By Elissa Wilson
Last week, I was lucky enough to head to the newly opened Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere for our micebook marketing team off-site, and what a beautiful property it is.
Fresh from a £125 million transformation, the hotel opened its doors last month, becoming Fairmont’s fourth UK property alongside The Savoy, Fairmont Windsor Park and Fairmont St Andrews. Set within 157 acres of Cheshire countryside, close to the historic market town of Knutsford, the resort combines luxury hospitality, wellness and sport with plenty of authentic Cheshire character.
The arrival alone makes an impression. After passing beneath the property’s distinctive archway, a sweeping driveway takes you through landscaped parkland before you reach the hotel’s striking brick frontage.
Inside, interiors by Bergman Design House blend timeless glamour with contemporary rural style, using richly textured materials, layered lighting and design touches inspired by mid-century hospitality.
Rooms with a view
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere has 116 bedrooms, including 23 spacious suites, with many enjoying views across the golf course or Mere Lake.
Dining spaces sit at the heart of the hotel. Gordon Ramsay at The Mere is the signature restaurant, serving a British-inspired menu that includes the chef’s famous Beef Wellington. Guests can choose between the main restaurant, private dining room or terrace overlooking the lake. It is also where breakfast is served, and those views are a lovely way to start the day.
The Orangery is the first social space you encounter on arrival. With light pouring through its glass ceiling and an island bar at its centre, it is a beautiful place to enjoy afternoon tea during the day or a glass of champagne in the evening.
For more relaxed dining, The Club Lounge serves globally inspired dishes alongside Indian-influenced cuisine, accompanied by equally gorgeous views across the golf course.
Meetings in the Cheshire countryside
For meetings, the hotel has four dedicated boardrooms overlooking the golf course and lake, with two featuring their own kitchenettes. Having put the chairs to the test during our own marketing meeting, I can also confirm they are very comfortable.
For larger events, the 1,000 sqm Grand Ballroom presents endless possibilities, from conferences and corporate retreats to awards ceremonies and celebrations. It can accommodate up to 1,000 guests or be divided into six individual spaces for smaller conferences and breakout sessions.
The combination of accommodation, event space and resort facilities make the property particularly well suited to residential conferences, leadership retreats and incentive programmes where planners want to bring business and leisure together in one place.
Time to reset
We were also lucky enough to spend a few hours in the Fairmont Spa during our stay. Set within a beautifully restored Victorian stable block, it has been reimagined as a peaceful retreat complete with a 20-metre swimming pool, Finnish barrel sauna, ice baths, hammam steam rooms and salt inhalation chambers.
There are also six treatment rooms, a Rasul room, Technogym fitness facilities and a covered outdoor studio. Beyond the spa, the resort is home to an 18-hole championship parkland golf course originally designed in the 1930s by golf champions James Braid and George Duncan.
With Manchester less than 30 minutes away by road, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere offers the sense of escape you want from a countryside retreat without feeling disconnected. From the gorgeous views across the golf course over breakfast to the architecturally impressive Grand Ballroom, it is a haven of rural luxury and an inspiring new option for meetings and events in the Northwest.