Floating on my back looking up at the hammered gold metal ceiling of Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere’s swimming pool – and with burnt orange foliage tumbling down the historic stone walls visible through floor to ceiling windows – I can’t help but relax into the sanctuary that is the Fairmont brand’s first hotel in northern England.
I soon find out from my local guest – my mother-in-law – that there’s long been a golf resort and spa on this historic 157-acre site overlooking The Mere Lake, just outside of Knutsford.
But a £125 million investment has transformed the place into a five-star luxury resort with expanded room options, a new signature Gordon Ramsay restaurant and an overhauled spa – which I now find myself in. There’s an 18-hole championship golf course, yes, but there’s so much for your clients to enjoy beyond the fairway.
After exploring the heated outdoor hydrotherapy pool and some of the former stable block’s seven thermal rooms, including a Finnish barrel sauna, hammam, salt inhalation room, tepidarium, steam rooms, and three cold plunge pools, I pull on my robe and head back to my chic art deco-stye room – one of 116 including 23 spacious suites – to get ready for an indulgent three-course meal.
The bathroom is well-stocked with Le Labo products, and I enjoy a quick coffee from the Fairmont-branded Nespresso machine as a little pick-me-up before dinner.
Food for thought
The central convening point at the hotel – and my favourite of its venues in terms of aesthetics – is the striking glass-roofed The Orangery, with a mid-century modern bar at its centre, perfect for enjoying a cocktail or two before dining or enjoying afternoon tea with champagne.
We head to The Club Lounge to try its classic British and Indian fare, with stunning sunset views over the lake.
The service is efficient and friendly, and we are advised on which wine to choose to complement our meal. We order an array of dishes, including melt-in-your-mouth Cheshire smokehouse salmon served with caviar and edible flowers; prawn pani puri, made with curry mayonnaise; and a delightful handcrafted replica peach, filled with almond sponge and peach compote (available at both The Club Lounge and Gordon Ramsay at The Mere).
After an excellent night’s sleep in our generously sized twin beds, we take breakfast in the dusky pink Gordon Ramsay at The Mere, overlooking the lake once again.
After browsing the freshly baked pastries and seasonal fruits available on the breakfast table, we enjoy fresh pressed juices – to try and combat some of that wine – before ordering dishes such as buttermilk and berry pancakes and Omelette Arnold Bennett.
The latter is a smoked haddock and cheese dish created in 1929 by Jean-Baptiste Virlogeux, the head chef at London's historic The Savoy Hotel – which today also features among Accor’s luxury brand’s UK portfolio, alongside Fairmont Windsor Park and Fairmont St Andrews.
Beyond the restaurants, rooms and spa, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere's The Grand Ballroom can host up to 1,000 guests for conferences, networking or other events. Additionally, four dedicated boardrooms can be booked for meetings or private dining. The resort further describes itself as “ideal for weddings of all scales and ceremonies”.
We leave the hotel feeling well-rested and well-fed, and the friendliness and helpfulness of all the staff we encounter reminds me that this resort builds upon its existing legacy as a well-loved, lived-in estate, rooted in local loyalty and a rich past – the site was mentioned in the Domesday Book after all!
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Rooms rates start from £340 including bed and breakfast.
