Carden Park sits on a thousand-acre estate in the Cheshire countryside near Broxton, about nine miles south of Chester – far enough out to feel properly rural, close enough to make the city an easy day trip.

It is best known for the golf. There are two championship courses on the estate: the Nicklaus Course, laid out by Jack Nicklaus, and the Cheshire Course, and between them they make this one of the better-regarded golf destinations in the north-west. There is also a spa with an indoor pool, treatment rooms and its own gardens, which can be booked separately from a stay, and a vineyard on the estate used for dining and events.

The accommodation is contemporary rather than traditional country house, and the resort handles a good deal of wedding, conference and golf-break business alongside ordinary leisure guests. There are several places to eat on site, which matters given how far it is from anywhere else.

Practically, you will want a car. The estate is well off the main routes and Chester is a straightforward drive of about twenty-five minutes, though parking inside the walls is difficult – the park-and-ride sites on the approach roads are the easier option for a day in the city. It also makes a reasonable base for North Wales, with the border around fifteen minutes away.

Official website: www.cardenpark.co.uk

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