COTTONS Hotel and Spa in Knutsford has been named top Luxury Hotel Spa in the UK at an awards ceremony in Ireland.

It was a double celebration for the hotel, as its parent company, Thwaites Hotels, won top luxury spa group in Europe and its sister hotel scooped best Luxury Fitness Spa in the UK.

The World Luxury Spa Awards took place on July 14, rewarding and celebrating spas that set benchmarks in quality, innovation and service.

General manager of Cottons Hotel and Spa, Steve Ogden, said: “I am so proud of the team.

“We have had a fantastic year so far with our spa, we have only just unveiled our new look after a major refurbishment and now they have won this award.”

More than £1.5 million has been pumped into Thwaites' six spas over the past two years.

At Cottons £350,000 has been spent upgrading the pool hall, relaxation lounge and changing rooms.

The sauna, steam room and monsoon shower have also all been refurbished, and the pool has a new range of seating and relaxation areas, including booth seating and mood lighting.

Thwaites Hotels operations director Chris Hill said: "The last two years has seen significant investment in our spas and there is more to come, as we are updating everything from the pool halls and gyms to the changing rooms and relaxation lounges.

"It's a really exciting time for us, and to win these awards highlights how our plans are creating something special.

"I'm so proud and delighted for our spa teams who work so hard to ensure everyone who visits us has a fantastic time and enjoys some quality relaxation."

This month the spas launch a new partnership with Caudalie, which is already creating a buzz among its members, and there is another £1 million of investment planned across the six sites over the next two years.

Chris Hill added: "This is the largest period of investment we have had in our spas - we have a stunning design plan for each spa and gym, we are improving every aspect of the guest experience and are looking at how we can add more to each person's visit, including incorporating new technology.

"Feedback so far has been fantastic - as we are now seeing from these awards we have won - and there is even more planned for the future.”