Your Cheshire & Merseyside Wedding - November/December 2019 (Issue 48)

Suite serenity I t was with much relief that Mum and I pulled up at Thornton Hall on the car’s very last drop of petrol. We were already 10 minutes late for our facial appointments thanks to the M1 and raced through the doors of The Health Club in the hopes that our chance for a much-needed pampering session hadn’t passed us by. We were greeted by a very welcoming lady who showed us up to The Spa reception, and as we made our way up the steps the seemly endless hours of clutch control and air conditioning started to melt away. The Spa’s treatment list is extensive, so if you have any pre-wedding beauty worries you’re bound to find the solution here. I got to try the Elemis bespoke taster facial for my own skin woes, which believe me, were extensive at this point. The crack pairing of my beauty therapist and gorgeous Elemis products cleansed and soothed these worries away in no time and left me feeling so relaxed I could have stayed with my feet up in the post-treatment relaxation room all evening. That would mean missing out on all of the other delights the hotel has to offer though, so it was onwards for this mother and daughter duo! YOUR WEDDING, YOUR WAY Imagine waking up in the comfort of a beautiful hotel bedroom on your wedding morning, then after a spot of breakfast, you saunter downstairs with your #bridetribe for your bridal beauty transformation. Sound too chilled to be true? Not so, as that’s just what Thornton Hall can offer with its Hair Spa, Nail Bar and Make-up Studio. All you need to worry about then is slipping into your gown and getting to the vows on time. This brings me on to the available ceremony spaces, and you’re spoilt for choice. The grounds here are absolutely delightful, so I’d highly recommend either the picturesque Garden Pagoda or the Garden Lake Arbour, neither of which have a limit on guest numbers. If you’re set to wed in the winter however, or you prefer to stay indoors, the Oak Room with its traditional panelling is ideal for intimate ceremonies of 24 and the impressive Lawns Restaurant can seat 80. There’s also the two suites for lengthier guest lists – the Cristal Suite boasting no less than eight chandeliers and lighting to match any palette can host 200 and the self-contained spacious Torintone Suite with orangery and terrace can accommodate 500. So whether your taste is for the historical, oozing with charm, or for the modern and glamorous, there’s a space for you. All of these super-flexible interior locations are also available for your afternoon and evening celebrations; meaning from dawn to dusk everything is taken care of. TO DINE FOR Following an afternoon of pampering and exploring both the hotel and nearby Port Sunlight, we’d worked up an appetite so it was time to sample the fine-dining fare at The Lawns. I opted for salt baked beetroots, goat’s cheese mousse, soy seeds and Granny Smith for starter followed by hen of the woods mushroom, confit egg yolk, hazelnut gnocchi and baby leek for main course. It’s a testament to the delicious and adventurous menu that a non-vegetarian chose vegetarian options throughout! The meal was perfectly rounded out by whipped white chocolate, pistachio, olive oil jam and Douglas fir. PURE INDULGENCE In truth, I couldn’t wait to get back to our room – The Penthouse Suite. I could quite happily have moved in. My favourite part? A TV… in the bathroom! The height of decadence in my book. Watching Now You See Me 2 while soaking in the roll top bath was, I have to admit, a particular highlight of the weekend for me. We slept like babies in the super-comfortable bed and didn’t hear a peep from the wedding still going full swing in the Torintone Suite below. I was up bright and early the next morning, with a spring in my step excited to try out the renowned spa facilities. This is something you may well want to do the morning after the wedding and enjoy some R&R together while reflecting on the big day. I made a beeline for the thermal zone. The area includes a sauna, steam room, snow cave, infrared wall and experience shower designed to exhilarate your body’s senses with extremes of temperature, great for muscle rejuvenation. Along with a soak in the hot tub and dip in the pool the experience left me disappointed only in the fact that I had to leave for breakfast, and I’m never anything but excited to be heading anywhere there’s food. After a generous and delicious buffet breakfast, we were well-fuelled and ready to face the return journey. It speaks volumes for this wonderful hotel that we were both sad to be leaving and keen to return. Editor Kelly Andrews enjoyed a relaxing night’s stay at Wirral’s Thornton Hall Hotel & Spa TO BOOK… thorntonhallhotel.com enquiries@thorntonhallhotel.com 0151 336 3938 VENUE REVIEW 29