Vows & Venues' managing editor Emma Hatherall took a trip to historic Chester for a relaxing spa weekend in a romantic setting. Read her review here…
Crabwall Manor is located a short taxi ride from the historic city of Chester and has a lot to offer whether you're looking for a wedding venue, a hen do or even just a chilled out spa weekend. Set in Mollington, it’s a stone's throw from all that Chester has to offer – the shopping, the horse racing, the history – Crabwall Manor still has that lovely country house feel to it. I took my Mum for an overnight spa break and we loved it
As a wedding venue, Crabwall Manor has everything. The original building dates back to medieval times but as we found, the accommodation and spa facilities are beautifully furnished with a stylish and contemporary feel. Our bedroom was delightfully spacious, with very comfortable beds and a huge, well-equipped bathroom.
The function suite is set apart from the rest of the hotel in the Manor House and consists of a number of well-appointed rooms opening out into the main dining area. This allows for separate spaces in which to have the evening buffet, photo booth, or (as one couple had) the rodeo bull! 
The main function room itself is a lovely conservatory style room seating up to 90 guests, and has panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and gardens. There is separate access from the function suite to the gorgeous garden allowing the bridal party to benefit from photographs in their own setting. Up to 150 evening guests can be accommodated.
The bridal suite is located in a very romantic turret overlooking the garden, and looks like the ideal place to begin married life. Gareth, the wedding co-ordinator at Crabwall, clearly knows his stuff and is very committed to making sure his wedding clients have a perfect day.
We booked a table for dinner in the restaurant and, despite the fact that there was a wedding taking place at the same time, our meals were faultless and the service was excellent. At the end of the evening we were offered coffee in the elegant lounge in front of a roaring fire, where we found one or two members of the wedding party relaxing.
At breakfast the next morning the restaurant was full, many of the diners were obviously wedding guests nursing sore heads. Again the breakfast was delicious, with a huge variety of choices available, and excellent coffee which is a must for me in the morning! Despite being very busy, the breakfast staff remained cheerful, courteous and efficient.
We then treated ourselves to a morning in the spa where we enjoyed a lovely, relaxing massage before thinking about departing for home. At Crabwall Manor there is an impressive gym and gorgeous spa area including a large swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room – so you can get some much-needed pampering in after working so hard on planning the big day.
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