SHOW your mum how much she means to you on Mother's Day buy offering to whisk her away from it all with a pampering spa break. In part two of our guide, we visit Carden Park in Chester for a little TLC.

Where will we stay?

In a hotel on a 750-acre estate in the heart of the Cheshire countryside that took us 40 minutes to get to from Manchester

What's it like?

Very relaxing. You really feel like you're getting away from it all as you drive up the mile-long drive surrounded by greenery with wonderful views of the Welsh hills until the hotel appears from across a lake on the golf course.

Ask for a room overlooking the golf course.

And if I have just one treatment?

Mum had a two-hour long hot stones massage, which involved a preliminary body scrub followed by laying on of hot stones which are gently massaged into the body.

Mum found it relaxing but could have done with a bit more "oomph" to soothe her weary bones.

Meanwhile I had an Omnilux facial using an antioxidant skincare range called Vitage.

The quirky bit about this treatment is a red light being shined on your face in order to penetrate deeper into the skin.

Anything else to do if me and mum get sick of pampering: Quad biking or golf - (if hubby insists on coming along, there's plenty to keep him busy) or Chester's just a 15 minute drive away.

Lettuce leaf or lavish lunch?

We rushed through lunch to get to our beauty treatments so waited until dinner to really feast on our surroundings and our food!

A pianist tinkled on the ivories of a baby white grand as attentive staff saw to our every need.

For starters I had tomato and aubergine tart, while mum opted for confit of duck on a bed of noodles. For our main course, mum chose monkfish with noodles (again!) while I had chicken breast with fondant potato.

And for pudding I had pineapple upside cake with coffee custard topped with pistachio (sounds odd but tasted great) and mum had apple tart and ice cream - all accompanied by a bottle of Pinot Grigio. A very upmarket affair!

Packages include a Sunday Soothe & Stayover where guests receive full English breakfast, dinner to the value of £25, plus two spa treatments, from £99 per person. Tel 01829 731000