The outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent don't feel particularly countrified, with their sprawling streets of tiny red brick workers' cottages and old pottery mills. But at the city's furthest edge you'll find the Manor House, a popular spa hotel that ekes every bit of rural charm from its location. The biggest draw? Its English country garden, with outdoor pools laid out in formal courtyards, with views of the rolling green meadows beyond.
You'd think that a spa sesh at this spot would be a summer-only affair, but it works surprisingly well in chillier seasons (on our visit, snow was on the ground). A rich fug of steam rises from the main heated outdoor relaxation pool, which has an abundance of spots to lounge with a glass of fizz from the swim-up bar. Around it are thoughtfully designed cabins offering botanically inspired relaxation opportunities. The potting shed houses a herbal sauna, where a zing of lavender rushes through your airways as your limbs surrender to the steamy heat. The less intense salt steam chamber invites you to inhale salt and essential-oil scented vapours next to a rose quartz centrepiece (which, whether or not it has healing powers, certainly looks very pretty). And the glass-walled, heated sunroom is a blissful way to banish wintry gloom, with a swing overlooking green fields.
Need to warm up? There's also an indoor pool for proper swimming, and a short, crowd-pleasing list of treatments, including massages and skin treatments like a warming honey facial. Most spa day packages include an afternoon tea, which appears in a rustic wooden box, its compartments filled with mini English treats like treacle tarts and cucumber sandwiches. Or get a bit healthier at the hotel's restaurant, which serves impressively light and flavourful salads alongside heartier favourites like Sunday roasts. And you’ll sleep all that off in freshly decorated, calming white bedrooms, with design flourishes including padded cloud-like pastel headboards.
Neighbourhood
In the quiet suburb of Alsager, Manor House is ideally placed for visiting Stoke-on-Trent and the peaceful east Cheshire countryside beyond. There's not a huge amount to do in the immediate neighbourhood, but this sizable hotel has no shortage of spaces to eat and drink.
Nearby
1. Middleport Pottery: Take a 10-minute train ride (or drive) to Longport and you'll find this carefully restored Victorian ceramic factory. Look around the historic displays and pick up some 21st-century gems from the still-operating pottery workshops on site.
2. Little Moreton Hall: This impossibly quaint, half-timbered Tudor house is a must-visit. Head over at teatime to sample its homemade scones on the lawn.
3. Thor's Cave: Ready for a climb? Your reward for a steep hike through Manifold Valley is the chance to explore this cave, which shows signs of habitation dating back to ancient times.
Time Out tip
Lounging about in a bathrobe doesn't have to be a daytime-only thing. Book one of Manor House Spa's Twilight sessions for acoustic music as the sun sets.