. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scoff-amp-quaff">SCOFF &amp; QUAFF</h2>



<p>So much of Manor House&#8217;s marketing game plays on the spa. Which made me think the restaurant might be on the average side. But I could not have been more wrong and its culinary credentials are truly something to shout about. Once you&#8217;ve scrubbed up for the evening, guests potter downstairs to The Stables &#8211; a pub-style dining room with characterful low beams (watch your head) and tables squirrelled away in corners. Service is very swift and switched on and we began with starters of Asian-style melty ribs with slaw and chilli buttermilk chicken with jalapeños and creamy Peruvian green sauce. Both gorgeous, both bold and fiery in all the right places. </p>



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<p>The highlight? I haven&#8217;t stopped thinking about my main: a whole seabass soaked in a standout prawn caper butter sauce. The sort of dish you&#8217;d expect in a coastal restaurant that dishes up just-caught seafood. I was astounded at how good this was. My husband, meanwhile, raved about his rump steak, served with some incredible buttery sautéed ratte new potatoes. All of which we rounded off with a sweet and crumbly lemon meringue pie. </p>


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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pillow-talk">PILLOW TALK</h2>


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<p>I was staying in a Manor House King, a stripped-back space with a theme of country comfy: plenty of wood, huge white beds, subdued pastels nailing that sense of calm. It&#8217;s the ideal spot to hole up for a few hours after a day pruning in the spa, and we slipped on the robes and broke open the biscuits as soon as we&#8217;d let ourselves in. Bathrooms are small, though perfectly formed with gushing hot showers. But if you do want to up the ante, go for the four poster rooms, with panelled walls, creamy country tones and luxe accessories. No chintz in sight. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-spa">THE SPA</h2>


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<p>Undoubtedly the ace card of the entire set up, where the wellness magic takes place. And you&#8217;ll want the full day to truly take advantage of every little nook of the spa. Start by nabbing yourself a bed, whether you go for the pagoda-style loungers beside the main pool, or those gazing across fields. Even if it&#8217;s chilly, there are blankets and heaters and naturally, you&#8217;ll have your fluffy robe which is handed to you at reception, alongside flip flops and towels. Everything is engineered with serene seeking in mind, and it&#8217;s tempting to plonk yourself down on your lounger with a book for hours on end before a poolside slumber. But there&#8217;s so much to explore, from the sauna and stream room to the cold plunge tub (I promise, it&#8217;ll make you feel gorgeous) and bubbly hot tub. And if you haven&#8217;t already seen them plastered on Instagram, the spa has two dreamy swim-up bars, where guests loll in the heated waters and float on over to the bar for expertly-mixed cocktails or glasses of plonk. With the sun beaming down on my visit and wide open blue skies, I ordered a rosé&nbsp; to the sound of mellow music and the tinkering of ice in glasses, and it could easily pass for some playful Ibizan hideaway. </p>



<p>New this year is the second swim-up pool through a tucked-away entrance, surrounded by sage green garden rooms, where guests slump on loungers beneath glass roofs, thumbing through books and sipping on drinks made at the bar. </p>



<p>The treatment menu is short and reviving and if you do sign up to a massage or facial etc you&#8217;ll find yourself in one of its cool and contemporary treatment rooms. I had booked the Sound Asleep massage and it was every bit as doze-inducing as I was hoping. And I&#8217;ve not even mentioned the indoor pool with its swinging hammock lounger above the water. A truly standout spa that&#8217;s undoubtedly one of the best in the county&#8230; if not the north.</p>


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<p>OUT &amp; ABOUT</p>



<p>I mean, there&#8217;s absolutely no reason to leave this hotel. Though if you did fancy a wander, walk into the village of Alsager or along the winding trails in the surrounding countryside. </p>



<p>THE MUDDY VERDICT</p>



<p>GOOD FOR: Anyone who relishes lolling about in a spa, with the added bonus of swim-up bars in a cosseting down-to-earth space. There&#8217;s nothing showy or flashy about it either. </p>



<p>NOT FOR: Kids! This is not a place you want to bring the children. The scene here is serious R&amp;R.</p>



<p>THE DAMAGE: One night spa stays including dinner, B&amp;B and full use of the spa garden from £329 for two. </p>



<p><strong>Manor House Hotel &amp; Spa, Audley Road, Alsager, Cheshire, ST7 2QQ</strong></p>


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Manor House Hotel & Spa review: The Cheshire spa hotel worth the hype

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