Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere has opened following a £60 million estate redevelopment, introducing 116 rooms, an expanded spa and dining offer, and interiors shaped by its lakeside Cheshire setting.
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere has opened on the outskirts of Knutsford following a wider £60 million redevelopment of the historic country estate.
Set within 157 acres of lakeside, woodland and golf course grounds, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere has expanded from 81 to 116 guestrooms, including 23 suites. The transformation also introduces a new spa, revised food and beverage venues and refreshed public spaces.
Select Group led the redevelopment, working with Manchester-based architects Leach Rhodes Walker and London-based interior design studio Bergman Design House.
An Expanded Spa and Dining Offer
The 1,715 sq m Fairmont Spa, developed with spa consultant Rebecca Doyle, includes a 20-metre swimming pool, hydropool, outdoor vitality pool, sauna, steam room and hammam facilities.
Across the resort, the bars have been designed to accommodate Fairmont’s Classics Perfected cocktail programme, while the wider public areas draw on the glamour of mid-century hospitality through sculptural forms, layered lighting and richly textured materials.
The studio’s brief was to carry the character of the estate through the restored and expanded hotel. The property traces its history to the Domesday Book, while its lake, woodland and golf course setting informed the materials, colours and detailing used throughout the interiors.
Rather than applying a generic luxury hotel treatment, the design team sought to establish an identity specific to the Cheshire countryside. This approach extends from the more expressive public areas to guestrooms and suites designed as quieter spaces.
The accommodation uses gentle colour palettes, bespoke furniture, fine linens and warm, layered lighting. Materials found throughout the hotel include mirror-like Japanese lacquer, natural stone, figured timber veneers, handcrafted zellige tiles, coloured cement tiles and beaten metals.
Within the spa, rustic timbers introduce a more natural material character, while layered surfaces and sculptural forms frame views across the surrounding estate.
“The Mere is a property with real history, and our responsibility here was never to impose a style on it but to let the setting lead. Every material decision was tested against that lake view. When a space has this much natural character already, restraint is the harder skill – knowing what to leave alone matters as much as what you add. We’re proud to hand this one over. “Every great brand begins with a story, and Fairmont is no exception. Our vision was to honour that remarkable heritage while introducing a fresh narrative rooted in timeless craftsmanship, emotional design and understated elegance.”
Marie Soliman Co-Founder, Bergman Design House
Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere opened on 10 July, completing the estate’s transformation into an expanded country resort with new accommodation, wellness and dining facilities.
