Photo: Accor Designed around our 'Wellness without Walls' philosophy, the spa isn't a destination within the hotel; it's shaped by 157 acres of Cheshire countryside and the stillness of The Mere Lake – Emma Darby, global vice president of spa and wellness for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts

Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has opened today (10 July) near Knutsford in the north-west of England with a 1,715sq m Fairmont Spa that has been designed using a ‘Wellness without Walls’ concept.

The Select Group, a Dubai-headquartered real estate developer and hospitality investor, acquired the property for £35 million (US$45 million, €41 million) and a further £90 million (US$114 million, €105 million).

The 157-acre estate has a rich history, having been mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It now has 116 rooms and a variety of dining options, including a restaurant called Gordon Ramsay at The Mere.

The new hotel joins three other Fairmont properties in the UK, including The Savoy, A Fairmont Hotel, Fairmont Windsor Park and Fairmont St Andrews.

Fairmont Spa

The Fairmont Spa has been designed by Bergman Design House, with spa consultancy by Rebecca Doyle of Wellness House Collective.

The facility’s ‘Wellness without Walls’ concept means the spa is positioned as an experience, rather than an amenity, with wellness extending throughout the property and not one singular space.

Emma Darby, global vice president of spa and wellness for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, told Spa Business: "Fairmont Spa at The Mere is a considered addition to the north-west of England's wellness landscape. Designed around our 'Wellness without Walls' philosophy, the spa isn't a destination within the hotel; it's shaped by 157 acres of Cheshire countryside and the stillness of The Mere Lake.

"Our treatment partners were chosen with the same intention: Wildsmith Skin for its British botanical credentials rooted in the English estate landscape, Kama Ayurveda for a classical Ayurvedic perspective that brings genuine differentiation, and 111Skin for cutting-edge facial science developed at 111 Harley Street. The result is a wellness experience that is intuitive, seamless and quietly exceptional.”

The spa has six private treatment rooms, one of which is a two-person suite for couples or shared experiences. Treatment beds are by Lemi, while spa equipment has been supplied by Spa Vision. Scheduling and management software is by Book4Time.

The spa’s thermal journey comprises a sauna, steamroom, hammam, tepidarium by Spa Design and Build. There is also a salt room, experience shower, ice fountain, two indoor cold plunges and an outdoor Finnish barrel sauna. Private saunas and cold bucket showers are also available in the changing rooms.

Separate to the thermal suite, the spa also features a 20-metre indoor pool, indoor hydropool, outdoor heated vitality pool by TR Designs. There is also a rasul room, relaxation room and a spa café offering options including post-treatment smoothies.

A Technogym gym is also on-site, with a free-weights area, functional training area and a covered outdoor class studio.

Other facilities

In terms of other leisure facilities, the property is also home to an 18-hole championship golf course. All guest rooms are equipped with yoga mats and the Fairmont FIT programme is available – allowing guests to have athletic apparel, footwear and equipment delivered to their rooms.

In addition to the Gordon Ramsay at The Mere restaurant, the property will have an afternoon tea and champagne venue called The Orangery. British cuisine and Indian dishes will be served at The Club Lounge.

The Select Group

Israr Liaqat, group CEO, Select Group, said: “Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, represents a defining milestone for Select Group. It’s the realisation of a vision we committed to when we first acquired this exceptional property. Our ambition from the outset was to create something that would set a new standard for luxury hospitality in North West of England, and partnering with Fairmont, one of the world’s most iconic luxury hotel brands, has allowed us to do exactly that.” 

The Select Group intends to build a portfolio of premium long-term hospitality investments in Britain. It already owns and operates Old Thorns Hotel and Resort and three Delta Hotels by Marriott.

The group’s portfolio also encompasses residential, mixed-use and hospitality developments. In the UAE, the company has also invested and developed luxury branded residences under the Six Senses and Jumeirah brands.