And relax… It’s time to chill this Christmas with a couture touch at the Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf & Spa. 

Sometimes a city chick just needs to take time out getting pampered and chilling out in the countryside putting the world to right with one of her girlfriends!

Last Wednesday that’s exactly what I did with my good friend Tracey D. We headed out to the spa at the Macdonald Portal Hotel in the heart of the rolling Cheshire countryside of Tarporley.

I’m not going to lie, being a southern fairy I’d never heard of, or been to, Tarporley before! Looking on Google maps it looked like it was discreetly hidden in the beautiful Cheshire countryside so I hopped in my Express Club car and whack my sat nav on!

The grounds of the hotel are stunning on entry. As well as the spa, Macdonald hotel hosts an impressive 18 hole championship and premier golf course. Although golf has always taken my fancy, we weren’t here on this occasion to hit some balls, but for more information about the golf course and membership packages contact 0344 879 9082.

So what did our pamper day ahead have in store for us? Well, we opted for the ‘The Perfect Gift Spa Day for Two’ priced at £99p. This is the Macdonald Hotels & Resorts new ‘The Perfect Gift’ spa voucher which includes a 55 minute Elemis Couture Touch spa ritual, which blends the clarifying Elemis Touch Facial with a personalised Freestyle Deep Tissue Massage or Deeper than Deep Hot Stone Massage.

We could also use all the soothing facilities within the spa; 18m heated pool, thermal suite including an ice room, infra red sauna and aroma steam room, experience showers plus the fitness suite, and to add to our relaxing day ahead, The ‘Perfect Gift’ includes a delicious afternoon tea.

We swerved the fitness suite (after all we were there to do some chilling and relaxing) and headed straight for the thermal suite. Not too sure what to do in the ice room except throw ice on each other we spent most of our time sweating it out in the sauna and steam room, then hit the heated pool for a float around and a girly gossip until it was time for our treatments!

And now for the main event; The Elemis Couture Touch!

I’m a bit of a massage addict, I have a massage at least once a month normally using the App; Urban Massage. I surfer with back problems so I always opt for the deep tissue or sports massage and like it hard to get all my aches, pains and knots out!

I’ve found with a few spas I’ve been to recently that the massages are always quite weak and don’t have much effect on my back! But this massage has to be one of the best if not the best massage I’ve had at a spa!

You can have the Elemis Couture Touch, with or without hot stones, myself and Tracey D both went for hot stones, and they are hot in every way! If you have never tried them I highly recommend you do. It feels like a bearable hot iron literally ironing out your back, it felt so good!

I was in total chill mode drifting in and out of consciousness and in the words of Tracey D;  “I no longer felt human but like some sort of liquid substance!”

It was time to role over for the express facial! The low down to this is as follow…

*Eye and lip cleanse

*Facial cleanse followed by toning the skin

*Lavender compress

*Facial massage

*Exfoliation followed by toning the skin

*Hydra Elena eye mask

*Scalp massage (with skin nourishing milk bath or frangipani oil)

*Remove peel off mask with hot rosewood mitts

*Tone the skin

*Serum, eye product, moisturiser then eye balm

Wow! Both of us came out of our treatment rooms and met in the chill out room floating like a couple of high hippies in white fluffy bath robes at Glasto in the 70s (peace and love man)!

But it didn’t end there, it was time for lunch, good job as we were extremely hungry after our frightfully busy morning of chilling!

So as I mentioned before with ‘The Perfect Gift’ spa voucher this includes afternoon tea complete with freshly filled finger sandwiches, delicate cakes, warm scones studded with fruit topped with clotted cream and fruit conserve and a number of fragrant tea infusions… And ladies no need to change out of your white fluffy robes and toeless slippers or apply any make-up, just come as you are to the bar!

If lunch isn’t included in your spa package the bar hosts a fabulous set menu as well, which is reasonably priced at £15 for 3 courses plus add a couple glasses of fizz for £10 (see menu). I can recommend the Start Me Up Vitality for starters, mains the North Atlantic Hake, and Dehydrated Fruits and Pecan Bought Nougat for desert, and of course a few glasses of fizz darlings!

VIVA Verdict: The Elemis Couture Touch spa ritual was outstanding, staff were very welcoming and helpful, the spa facilities were comforting and the food was delicious. We give it a 5 star review.

‘The Perfect Gift’ spa voucher is a must have Christmas present, perfect for the person who has everything or anyone who finds it difficult to unwind, plus they will also receive a £5 retail voucher to spend on aromatic products in the spa store too.

For more information about the Macdonald Portal Hotel, Golf & Spa and to purchase spa vouchers  please visit www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk