Review of Rookery Hall Hotel

Rookery Hall Hotel, Nantwich - 5 bubbles

Rookery Hall Hotel is an elegant hotel set in pleasant parkland. The spa offers a pool, heat facilities, a rasul, and gym, as well as a dedicated relaxation room. The Elemis treatments in the spa are expertly delivered and good value. Personal service and friendly staff are a hallmark, and the food is excellent throughout, from the fine dining to the informal spa cafe. Ideal for a countryside spa break, or just an unwinding day.

First impressions?

What's on offer?

Which treatments did you have?

What were the treatments like?

What else could you have?

Food facts

Was it worth it?

We loved

We didn't love

Who do you think would like it?

Why did you give the spa this rating?

Would you go again?

First impressions?

Rookery Hall is an attractive country-house hotel in a scenic 38 acres of parkland in the Cheshire countryside. It has a relaxed sort of country-house feel: there are wellies in the hall for country walks and windows give endless views over gardens and terraces.

What's on offer?

The spa is in a separate building that used to be the stables. This does mean you have a walk to the spa, but you can do so in your robe, should you wish.

The heart of the light and airy spa building is the glass roofed 18- metre swimming pool. Next to the pool, a large, nicely hot hydrotherapy pool with swan pipes and underwater jets bubbles away, and loungers allow for some relaxation. To one side of the pool is the "health club" area, where you'll find the changing rooms, a large crystal steam room (nicely steamy) and sizeable sauna (suitably hot). To the other side of the pool is the spa area, off limits to health-club and hotel guests, unless you have booked a treatment.

Upstairs is a small but cleverly mirrored gym with cross trainers, running machines, cycles, resistance equipment and weights. Plenty of water is available throughout the health-club.

The spa itself is bright and spacious. Etched glass screens and doors help keep everywhere light but also private. Another nice touch is that the changing rooms for the spa are separate to the changing rooms for health-club members. This keeps the spa experience soothing. The changing rooms are functional rather than luxurious, but clean and tidy, and much better equipped than the main changing rooms. Your locker contains your white towelling robe and slippers.

The eight treatment rooms all have a shower, which is great for body treatments. One treatment room even boasts its own rasul. The manicure and pedicure room has a large, lovely window overlooking the grounds.

There is a comfortable room where you wait for your treatments, with water, teas and coffee to hand, and a separate relaxation room with eight beds to lie on, so your post-treatment bliss isn't interrupted. The relaxation room has a water wall, is dimly lit, and peaceful.

Which treatments did you have?

I had the Elemis pro-collagen quartz lift facial (70 minutes, £80), the Elemis deep tissue back massage (25 minutes, £40) and a Jessica pedicure with Geleration (55 minutes, £50). My accompanying friend also had the Elemis Modern Skin facial (55 minutes, £75).

What were the treatments like?

Very relaxing. My massage therapist, Kelly, was friendly and welcoming, and took me into a spacious, warm-orange-lit treatment room. She explained that she would do the massage first and move on to the facial.

The massage was just what I needed, firm and thorough, with Kelly working away at the knots in my neck. There was a lot of elbow work around my hips, which was uncomfortable, but I worked on the principle that it must be doing me good. Kelly kneaded high up into my neck, where I carry most of my tension, and I could feel myself unwinding. A touch of Instant Refreshing Gel kept my shoulders tingly.

Very pleasingly, the facial involved even more massage while various masks worked their magic. I particularly liked the exfoliation, using Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel. The strong smell of papaya and pineapple was delicious. Kelly also mixed up and applied a rich cream mask, which felt cooling on my skin, as did the accompanying eye mask. Kelly treated me to a fantastic scalp massage, a hand and arm massage, and more work on my shoulders before peeling off the mask. My skin felt softened, smooth and expertly moisturised.

My friend reported that the Modern Skin facial was very gentle and had no alarming effects on her very sensitive skin. I can report that her skin looked visibly brighter and more toned.

We both ended our spa day with a delightful pedicure using footbaths, moisturising, and Jessica gel polish. I love the shininess of gel and its long-lasting qualities. Our feet looked more than ready for an important occasion. A lovely treatment that means you can skip out of the spa on perfect toes.

What else could you have?

A wide range of facials using Elemis products, including the effective Visible Brilliance and Tri-enzyme Resurfacing facials, as well as eye treatments, scrubs and wraps. The massages on offer include candle massages, as well as massages with bamboo sticks, hot stones or lava shells.

Also on the menu: Indian head massage and reflexology, nurturing treatments for mums-to-be, and treatments specifically for men. You can also try Jessica products for nails, and Bare Escentuals make-up, as well as eye treatments, waxing and Fake Bake.

You can book spa days and spa breaks as well as individual treatments, and these give very good value. You can customise a spa day to suit just you, by choosing which treatments to have (great idea), and also participate in the range of fitness classes in the studio.

Food facts

The spa has a cafe that is open for lunch, and you can just wander through in your robe. If you book a spa day, lunch is included, and your two courses include salads, fish, pasta, soup and some very naughty puddings.

As we were staying, we ate a formal dinner in the small drawing room, which was mahogany-lined and candle-lit. The staff were friendly and attentive. Everything we ate was fresh, tasty and thoroughly excellent. We loved everything from the tomato veloute to start to the Eton mess to end. The menu features much local produce including some delicious Cheshire cheeses.

Breakfast is a buffet, with plenty to choose from, and fresh cooked food to order. Delicious.

Was it worth it?

Definitely. Treatments are well priced and the spa days are very good value.

We loved

Our treatments.

The water wall in the relaxation room, and the light and airy manicure room.

The fact that you have a Spa Hostess who greets you, checks out your consultation forms, makes sure you have everything you want, knows where you need to go next, and brings you a welcoming drink of orange juice and grenadine. You feel looked after.

Our hotel rooms, which were comfortable, clean and with a flat-screen TV in the bedroom and a smaller one in the bathroom, no less!

We didn't love

As the spa is in what was the stable block, you do have to walk across the courtyard to the spa. In the daylight, no problem. If you want to set out at 6.30am to swim, take a torch.

Having to remember to bring a pound coin for your locker.

The "conditioning shampoo" in the changing rooms. If you have long hair, bring your own conditioner, or you'll never get your hair brushed. (If you're staying in the hotel, the one from your room will do!)

Leaving.

Who do you think would like it?

Locals who can join the health club. Almost everyone else. Rookery Hall is worth a drive!

Day-spa packages are popular; when we visited, many friends were enjoying spa days together, and obviously having chill-out time. Rookery Hall is also a great destination for a romantic break with some spa-time; the hotel rooms are very comfortable, and the grounds give you a feeling of getting away from it all.

Why did you give the spa this rating?

On our second visit, Rookery Hall retained its well-deserved 5 bubbles. The spa is well-designed, and the separation of health club and spa works well. Of course, as the pool is the hotel pool, you are going to find children bobbing about at specific times. Check when these are to enjoy some peaceful swimming.

The overall package of grounds, comfort and excellent food make Rookery Hall a good choice for a spa stay, but even if you visit just for the day, you'll find personal service, attention to detail and great treatments to revive and refresh. A spa gem in the Cheshire crown.

See more on how we rate the spas.