The History Of Carden Park
Carden Park Hotel is located within 1,000 acres of stunning Cheshire countryside, with a mile long drive leading through the Nicklaus golf course, just one of the two championship golf courses onsite it truly is Cheshire’s Country Estate.
Carden Park is one of the most important Mesolithic sites in Cheshire. Evidence of human activity as long ago as 14,000 years has been discovered in sandstone caves on the estate, with the majority of tools identified by archaeologists dated between circa 6800BC and 4300BC.
The history of Carden Park really starts when the land was acquired in the early 17th century by the Leche Family. An elegant Hall was built and the grounds of the park landscaped and stocked with deer. The Hall was ransacked by Cromwell’s troops but survived and continued to be inhabited. In 1912, the main Hall burnt down in a fire, allegedly after someone dropped a cigarette at a party. Photographs of the Hall show a highly decorated timber framed building, reprised in the rebuilt Resort which you see today.
Construction of golf courses and the purchase of Carden Park by private owner Steve Morgan, has led to a restoration of its fortunes. Carden Park first opened its doors as a hotel on 5th June 1997. Now rather than deer you are more likely to see pheasants, moorhens, foxes, badgers and swans which are all regular visitors to the estate.
Carden Park Facts
Since the opening of the hotel there have been many transformations and improvements to the facilities. Here are some interesting facts:
- The 3 acre vineyard was reinstated by the Estates team in 2008 and has since become one of the most successful vineyards in the North of England producing up to 6,000 bottles of Carden Estate Reserve sparkling wine.
- A full bunker refurbishment project was completed on the Cheshire golf course in 2014, reopening in April with a £100,000 investment.
- On 1st September 2014 Carden Park Hotel became an independent hotel
- At the start of 2015, an investment of £350,000 was made into the refurbishment of the public lounge, reception and Morgan’s bar area
- In January 2015 the spa leisure facilities were refurbished with a new hydrotherapy pool, heated tiled beds and new sauna and steam areas
- All 197 bedrooms have been refurbished in 2017 including brand new Carden Luxury Suites
- In February 2019 The Shooting Suite was refurbished with a new bar, modern video screen and colour lighting features
- In January 2020, the brand new purpose-built £10 million Spa at Carden opened
- For summer 2020, the Leisure Club was refurbished and expanded
- In 2021, the new Vines Restaurant, Luxury Lounge, Sculpture Garden and Vertigo at Carden opened
Carden Park Awards
The team have also won many awards over the years, here are the most recent:
- 2024 World Luxury Spa Awards – Global Spa of The Year
- 2024 World Luxury Spa Awards – Best Luxury Sustainable Spa
- 2024 3 AA Rosettes for The Vines Restaurant – Award for Culinary Excellence
- 2024 Chester Hospitality People Awards – Best Chef & Unsung Hero Award
- 2024 Independent English Wine Awards – Silver for Carden Estate Reserve Sparkling
- 2024 Professional Beauty Awards – Best Luxury Spa
- 2023 Good Spa Guide – Best Spa in North West England
- 2023 Best Luxury Countryside Spa Global Winner – World Luxury Spa Awards
- 2023 Best Luxury Romantic Destination Spa – World Luxury Spa Awards
- 2023 Best Luxury Hotel Spa – World Luxury Spa Awards
- 2023 M&IT Silver Award – Best UK Hotel
- 2023 Green Tourism Silver Award
- 2023 Social Media Campaign of the Year HMA Awards
- 2022 Good Spa Guide – Best Spa in North West England
- 2022 M&IT Bronze Award – Best UK Hotel
- 2022 5 Bubble Luxury Spa – Good Spa Guide
- 2022 England’s Best Country House Hotel Spa – World Spa Awards
- 2022 Europe’s Best Luxury Garden Spa 2022 – World Luxury Spa Awards
- 2022 Large Spa of the Year – BABTAC Awards
- 2022 Best Marketing & Social Media – Professional Beauty Awards
- 2022 Experience of the Year – Marketing Cheshire Awards
- 2021 Large Spa of the Year – Professional Beauty Awards
- 2021 England’s Best Country House Hotel Spa – World Spa Awards
- 2021 Europe’s Best Luxury Destination Spa – World Luxury Spa Awards
- 2020 Best New Spa – Good Spa Guide Awards
- 2020 5 Bubble Luxury Spa – Good Spa Guide
- 2019 Business Tourism Venue of the Year
- 2018 Cheshire’s Wedding Venue of the Year
- 2018 England’s Best Golf Hotel
- 2018 4 Bubble Award spa
- 2017 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for Hotel
- 2017 Cheshire Hoteliers Association Winner Best and Brightest Idea
- 2017 Cheshire Life Food and Drink Awards Chef of the Year
- 2017 Marketing Cheshire Hotel of the Year Awards Winner
- 2016 Gold Venue Verdict (BDRC)
- 2016 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for Hotel
- 2016 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for Redmond’s Brasserie
- 2015 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for Hotel
- 2015 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for Redmond’s Brasserie
- 2015 Marketing Cheshire Large Hotel of the Year
- 2015 4 bubble award spa
- 2015 Simply The Guest Top Rated Golf Hotel
- 2015 Simply The Guest Top Rated Spa Hotel
- 2014 Club59 Golf Sales Team of the Year
- 2014 Club59 Golf Membership Team of the year
- 2014 Today’s Golfer Travel Awards Best North of England Hotel/Golf resort
- 2014 Simply The Guest Top Rated Hotel
- 2014 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for Hotel
- 2014 Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence for Redmond’s Brasserie