The Mere Golf Resort And Spa Visited

I'M a modern gentleman. I also work in a pretty stressful environment. Honest.

So when the Mere Golf Resort and Spa invited me and my partner along for a couples’ treatment package, I didn’t need much convincing.

It was time for our massages – a good half hour of deep tissue action with a choice of oils. I chose the ones that promised to empty  my head of stress.

As you may have seen from some recent articles, I’m currently undergoing a fairly punishing training regime to try and get myself in better shape, so a day of pampering was the perfect tonic to the aches and pains I was having.

For my partner Sarah, it was sweet relief from days spent looking after our 13-week old baby Alfie and the whirling dervish of destruction that is our four-year-old daughter Daisy.

The resort itself still looks sharp and manicured, even amid the building work that will see a brand new hotel open on site next year.

We drove down the track that splits the golf course, where plenty of Cheshire gentlemen were working their way through a back nine in the sunshine.

We parked our Nissan Qashqi next to a Ferrari and a Nissan Micra – talk about a mixed group – and on entering I was struck by the even number of men to women.

We had three treatments lined up – a rasul mud exfoliation, a distressing neck, shoulder and back massage and a fish pedicure.

The rasul mud cabin was good fun. A salt scrub to remove any dead skin before applying mud all over – don’t worry readers, the swimming shorts stayed on – before a 20 minute session in a hot steam cabin, complete with soothing sounds and the odd bit of strobe lighting. Afterwards, I felt rejuvenated and just about ready for a nice sit down in the deep relax area, where I steadied myself with plenty of water and a copy of GQ.

The spa has a look and feel of an upmarket New York hotel – all shades of handsome browns and stylish textured wallpaper. We were getting décor tips as well as relaxing.

Ten minutes later it was time for our massages – a good half hour of deep tissue action with a choice of oils. I chose the ones that promised to empty  my head of stress. In the same vein, there’s no mobile phones allowed in the spa, which is wonderful.

After tuning out for what seemed like the longest time, it was time to let some fish loose on my feet, which was like being attacked by tiny plungers. They could have put another couple of hundred in the tank and I’d have kept them busy.

Treatments done, it was time to hit the pool, and especially the stimulation pool at the bottom end, which had Jacuzzi seats and massage jets. If it all got a bit too much, we could also sit in the heated poolside chairs and have the glass of Pimms that came with the package, which would normally cost £150.

Next to the pool were a selection of steam rooms, a sauna and a shower that have four different types of spray. All good stuff.

As I got my kit back on in the ultra modern changing rooms – code protected lockers and all – I got talking to a senior looking chap who looked exactly like Samuel L Jackson. He’d been a member for years, and often meets a few of his mates here.

I can see why. It’s a spa where men can feel comfortable as well as women. Even when we’re covered in mud.

You can follow Simon Binns on Twitter @simonbinns