This hotel is part of a big American chain but that doesn’t stop them striving to be top class, as Sue Riley discovers
Nothing is too much trouble for the staff at Worsley Park, even a recent request for firewalking in the grounds didn’t faze them. That was the demand of one of the many rugby teams which stay there; it’s quite the place for international sports stars given its proximity to the M60 and Old Trafford.
‘It’s all about them getting in the mindset so we had firewalking at the back of the hotel. One rugby team wanted ice baths so we set that up in the leisure centre,’ said Nicola Staley, a director at the Marriott hotel on the outskirts of Manchester. The catering crew also works with the teams to provide exactly the food they require and the quantities – particularly when the Tonga rugby team stayed recently. Perhaps that’s why for the past five years they’ve won best UK Marriott for customer service.
‘They want the bespoke aspect and we are happy to provide that. We have a lot of people who spend more time here than at home so we create a home from home. If they don’t want what’s on the menu and want egg and chips we can do that,’ said Nicola. The hotel has a formal dining room serving a range of international cuisine with a north west touch. It was good to see so many Lancashire cheeses including the delicious Nannykin Goats’ Cheese from Chipping and Mrs Shorrock’s Black Bomb plus sustainable fish like pollock and mackerel. The Chimney Bar and Lounge and Tempo bar offers more relaxing places and in the summer the courtyard area looks an ideal spot to wind down.
The four-star hotel is popular with business customers and has full conference facilities but at the weekend many couples visit who are keen to use the leisure facilities at the adjoining Country Club with its swimming pool, whirlpool, gym, exercise classes and 18-hole champion golf course. The golf course with its par 71 layout measuring 6611 yards attracts many visitors and has been undergoing £300,000 of improvements as part of a three-year programme which ends this summer. Despite its close proximity to Manchester and the motorways the hotel is set in 200 acres of parkland so once you arrive you could be in the countryside.
The spa, run by Rowena Marshall, attracts a predominantly female clientele with its range of Decleor treatments and new experiences like the Lava Shell massage. Again the spa team offer an unintimidating, friendly experience.
At heart, this 158-room hotel’s charm is in its 280 employees. When you stay at a Marriott you know you will get a decent room and an environment which makes your life as easy as possible. During my stay I was accidentally invited to a behind-the-scenes debriefing meeting.
I had a chance to witness the attention to detail the staff have for their customers. And that’s something this American-owned company prides itself on.
*Room prices at Worsley Park, a Marriott Hotel and Country Club, start from £89 although it’s worth checking their website for deals and promotions.
