THE spa and leisure facilities at a County Durham hotel have been transformed thanks to a refurbishment with a £2m price tag.

Retreat Leisure Club and Spa at Redworth Hall Hotel, near Newton Aycliffe, a has been unveiled after undergoing a revamp which has seen the creation of a dedicated spa with six luxurious treatment rooms, a tranquillity room, spa reception and a hair and nail salon.

The work marks the completion of the first phase of a major refurbishment programme of the Newcastle-based Cairn Hotel Group’s hotel.

General manager Vince Johnson said: “We are really excited about the opening of The Retreat and are confident that the new leisure and spa facilities will be really popular in the local market as well as with visitors to the area.

"The new facilities mark a major step-change for the hotel and set the tone for the quality of the further refurbishment which is planned.”

To make room for the new spa, the exiting gym has been relocated to the first-floor while there has also been a refurbishment of the Great Hall, the hotel’s principal wedding and event suite, and reception lounges.