The Derbyshire town of Buxton may be most renowned for its mineral spring water, but now it has something new to shout about – an 81-room hotel spa that’s been almost three decades in the making.

Housed in an iconic heritage building, the long-awaited Crescent Hotel has finally opened after a major refurbishment project that cost more than £70 million. It marks a UK debut for European brand Ensana, which has painstakingly restored the dilapidated Grade I structure into a sumptuous and modern haven for guests seeking the ultimate pampering experience.

It was constructed in the 1780s, when William Cavendish, the Fifth Duke of Devonshire, commissioned celebrated architect John Carr to design the Crescent as the jewel in the crown of the spa town, much like the one in Bath.

Throughout the 18th, 19th and 20th century the hotel and adjoining properties attracted many well-heeled visitors to Buxton largely due to the town’s thermal spring, which was said to have healing properties. However, it fell into disrepair in 1992.

Today the 21st-century Crescent Hotel, which opened in October last year, has very much embraced its past and is utilising the famed Buxton mineral water to reinvigorate the spa town’s storied history of wellness.

Inside you’ll find a spa and three pools. The refurbished Victorian pool has the biggest wow factor. Filled with the local mineral-rich water pumped from underground that is naturally heated and chemically untreated, it features a beautiful stain-glass canopy depicting the green peaks of the nearby Goyt Valley and the blue sky on a bright summer’s day, and the original 18th-century tiles. The second is a relaxation pool with a dark ceiling and twinkly lights, while the third is an indoor-outdoor rooftop heated pool with “jacuzzi zones” – perfect for a swim whatever the weather.

Hotel guests have inclusive access of the spa, which features a Finnish sauna, bio-thermal sauna, infra-red sauna, steam room, aroma steam room and relaxation areas. However, supplementary treatments include a CO2 Mineral Bath for a solo experience of the thermal waters and the Salt Cave, a cosy room handmade from Hungarian salt with ionised air that is said to detoxify, help aid the airways and boost immunity against respiratory infections.

I opted for the latter, but began my treatment with a Himalayan Salt Massage, where my therapist Bethany used a combination of heated Himalayan salt blocks to massage and then a salt scrub to exfoliate and invigorate, before heading into the Salt Cave. The combo must have worked because later that evening I had the best night’s sleep in a long time!

It is so easy to eat healthily here as breakfast in the Dining Room features a buffet option of local natural yoghurts, fresh fruit, nuts and seeds and smoothies, while hot dishes include vegan, veggie and full English breakfasts and speciality eggs (the eggs in my Benedict were perfectly poached).

Dinner, held in the same room, offered a selection of fresh fish and meat dishes with seasonal veg. I chose breaded ham hock terrine as a starter, canon of English lamb as main and double chocolate cheesecake for dessert from the set menu, which was well presented and equally as delicious. All complemented exceptionally well with a bottle of vegan and sustainably sourced pinot grigio rose.

As for my room I stayed in a Junior Suite, which had among all the usual amenities an impressive four-poster king-size double bed, a free-standing bath and separate living space with views to the front of the hotel. Penhaligon’s London toiletries added to the sumptuous vibe. At night you could peek out of the restored sash windows and see the arches of the Crescent lit up in a beautiful display. Clients celebrating a special occasion may well enjoy the very spacious Crescent Suite, which has original features including a fireplace.

Guests with wheelchairs are also well catered for, with full-access rooms, a chairlift for the spa and emergency buttons throughout.

Throughout the property, large chandeliers give an air of grandeur while everywhere you turn is a celebration of the property’s history and the region. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the selected artwork throughout; the mermaid corridor leading from the lower-ground spa to the upper levels is a striking, mystical mural by English artist Katie Bird depicting mermaids carrying portraits of the Duke and portions of stain glass, in tribute to the ones originally found in the entrance to the hotel. (Local legend says there was a nymph who lived inside a small pool in nearby Kinder Scout, who could be seen if one peered into the water at sunrise on Easter Sunday.) 

Other artworks include local scenes by local artists, for example the steep grassy hills of The Slopes just opposite the hotel, Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, where Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley was filmed, and large murals of the heather-covered hills of the Peak District.

As a local who used to live in the area, I can remember the numerous times I walked past the derelict Crescent, wondering how long it would be until it was reincarnated as the grand old dame of its heyday. It might have taken the best part of 30 years, but I can tell you with confidence – it has been well worth the wait.

How to book it:

Rates start from £155 per night based on two people sharing an Attic room on a B&B basis.

Tel: 01298 808999, ensanahotels.com/buxton/en