The North Wing at Combermere Abbey

The North Wing at Combermere Abbey is as special as it sounds. The two rooms here are often reserved for guests who have married in the elegant surroundings of this 900 year-old former monastery and its grounds. Their arched windows look out over Combermere itself, a vast lake amongst the estate’s thousand acres on the Cheshire-Shropshire border. And when they are not booked out by newly-weds, these romantic rooms are available for the rest of us to enjoy: the perfect place for a special occasion getaway if you feel like being pampered.

What’s on offer here is labelled as bed and breakfast but it’s actually rather more than that: bed and butler service – the North Wing’s house manager will greet your arrival with tea and cake, perhaps taken in one of the two beautifully-furnished sitting rooms, then show you to your room. Book Salamanca for the most luxurious of the pair. Sumptuously furnished and decorated in silver, cream and duck egg blue, it’s light and airy with a tester bed that suits the grandeur of the place. Its bathroom has a free-standing marble bath, walk-in shower and twin sinks for couples. The Bhurtpore room, meanwhile, shares the lake views but offers a warmer feel with wood panelling and red hues.

It hardly seems necessary to mention that these rooms are adults only. Recently renovated to a high standard, they have been furnished and finished by interior designer Nina Cambell and it shows from every angle. Paintings, vintage furniture, exposed beams and lancet windows speak of this site’s long history. While The North Wing is yours to enjoy, the other wings remain a family home; passed down through four generations from Sir Kenneth Crossley who bought it in 1919.

Elsewhere within the estate, there are 10 self-catering cottages, one in the estate’s Gothic gatehouse at the top of its long drive. You’ll share access to the grounds with the guests staying in these, but otherwise it’s private with woodlands, parkland and the shores of the lake to discover in peaceful seclusion. Great places to eat nearby include The Combermere Arms, Docket No.33, The Swan at Marbury and Wild Shropshire. There’s little point in explaining the lie of the land any further as it’s unlikely you’ll want to venture far from here and, if you do, the house manager is on call to answer any questions and tend to every need.