Hoar Cross Hall

First Impressions

Set in over 30 acres of Staffordshire countryside, Hoar Cross Hall is a Grade II-listed stately home-turned hotel and spa. The gardens are picture-postcard pretty; the interior filled with original features including attractive wood panelling. Lovers of the great outdoors can practice their golf swing, have a go at archery, pootle about on electric bikes (highly recommended) or play lawn games. The spa - complete with new Spa Terrace - is spread across its own wing of the hotel.

What's on offer?

What isn’t, quite frankly? Two pools, extensive thermal facilities, 46 treatment rooms (yup), three relaxation areas, a spa restaurant, a mani/pedi boutique, a larger-than-average spa shop and a wellness suite. Add to that the stunning Spa Garden, which opened in July 2024 - with three large hydrotherapy pools, sauna, and cold plunge tubs – you’ll need the handy fold out map to help you find your way around, though staff are on the look-out for confused spa goers and great at setting you in the right direction.

The spa reception is light and spacious with plenty of staff on hand to help. Pick up your locker wrist band at the reception desk – we brought robes from our room; day guests can collect theirs from here. Immediately ahead you’ll find a circular Atrium Lounge with seats for relaxing beneath a round skylight.

Changing rooms are large with private changing cubicles, and clean showers stocked with Voya shampoo, conditioner and body wash. There are two well-equipped vanity areas with cleanser, toner, cotton pads, hairdryers and straighteners in front of mirrors.

Up on the spa terrace you’ll find three huge - and delightfully warm – rectangular hydro-pools, two cold plunge barrels and a sauna to warm up in. Recliners with plump mattresses, pillows and blankets sit under stylish scallop-edged green and white umbrellas. A green oak open-sided bar area provides shelter, and drinks, when needed. Settle in at one of the many tables or snuggle down beside the fire pit.

Downstairs is the 26-metre saltwater vitality pool which is bathed in green mood lighting. Swim into the starlit cave at one end of the pool before bubbling away in one of two hot tubs at the other. Relax on a heated lounger afterwards.

You’ll find the Aqua Massage and Aqua Detox thermal areas across a little bridge. The former is softly lit with blue tiles and Roman-style statues - here you’ll find a cold plunge pool, a walk-through water jet chamber and a Kneipp foot bath. The Aqua Detox area includes showers, as well as a sauna, a Saunarium and steam room, each comfortably seating six people.

There are eight teal blue egg chairs and three cosy cabanas down the corridor; grab a cup of fruit-infused water and take it to the hydrotherapy pool with its muted blue lighting reflecting off the water. Don’t forget to luxuriate in the nearby hot tub which seats four to six people.

From here, head to the Nordic Heat and Ice Suite with its four zones designed to stimulate your senses. Inhale the delicate scent of lavender in the warm aroma room, inhale lung-clearing salt in the salt inhalation room (which was so steamy we nearly sat on another spa-goer’s lap), bask in the heat at the Aspen wood sauna and cool off with flaked ice and cool showers in the Ice Temple. Water stations are dotted around to ensure you stay hydrated.

Through a door is a salt vitality pool with water loungers to get in and float around on, lying fully flat. Grab one from the basket, lay it out in the water (not letting go), get on as elegantly as you can and then move your legs and head up to lie down. Heavenly.

At the other end of the hydrotherapy pool - and visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows - is The Sanctum, a silent relaxation room with soft carpets, hanging pods and comfortable beds that can be curtained off.

The other silent space is the post-treatment Snooze Room, a low-lit haven of warm water beds, calming ceiling lights and a flickering wall fire.

If you want to work out, there’s a well-equipped, two-storey fitness area with two large studios, a spinning room, and a cardio and weights gym; a recent face lift has seen this area expanded to include a new Peloton station. At least 90 classes a week are on offer here, from archery to Yin Yoga.

Tell us about the treatments

We tried the Grown Alchemist Regenerator Facial (60 minutes, £110).

Amy, my therapist, met me in the treatment waiting area and led me to one of 46 treatment rooms with a fresh new look (all the treatment rooms on the ground floor have been tarted up with floral wallpaper and black showers in the corner).

She explained the many (many) steps of the treatment before leaving the room so that I could settle down on the treatment bed, lying face up.

The treatment began with a cleanse, wiped off with warm mitts, followed by a foamy cleanser for a more thorough clean. Amy then spritzed toner onto my face from above, asking me to breathe in as she did so.

Next came an enzyme peel to remove dead skin cells; Amy painted this on with two small brushes; while this tingled away, Amy treated me to a majestic scalp massage.

Amy then used a facial oil to moisten my face in preparation for facial cupping, using a larger suction cup for my face and a smaller one for the delicate areas around my eyes. Having bruised my thighs regularly using such a cup at home, I was pleased when Amy used these without pulling the skin too tight or leaving any marks.

Using a serum, Amy then massaged my face, paying attention to the delicate area around the eyes and my jawline. She then added a peppermint mask which was fresh and tangy; while this worked its magic, she massaged my arms and hands. Leaving the mask on, she then moved cold Cryo-balls around my face to cool down my skin.

Not finished yet, Amy removed the mask and added a barrage of finishing products including a serum, an eye cream, a moisturiser, SPF and a lip balm which smelt of strawberries. Inspecting my face in the mirror afterwards, I was – somewhat unsurprisingly - amazed by the results.

Our spa partner tried the Grown Alchemist Urban De-stress Massage (60 minutes, £95) - a full body massage with Cryo-balls around the feet and shins - which he had nothing but positive feedback for.

Hoar Cross Hall's extensive spa menu includes a wide variety of treatments from Elemis, Voya and Grown Alchemist including facials, massages, scrubs, wraps, manicures and pedicures, holistic treatments and those tailored for men and mums-to-be, as well as haircuts in the salon.

Food Facts

Lunch is served in Hugo’s minimalist-style dining room a short walk from the spa entrance. The atmosphere is light-hearted and chatty, and you can comfortably eat in your robe. There is food to suit most dietary requirements including vegetarian, plant-based, dairy and gluten-free.

We started lunch with a colourful, light dish of heritage tomatoes with whipped feta, pine nuts and a lemon Vinaigrette; our spa partner’s French Onion soup looked warming on a wet day.

For mains, we opted for a chicken Ceasar salad with boiled egg wedges – one of the best we have eaten – and a burger in a brioche bun with homemade slaw and shoe-string fries. Dessert was a passionfruit and mango Eaton Mess and a lemon curd cheesecake respectively. As spa lunches go, this was more like a fancy dinner.

Guests staying overnight can dine at the grand 2 AA Rosette Ballroom with its original parquet floors, impressive ‘wedding cake’ ceiling and listed William Morris wallpaper.

Here, our seared scallops with apple to start hit the spot; our steaks (one rare; one medium rare) with triple cooked chips and slow roasted plum tomatoes hardly left room for dessert but, somehow, we managed a cheese plate and a ‘gram-worthy chocolate pud with an arty shard on top.

A second meal here saw us tucking into creamy pumpkin soups, tangy monkfish curries and an apple sorbet shaped to look like a crunchy green apple on a bed of granola.

We loved / we didn't love

We loved

The new Spa Terrace: this is THE place to be at Hoar Cross, whatever the weather.

The food: every meal we enjoyed during our stay (one lunch, two dinners, one breakfast) wasn’t just worthy of a photo but delicious to boot.

The eco credentials: the biomass boiler runs on wood chippings from the nearby National Forest; pop any part used products into the drop box and they will be donated to those in need.

The staff: these guys do hospitality with gusto (and a dollop of charm).

We didn’t love

Getting continually lost: that map is your friend spa-goers.

Who do you think would like it?

Anybody with a pulse: whether you’re a solo spa-goer, part of a couple, here with family or enjoying the spa with a friend, we can’t imagine anybody coming to Hoar Cross Hall and not loving the spa.

Water babies: the sheer number of pools, plunges and fire and ice experiences will keep swimmers happily afloat for most of the day (we loved floating about on roll-up water loungers in the vitality pool).

Anyone in need of a special treat: from the grand building and the spacious rooms to the meals and that spa terrace – not to mention the results-driven treatments that will make you look years younger - you can’t help but feel pampered at Hoar Cross Hall.

What bubble rating did you give this spa?

Without hesitation (and once again) we awarded Hoar Cross Hall Hotel the highest Good Spa Guide Bubble Rating of 5 Bubble Luxury for its Spa Terrace, faultless customer service, stylish touches, extensive facilities and delicious food.

Stylish Spy visited in September 2025 and awarded it 5 Bubble Luxury.