ESPA at Hale Country Club

ESPA at Hale Country Club is a purpose-built health club set in the leafy Manchester suburb of Hale in the Cheshire countryside. There’s no accommodation for wannabe overnighters.

The club occupies three floors with the main reception area, changing rooms, pool, bar and Fuzen restaurant on the ground floor; the fully equipped gym and class studio in the middle; and the thermal facilities and treatments rooms on the top.

The club is chic and modern with marble floors, white leather seating and a lot of sparkle.

Changing rooms - with sections of full-length lockers separate by round leather seating - are finished to a high standard. Use your wristband to operate the lockers (which contain a robe, two towels, a pair of flip-flops and two ESPA sample products) as well as access the spa facilities.

There are private cubicles in which to change; large vanity areas with GHD hair dryers and straighteners and ESPA cleanser and moisturiser; as well as showers containing ESPA Jasmine and Bergamot shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

You’ll find the 20-metre indoor swimming pool – which was the perfect temperature for swimming leisurely lengths on our visit – on the same floor as the changing facilities; there’s a heated outdoor pool surrounded by plenty of loungers to soak up the sun in the warmer months, too.

If you have wet feet after using the pool, take the ‘wet lift’ up to the spa which is divided into two sections by a glass door. You’ll find the spa’s own reception, Champagne Lounge and treatment rooms on one side, and the thermal experiences on the other.

The lighting inside the spa is low and moody, complementing the slate grey and white tiling used throughout. Four white marble tepidarium beds have been conveniently placed either side of the statement chrome vitality pool – use the sliding door from here to drift outside and bubble away in a massage jet body cage, on a recliner or under a swan neck fountain. The view of Cheshire parkland is enchanting.

Back inside, we began our thermal journey under one of two experience showers, pushing ‘tropical storm’ and enjoying the purple, red and blue light show. The salt sauna has toasty wooden benches and a Himalayan salt wall, while the cooler ESPA herbal room - with its calming essence of lavender - affords longer visits. Heat up again in the steam room - a hotter space equipped with two shower hoses - or the large Finnish sauna with its hot stones in front of juniper logs. Cool off by grabbing handfuls of ice at the ice fountain.

Lovers of the outdoors can make good use of the sporting facilities at Hale Country Club and Spa including tennis courts, a football pitch and a mini golf course.

We tried the ESPA Essential Tension Back Massage (30mins, £70) followed by a SkinCeuticals Bespoke Facial Peel (60 minutes, £155).

Yvonne, my therapist, showed me through to a larger-than average, candle-lit treatment room where I took a seat for a welcome foot ritual.

Enquiring about my stress levels, Yvonne asked me to choose between two oils (I was drawn to the lemony scent of the Fitness Body Oil) before asking me to make myself comfortable on the treatment bed, lying face down.

Using my chosen oil, Yvonne began the massage with deep, slow hand strokes on my back, switching to her forearms and elbows to work out spots of tension. My stiff shoulders received the royal treatment: hot stones.

For the facial, Yvonne thoroughly removed my eye make-up and cleansed my skin in preparation for a gel peel which she brushed on; the tingling sensation was instant but quickly calmed down. Mask removed, Yvonne used a galvanic machine to neutralise and cool the skin, waving it across my forehead, cheeks, chin and décolleté. This she followed with a long, relaxing facial massage.

Using her fingers, Yvonne then combed some ESPA Pink Scalp Mud through my hair to add movement to a scalp massage. The treatment ended with eye cream, a dollop of moisturiser containing SPF and a raspberry sorbet served on a wooden tray (a welcome touch).

On reflection, my skin looked glow-y and my red blemishes less apparent. My spa partner - who tried the ESPA Personalised Facial with Skin Tightening - was amazed by the fine-line reduced, lose skin-tightening results.

ESPA at Hale Country Club offers a range of massages, wraps, scrubs and facials by ESPA, SkinCeuticals and Hydrafacial, as well as treatments for men and mums-to-be, and Nails by Jessica manis/pedis. Special occasion? Try Nouveau LVL Lashes, a spray tan or laser hair removal.

Lunch is served in the ESPA Lounge on the top floor where we could comfortably eat in our robes. The menu is cleverly divided into two sections: Fuzen, with its Sushi, crispy bean burgers and Teriyaki steak sandwiches, or Myprotein Kitchen with its selection of healthier choices such as oat-crushed Katsu chicken curry and peanut butter noodles.

We opted for the Hale Crunch Roll, Tempura prawn Sushi which we enjoyed with a side of fries topped with truffle and parmesan. Our spa partner tucked into a butter chicken burger with sweet potato fries. All our dishes were beautifully presented and tasty.

If you've left room for dessert (we didn’t), there's a separate menu with tempting sweet treats - think banoffee sticky toffee pudding or the chef’s selection of miniature puds.

A glass of fizz is served with lunch or you can choose from a selection of juices and hot drinks.

We loved

Our treatment: the impressive results of our SkinCeuticals Bespoke Facial Peel continued for days afterwards.

The top floor vitality pool is a great space in warm water and enjoy the views.

The lunch menu with its Japanese twist and indulgent/healthy menu divided into distinct sections.

We didn't love

The absence of a relaxation room: after such an amazing treatment, we wanted nothing more than to snooze in a dark, quiet room.

Whilst the spa itself is just for adults, children can use the swimming pool on the ground floor, with many families enjoying it on our visit. Head to the vitality pool in the spa for more peace and quiet.

Treatment lovers: there’s something for everyone on the menu and our therapists were highly skilled.

Sun worshippers: the ground floor terrace is a suntrap and a wonderful place to relax with a cocktail.

Health connoisseurs: ESPA at Hale Country Club allows spa-goers to get fit in style – locals, you are lucky.

We awarded ESPA at Hale Country Club a Good Spa Guide Bubble Rating of 5 Bubbles for its indulgent treatments, tasty food, and excellent heat and water facilities.

Serene Spy visited in September 2023 and awarded it 5 Bubbles.