'I enjoyed a mesmerising mix of historic grandeur and modern luxury in a Grade I listed mansion at Crewe Hall Hotel and Spa'

Crewe Hall Hotel and Spa is not just a hotel, it’s a stunning Grade I listed mansion. So, if you’re looking for somewhere extra special to stay - whether you’re celebrating a birthday or an anniversary or you just fancy a treat - then this is the perfect place.

I was thrilled to be invited for a one night stay and took my mum with me - because if anyone deserves a treat it’s mums! We were very impressed before we even stepped through the door because the building itself is so grand and ornate - plus, the hotel is set in eight acres in the peaceful Cheshire countryside so the surrounding views are also stunning.

The mansion, which is now part of the QHotels Collection, was originally built in the 17th century, and it’s long history is evident from the moment guests arrive. In the reception area, for example, there’s a marble fireplace with the word 'welcome' carved above the Crewe Insignia, surrounded by lion statues also made of marble. There’s also a highly decorated ceiling and paintings of the six virtues; maidens potraying humility, charity, temperance, truth, chastity and patience. You may not even notice these when you first check in - I didn’t - as you’re focused on checking in, they are high up on the wall and there’s just so much to admire.

One piece of advice I would give to a future guest is you must give yourself plenty of time to look around as there’s so much to take in. As you would expect from a hotel housed in a historic mansion, there’s many areas to explore - and every room is filled with so much character and so many features which deserve to be admired.

A feature you probably won’t expect in the hotel is the Chapel, which has been standing since the 17th century and now offers couples a place to get married. When the hotel isn’t hosting a wedding - and what an incredible place to get married this would be - the Chapel is also open for all hotel guests to appreciate. There’s so much awe-inspiring decoration, from the altar floor of the Crewe motto in the original gold leaf to the heads of saints which adorn the wall. It’s a place which must be seen with your own eye to fully understand just how incredible it is.

There’s also many more rooms with period charm including a lending library and games room, bursting with books and board games for guests who prefer more traditional pastimes; along with the great library, the drawing room and the oak parlour. Plus, there’s a grand staircase and a piano. It’s all absolutely extraordinary and it reminded me of the fine homes inhabited by wealthy characters from Pride and Prejudice or Bridgerton, or even the Disney Beauty and the Beast castle. It was easy to imagine guests in the olden days arriving for a masked ball dressed in their finest clothes.

The historic part of the hotel is just exquisite. Plus, there’s a sleek modern wing which has been built to extend the hotel’s room capacity for overnight stays, as well as adding extra facilities such as the spa and the Brasserie Bar and Restaurant. As we had been invited for a spa break we wanted to spend our time in the spa when we first got there but we stayed around after check out the following day to be able to take everything in.

Before heading to the spa, we took our luggage to our room - a suite which was in the historical wing at the front of the hotel and overlooking the expansive grounds. The room compromised a bedroom with a four poster bed, a lounge area and a bathroom. Like the building it is housed in, it was luxurious and unique. It also had plenty of period features and though it was decorated to fit with the time period it was built in, such as beautiful dark wood furniture and vintage style lamps, it also had all the modern amenities required (and more). There were two TVs, a coffee machine, tea making facilities, a complimentary mini bar, a safe, an iron and ironing board and two fans.

My favourite feature of the room had to be the vintage typewriter which sat on top of the huge desk in the lounge area. I could just imagine a previous occupant of the room - in the bygone years when the building was home to the Crewe family and not a hotel - sitting at the desk and using the typewriter to write letters. In fact, I loved it so much that it inspired me to come home and buy my own . . . I love little touches like this in hotel rooms as it’s things like this that also make a hotel stay memorable.

Another stand out part of the room for us was the marble en-suite bathroom which had a bath, a shower cabinet, and a double vanity unit and come complete with deluxe toiletries. Mum and I particularly loved the double vanity unit and we found this was so useful when we were both getting ready. Once again, it’s little luxuries like this that you don’t have at home to make a hotel stay extra enjoyable.

After quickly unpacking in the room - and there was plenty of wardrobe and drawer space to unpack - we made our way to the spa. The spa boasted a large swimming room, a jacuzzi, a steam room, a sauna, an experience shower and a relaxation room - all within a light, bright, inviting room. Using these facilities helped us to unwind and leave the everyday stresses of life behind and also get us ready for our spa treatments - which came the morning after.

The spa, and gym, are available to all hotel guests for the duration of their stay (from 3pm on the day of arrival to 11am on the day of departure. Plus, for some extra indulgence, spa treatments are available to book either ahead of the stay or on the day of arrival, subject to availability. Mum and I love spa treatments and it’s our number one way of relaxing and spoiling ourselves.

There’s a variety of spa treatments available, from facials to massages and full body treatments, using Elemis products. The hotel has also partnered with the Amethyst Trust to offer specialist massages and facials to those affected by cancer which is wonderful. We were lucky enough to have been invited for complimentary 50 minute treatments and each chose to have the relaxing face and back package.

This included a gentle back exfoliation, followed by a relaxing aromatherapy back massage and then a face and scalp massage - all designed to melt away tension and leave skin radiant. That goal was definitely achieved. I could feel the tension which always carries in my shoulders melt away as my therapist skillfully performed a variety of massage techniques. After the treatment I left feeling lighter, calming and rejuvinated and my mum told me she felt the same.

We had booked our treatments for 11.30am on the day of departure, to give us time to check out and then go to the spa. I would highly recommend doing this, if you have the time to stay for a little longer before you go home, as this not only means that you can enjoy the spa facilities for the maximum amount of time during the allocated hours but it it also means that you have something to look forward to on the second day.

Usually, with overnight spa breaks, you do everything on the day you arrive and that means that by the time you are having your breakfast on the second day you get that sinking feeling that comes when you know an experience is pretty much over - but in this case we knew we had our massages to look forward to so that made the second day feel just as exciting as the first and made the trip extended. It’s a little trick we stumbled across by accident to be honest as we booked according to the spa availability, but it’s something we will do purposefully again in future.

Next, on to the food. As part of our stay we were gifted our evening meal and breakfast - both of which we enjoyed in the sleek and stylish restaurant, which was painted in rich blue tones and had dim mood lighting for a cosy feel. The menu is seasonal and offers a range of starters, mains, desserts and also afternoon tea. We chose a traditional two course meal, accompanied by two glasses of wine.

We are both vegetarian so we chose the mushroom and truffle ravioli for main followed by the chocolate fondant for dessert, which is one of our favourites. The ravioli, which was a stuffed pasta in a creamy portobello sauce with parmesan shavings and a drizzle of truffle oil, was delicious. The pasta was wonderfully delicate and soft, and the sauce was flavourful and plentiful. As a cheese lover I was very pleased to find that the quantity of parmesan was also very generous. The presentation was also fantastic.

The warm chocolate fondant that followed as rich, gooey and decadent. The menu advertised that the dessert came served with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and honeycomb ice-cream, but the staff were only too happy to oblige our request to swap for chocolate ice-cream. As we’re both chocoholic there’s no such thing as too much cocoa. Our favourite dish was perfectly executed and was an ideal end to the most delicious meal. We both thoroughly enjoyed it.

After our meal we spent the rest of the evening in the Sheridan Bar, a stunning new Moët & Chandon Champagne and cocktail bar, which has formed part of the hotel’s £1million plus significant refurbishment. This is a showstopper of a room and a must-visit for all guests. The bar is open throughout the day for light bites and drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) so there’s a time to visit and a drink to suit all.

The most remarkable feature of this room is the carved oak screen, which gives the room an appearance of a college hall. It is thought that the screen is the most perfect of its kind still in existence it’s definitely worth a look. I also loved the fireplace with the plaster figure above to signify wisdom, the stained glass in the windows and the beautifully decorated ceilings and pendants.

The room was quite simply breathtaking, and something which must-visit. On the pictures above you can get an idea of the grandeur and magnificence of the room but, once again, it really must be experienced first-hand to be truly appreciated. In fact, mum and I enjoyed it so much we paid one last visit there and bought our lunch before we went home. It was our last little bit of extravagance on what had been a very lavish trip.

The hotel provides the perfect blend of traditional and modern, and everywhere you look there’s something else with the wow-factor to see. I must also compliment all of the staff we encountered throughout our stay who were all very welcoming, friendly, helpful and accomodating.

Rooms are available for all types of guests including families and couples, plus there are accessible and dog-friendly rooms too. So, everybody can treat themselves to the opulence that Crewe Hall Hotel and Spa, Weston Road, Crewe, offers.