Set in the heart of Cheltenham, Malmaison has a striking Regency façade, but does the spa and restaurant inside live up to the expectations set by the stunning exterior? Kylie Taylor found out.

One of the first things you notice about Malmaison – formerly Montpellier Chapter – is that everything, from the lobby sofas to the corridor artwork to the staff uniforms, has been designed with an impeccable eye for detail, which obviously bodes well when planning to spend the day there.

You can often tell whether a hotel is going to be good or not from that first impression. I took my mum for her birthday and, as we set foot inside reception and were then led to our table in the restaurant for Sunday lunch, it was obvious we were in for a treat.

The initial little touches, such as the waitress addressing us by our names and the head chef making an appearance to welcome us and recommend dishes, oozed class, and from studying the menu I could see that the food was likely to be up to the same high standard.

We started with the 'chef's table', a delicious buffet-style mix of pastries, cheese, bread and artisan meats, while for the main I chose the Severn and Wye haddock fishcake and my mum had the fresh spring vegetable risotto, and we each opted for a glass of prosecco with the meal.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the fishcake was the best I’ve ever had, while my mum was equally pleased with her risotto.

For dessert, we shared a warm Valrhona caramel chocolate brownie and vanilla creme brulee which were both mouth-watering.

As you can see, the meals were superb and, at just £21.95 per person all in, excellent value for money.

After letting our food settle, we headed to the spa where we were each booked in for a 30-minute massage.

As I’d had a baby six months ago and my mum had recently completed a gruelling marathon walk, we were both in need of some TLC.

My lower back particularly needed attention, and the massage has made a remarkable difference and lasted, with the aches and pains I was suffering now largely gone.

My mum had a lot of knots in her back from the walk and she was so impressed by the treatment that she plans to book in monthly for a massage.

The spa uses Ren products, which are made from natural ingredients and produced in Devon, and a genuine treat, and we were given plenty of samples to take home.

As we relaxed, the staff were excellent at creating a serene ambience – and bonus points for plying us with prosecco – and we then headed to the steam room to sweat out the alcohol.

All in all, the spa was great and with packages from £59 it is reasonably priced too.

The only minor complaints were that the shower facilities were limited and one of the lights wasn’t working when we visited. Also, ideally there would be a swimming pool as this is something you expect of a spa.

Still, I have no hesitation in saying that Malmaison is well-deserving of its reputation as a luxurious spa with a quality restaurant – and would recommend visiting if you’re after a mother and daughter Sunday treat.

4/5

To book, visit www.malmaison.com