The best UK spa hotels for spring/summer breaks and beyond
What to book for the ultimate in rest and relaxationBY BRIDGET MARCH AND CAROLINE LEWISUPDATED: 23 APRIL 2024
Whether you’re looking for a city escape, coastal jaunt, or countryside getaway; a wellness weekend or a day of pure indulgence, you don’t have to venture too far for a superb spot of pampering – the UK has some of the best spa hotels.
Below, see our reviews of the top spa hotels in the UK, spanning the country from North to South (though if you’re specifically targeting the lakes, see our guide to the best spa hotels in the Lake District, and for those concentrating on the capital, here are the top London spas for day trips and staycations).
Featuring the traditional, the tech-driven and everything in-between, there’s bound to be a spa in our edit that ticks all your boxes.
The best UK spa hotels to book in for a chic spring break
The Old Course Hotel, St Andrews
THE OLD COURSE HOTEL
While The Old Course Hotel might primarily be a mecca for golfers, its array of rejuvenating treatments, from CBD massages to reflexology, is worth the trip North alone. Boasting 13 treatment rooms, complete with cosy low lighting and arguably the most comfortable of spa beds, the Kohler Waters Spa is ideal for anyone looking to trade busy life for unadulterated bliss. A 20m pool, thermal suite, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room and plunge pool? You’ll not be short of ways to unwind in this well-established wellness wonderland.
Delivering deluxe rooms at an abundance of budgets, hours could be lost in the hotel’s cosy suites. Presenting beds you could lounge in all day long and next-gen waterworks for the most relieving of showers, it’s not just the spa that will keep you coming back to Old Course (it’s the generous menu of multiple restaurants, too).
Beyond the hotel walls, St Andrews is home to well preserved cobbled streets, an abundance of historic ruins and, of course, its own university. This is truly a must-visit for fans of long beach walks and wild swimming. Need we even mention the golf course itself?
Kohler Waters Spa, The Old Course Hotel, Old Station Rd, St Andrews
Gleneagles, Perthshire
OLA O SMIT
Gleneagles is good at everything: at this Perthshire hotel, you can eat the best food, play on the best golf course and enjoy one of the very best spas in the UK. Their philosophy at the new Spa at Gleneagles is for your treatment to start from the moment you enter – expect to be fully relaxed before you even get going.
Open to all, here you’ll find a Day Spa as well as the dedicated Resident Spa, Swim & Gym facilities and a Beauty Lodge (for lashes, nails, facials and more). What’s not to love?
Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland
Archerfield
ASHLEY COOMBES
Archerfield is, and always will be, a golf ‘resort’ first and foremost: the two courses are steeped in legacy, hosting top championships on the beautiful grounds that overlook the East Lothian coastline. But it’s also gained a reputation for Fletcher’s Cottage, an unassuming looking spa perched far enough away from errant golf balls on the estate, offering immediate serenity on entry where you’re encouraged to take you shoes off and accept a warming cup of herbal tea. The only official Bamford spa in Scotland, it offers a range of face and body treatments by the beloved brand, alongside massages using local products too (such as the Fletcher’s Cottage Signature treatment, an hour-long head-to-toe massage with locally blended botanical oils). Pre- or post-treatment, you can melt into a sofa in their waiting area which is more like being in someone’s beautiful country home, taking advantage of the ‘sherry station’.
Archerfield, Dirleton, East Lothian
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Cumbria
COURTESY OF GILPIN
One of the Lake District’s finest luxury hotels (find more here), Gilpin also takes the art of the spa very seriously. Its Spa Suites are set between silent fells and woodland. Each has floor-to-ceiling windows, a garden with decking and a hot tub, a fireplace, cocktail bar and circular stone bath tub. They also all have a steam room, sauna, infrared lounge bed and massage chair.
You’ll be perfectly happy staying within your suite, but you must venture out to experience the rest of the facilities, which include the Spa Space, with its nature-inspired treatment rooms and a calming relaxation room.
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Crook Road, Windermere, Cumbria
Rockliffe Hall, Darlington
COURTESY OF ROCKLIFFE HALL
Set within a beautiful 365 acre estate on the County Durham and North Yorkshire border, Rockliffe Hall has a tranquil spa, complete with indoor pool, steam room and a commendable range of treatments: we’d recommend the ‘Body Bliss’ experience, which includes an ayurvedic head massage, chakra balancing and hot poultices. The Spa Garden – a private, bookable space which looks out over the hotel’s impressive grounds – blends the indoor and outdoor with its infinity pool, tepidarium beds and sauna. There’s also an 18-hole championship golf course if you’re a dab hand with a club, and The Orangery, an award-winning restaurant with a delicious tasting menu.
Rockliffe Hall, Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington
Carden Park Hotel, Cheshire
COURTESY
The Spa at Carden is the jewel in the crown of Cheshire’s bountiful Carden Park Hotel. And the star of the spa is its garden – the largest spa garden in the UK. Looking out onto the property’s 1,000 acres of estate, it boasts a wealth of outdoor spa facilities including hot tubs, heated pods, and a thermal vitality pool with crackling fire pits positioned between. The Bollinger garden bar provides refreshments and adds a holiday feel, enhanced by a vibey soundtrack in summer.
Inside, similar views can be enjoyed from the thermal suite (think Finnish sauna, aroma steam rooms, experience showers, heated relaxation beds and another ample vitality pool) as well as the panoramic Elements Restaurant where spa guests can enjoy refreshments upon arrival, brunch, lunch or afternoon tea. Treatments are top-notch too, and we can highly recommend the Muscle Melt Massage with Leah followed by downtime in the zen Relaxation Rooms. Meanwhile, manis, pedis, facials, make-up and more are delivered in the Bollinger Beauty Bar which is as Instagrammable as the results of your pamper.
Hotel guests will also love the further choice of restaurants on site, and the leisure club which comes with its own swimming pool and high-spec fitness suite.
Carden Park, Broxton Road, Cheshire
The Spa at Breedon Priory, Derbyshire
COURTESY OF THE SPA AT BREEDON PRIORY
Winner of ‘Boutique Spa of the Year’ at the Professional Beauty Awards, The Spa at Breedon Priory is an oasis of calm in the East Midlands countryside. Not a hotel – though it partners with the charming Breedon Hall Country House B&B, a five-minute drive away, should you want to stay – but the spa is ideal for day-long or twilight trips regardless. The spa garden is quite spectacular, with a fire pit- and lounger-lined sun terrace overlooking two outdoor pools (one an invigorating vitality pool; the other an infinity edge relaxation pool) and lush manicured grounds. Inside, the Wellbeing Suite has a Finnish style ice fountain, three experience showers, and four thermal cabins: a herbal steam bath, Himalayan salt sauna, herbal sauna and aroma steam room. There’s also a first-floor slumber lounge and multiple treatment rooms where they offer classic spa rituals like facials, massages, body wraps and scrubs, as well as a nail suite for manicures and pedicures.
Unique to The Spa at Breedon Priory is The Hideaway offering, a secluded area bookable for mornings or afternoons. Inclusive of a treatment – which can happen within the space, it features an outdoor hot tub, fire pit and double lounger on a tranquil terrace, as well as an indoor lounge with a mini bar and private shower area. For couples or groups of up to four, it guarantees the ultimate relaxation.
The Spa at Breedon Priory, Melbourne, Derbyshire
Ragdale Hall Spa, Leicestershire
COURTESY OF RAGDALE HALL SPA
A spa-first country retreat, Ragdale Hall Spa boasts some of the most extensive wellness facilities in the UK, including six pools – from a candlelit cave to an indoor-out waterfall pool and a stunning rooftop infinity – as well as 12 heat and water experiences (think: volcanic salt bath, rose sauna, thought zone…), and a whirlpool. The treatment menu is huge, ranging from the innovative and holistic to the functional performed within private rooms, a nail studio, or the Beauty Express salon-style space delivering quick, instant results.
The fitness offerings are equally impressive. In addition to underwater exercise equipment there’s a traditional gym and two studios hosting 20 complimentary daily group classes. The property also hosts various fitness breaks and wellness retreats throughout the year, with specific focuses such as Pilates practice or achieving serene sleep.
But while there’s plenty to do, the vibe is one of time standing still – and you can remain robe and slippers-clad to drink and dine should you wish, or to take in the Leicestershire countryside outside throughout the idyllic grounds.
Ragdale Hall Spa, near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
Wilderness Reserve, Suffolk
COURTESY
Wilderness Reserve is not exactly a hotel: there’s no bar, no restaurant and no chance of bumping into another guest in the spa, which is located in the basement of your own private property.
This sprawling estate of spectacular self-catering homes has various ‘spa’ properties, all of which boast a private swimming pool, sauna, and steam and treatment rooms, in which you can work through a menu of face and body therapies by Harley Street’s famed 111Skin.
Moving beyond the traditional, the brand offers a unique blend of pampering and performance, delivering clinic-level results alongside deeply satisfying massage (no frustratingly limp strokes here). Try the calming Dramatic Healing Facial, which was originally developed by founder Dr. Yannis Alexandrides to promote healing after surgical procedures, or opt for the cult Celestial Black Diamond Non-Surgical Facelift, which involves a masterful combination of active ingredients to fade dark spots, plump lines and lift the skin. There’s a reason so many A-listers love it.
Chapel Barn, The Grange and The Cider House at Wilderness Reserve, Darsham
Soho Farmhouse, Oxfordshire
HANNAH MILES
Soho Farmhouse needs little introduction, but to those uninitiated, the Cotswolds outpost of the globally renowned private members’ club-turned-hotel group, Soho House, is the ultimate countryside retreat. Besides enjoying the typically stellar wining and dining options, available activities are countless: there’s bespoke bicycles for exploration of the grounds, an indoor-out pool, a stable yard offering horse rides, floodlit tennis courts, a gym with studio classes and a huge Cowshed spa. Here you’ll find 13 treatment rooms and six mani-pedi chairs, as well as a salon space. (Consider trying the Soho Skin facials; performance-led treatments combining electronics with the group’s intelligently formulated products.) The star attraction is an extension of the spa facilities, a bookable two-hour experience within woodlands coined the Lazy Lake. Based around temperature ‘contrast therapy’ you journey from a healing soak in a sunken hot tub – complete with face masks, and cocktails, should you wish – to into an ice room, steam room and infrared sauna cabin. The serene set-up is utterly idyllic, and the experience elating.
Soho Farmhouse, Great Tew, Oxfordshire
Dormy House, Worcestershire
JAKE EASTHAM
A firm favourite with spa aficionados, Dormy House, near the north Cotswolds village of Broadway, is the ultimate boutique rural retreat. Its sumptuous spa features a serene pool, terrace hot tub, nail parlour-cum-champagne bar (a match made in spa heaven), and thermal suite with a lavender sauna, salt steam room and juniper-scented Finnish cabin.
Alongside iconic London hotel The Lanesborough, the spa partners with the ‘queen of green beauty’ Tata Harper, offering the cult brand’s pioneering treatments. Harper worked together with the spa team to develop a range of natural yet high-performance services from beauty facials to body rituals. For the Rolls-Royce of treatments try the custom Dormy House Bespoke Ritual, an indulgent two and a half hours of blissful top-to-toe pampering.
Dormy House, Broadway, Worcestershire
Cowley Manor Experimental
MR. TRIPPER
A short drive from Cheltenham, within its 55 acre-grounds, lies Cowley Manor – one of the Cotswolds’ original boutique hotels recently reimagined by chic hospitality group Experimental. Widely recognised as the inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, the Grade II-listed manor has a fairy-tale quality (think Italianate gardens and a swan lake) with plenty of modern magic (the new restaurant and cocktail bar produce extraordinary curations utilising local produce).
And the spa? There are two heated pools – indoor and out – as well as a fitness centre, rainfall showers, sauna and steam room. The five treatment spaces play host to holistic therapies inspired by the countryside backdrop, using natural, botanical products by Monu Skin, while beauty treatments – such as nails, tinting and waxing – are also available. You won’t want to leave.
Cowley Manor Experimental, Cowley, Cheltenham
Thyme, Gloucestershire
COURTESY
Thyme – ‘a village within a village’ set in the heart of the Cotswolds – puts nature front and centre, something that is truly evident at its botanical Meadow Spa. With a focus on nurturing beauty from within, treatments centre on achieving a state of mindfulness while inspiring the senses. Take the nurturing Botanical Bothy Signature Ritual, performed in a special inside-and-out spa space, which combines guided breathwork and pressure point rituals with lymphatic body brushing, an invigorating head massage and a healing herbal bath to conclude. The therapeutic journey uses Thyme’s own Bertioli Beauty products, a bathing and breathing range that help you harness the benefits of scent for the body and mind (the Water Meadow Breathing Balm is divine). In addition, the outdoor spring water swimming pool and chlorine-free hot tub are extensions of the spa, offering other ways to connect with nature while re-energising the body.
While at Thyme, don’t miss dining in the Ox Barn. With menus that tell stories of the seasons via produce from the gardens, the dishes are as impressive as the nineteenth-century agricultural architecture.
Thyme, Southrop Manor Estate, Gloucestershire
The Lakes by Yoo, Gloucestershire
COURTESY OF THE LAKES BY YOO
A delightfully different spa experience can be had at The Lakes by Yoo, a secluded staycation spot in the Cotswold. Not actually a hotel, rather a luxury lakeside estate, it offers much more – whether you’re into nature walking, bike riding, wild swimming, water crafts or activities like archery and clay pigeon shooting.
Indoors, meanwhile, The Spa by Yoo is not to be missed. Featuring a stunning indoor lap pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms, as well as a fitness suite and treatment rooms, expect longevity-based offerings that aim to reduce inflammation, boost circulation and bolster immunity. The bracing cryotherapy chambers are a perfect example of this premise, and for more pampering therapies (while still science-backed) there are excellent bespoke facials designed by Dr. Barbara Sturm and signature rituals by Gloucestershire local Kate Moss’ Cosmoss. Inspired by her brand’s ethos, they use potent, natural substances to restore balance and enhance harmony. Like the whole concept at The Lakes by Yoo, it’s the perfect escape from modern life.
The Lakes by Yoo, Lechlade, Gloucestershire
Calcot & Spa, Gloucestershire
CALCOT & SPA
As popular as ever since its opening in 2003, Calcot & Spa in Gloucestershire is a luxury manor hotel welcoming members and guests. The spa space is truly impressive, with seven treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room, new spa cafe and lounge plus two picturesque relaxation areas – one offering scenic views of the rolling Cotswolds countryside. In addition, the outdoor hot tub – in view of a roaring fire – is the perfect spot for soaking in the serenity.
Alongside the facilities, treatments come courtesy of Aromatherapy Associates, Comfort Zone, Jessica Nails and Proverb – which bridges the gap between spa and fitness, with assisted stretch and workout facials.
Speaking of fitness, staying guests and members alike have access to The Grain Store, Calcot’s impressive new gym and wellness sanctuary. Here you’ll find a health cafe, spin shed, class studio, state-of-the-art gym that sprawls inside-and-out, and a luxury loft hosting holistic offerings (from yoga classes to sound healing). You’ll want to move in. And you kinda can.
Calcot & Spa, Tetbury, Gloucestershire
Lucknam Park, Wiltshire
MARC WILSON PHOTOGRAPHY
Proudly standing in over 500 acres of parkland, with almost a thousand years of history and a Michelin starred restaurant, Lucknam Park is not short on impressive stats. But what makes it unmissable is its impressive spa. Set in a peaceful spot within walled gardens, this is not just a coupl’a treatment rooms and dinky pool. It features (deep breathe) – a 20 metre indoor pool, an outdoor hydrotherapy pool (with picture-perfect views down the tree-lined gardens), a sauna, an aromatherapy steam room, a Japanese salt cabin and an amethyst-walled healing room. They’ve turned to one of our favourite spa experts, 111SKIN, for the treatments, as well as Natural Spa Factory which provide home-grown products all created in nearby Bath. The spa here really feels like a focus for the hotel, not an afterthought.
Lucknam Park, Chippenham, Wiltshire
Sopwell House, Hertfordshire
COURTESY
Expect the warmest welcome and the most elevated design at the Spa at Cottonmill within Sopwell House in Hertfordshire. The three-storey design links to a private spa garden with an indoor-out hydro-pool, cutting-edge facilities and Instagrammable aesthetic.
When it comes to treatments, try the innovative Amber and Quartz Crystal Bed, where warm crystals mould to your body, helping to ease muscle tension during your massage. Or, if hydrotherapy is more your thing, the Vichy shower experience combines a body scrub and hot stone massage while water from the six shower jets cascade over you.
Sopwell House, Cottonmill Lane, St Albans, Hertfordshire
Monkey Island Estate, Berkshire
COURTESY
A favourite retreat for Royals and literary greats for centuries, Monkey Island Estate is seven-acres of bucolic bliss set within the River Thames, where you could easily while away a weekend without ever crossing back over its bridge to the mainland. Moored on its banks is the Floating Spa, housed in a spacious blue barge, where treatments take inspiration from apothecary blends used by the 12th-century monks who once lived on the island – today the therapists blend oils using ingredients from the hotel garden. Wander down a wildflower-lined path and climb aboard for indulgent treatments such as the ‘Monk’s Elixir’, where hot pads and oils infused with arnica, angelica, melisse and frankincense are put into practice to ease aching muscles. As you drift back onshore, rejuvenated and refreshed, withdraw to your room to discover a Deep Sleep spray from This Works placed atop your bed’s large, cocooning pillows, which, with a quick spritz, will to send you into a glorious slumber.
The Floating Spa at Monkey Island Estate, Bray, Berkshire
The Grove, Hertfordshire
CHRISTUBBS
Just outside London, a stone’s throw from The World of Harry Potter is an experience just as magical – The Grove. Set in 300 acres of beautiful grounds, the former home of the Earl of Clarendon is now a five star retreat that boasts a prestigious golf course and the dreamy Sequoia Spa. With a black mosaic tiled pool, heat experience and state of the art fitness studio, the spa has also recently celebrated a partnership with Bamford. That means amongst the 32 treatments on offer is Bamford’s holistic Wellness Facial that leaves skin soft and glowy, and the B Silent Ritual – a must if you have trouble sleeping. Not that you will if you’re checking into one of the recently refurbished suites. With four poster beds and bay windows offering stunning views, some of the rooms are even dog friendly so you can pad around the grounds with your four-legged friend pre- or post-spa experience.
The spa also offers Wellness for Cancer treatments to ensure its forever evolving with guests’ needs and wants and no-one misses out on the Sequoia experience. It’s also family-friendly with activities such as archery, laser clay pigeon shooting and axe throwing to keep all ages entertained.
The Grove, Chandler’s Cross, Hertfordshire
The Langley, Buckinghamshire
MATTHEW SHAW
Chic spa staycation spot The Langley is the former country estate of the third Duke of Marlborough. Forbidden to build up, an opulent subterranean spa was created, complete with a 16-metre marble-lined swimming pool which glistens like an oil painting. Facilities include hammams (with various bookable body rituals), vitality pools, a pink Himalayan salt-walled sauna and amethyst steam room. As well as treatments courtesy of Sisley, James Read, Gentlemen’s Tonic, La Sultane de Saba, and Margaret Dabbs, there’s also a state-of-the-art Matt Roberts gym. Developed by the renowned personal trainer, you can work out alone or book bespoke training, plus group classes.
The Langley, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Buckinghamshire
Horwood House, Buckinghamshire
JAMES-NADER
Perfect for a relaxed overnighter, Horwood House feels grand yet inviting: the perfect blend of country-estate tradition and airy modernity.
The hotel’s new H Spa boasts a light-filled swimming pool alongside sauna and steam rooms, but the real draw here is the outstanding massage: book in for a full-body treatment and expect a tailored, truly rejuvenating experience that gets right to the root of your tension.
Once you’re suitably relaxed, reserve some time to explore the grounds: there’s a peaceful nature trail and beautifully maintained gardens to deliver that coveted respite from city living.
When it’s time to return to reality, central London is an easy one-hour train away.
Horwood House, Little Horwood, Buckinghamshire
Luton Hoo, Bedfordshire
COURTESY
Easily reached from London, on the border of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire lies luxury 5-star hotel Luton Hoo. Surrounded by glorious parkland, the 18th Century mansion embodies traditional grandeur. The splendid spa, in a listed stable building on site, is just as impressive. A huge hydrotherapy pool steals the show, though the tempting Espa treatment menu can’t fail to wow you either.
Luton Hoo, Luton, Bedfordshire
The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Somerset
COURTESY OF THE ROYAL CRESCENT HOTEL & SPA
In the very heart of Bath’s Grade 1 listed romantic Royal Crescent, with its iconic honey-coloured stone facade, lies this city sanctuary stylishly fusing the old and new. Beyond the individually designed suites and guest rooms is the property’s idyllic spa, known as The Spa & Bath House. Centred around the property’s Georgian architecture, the 12-metre relaxation pool is framed by large windows letting light stream through, adding to the serene ambience which continues to the vitality pool with its revitalising massage jets, sauna, steam inhalation room and treatment spaces.
Here you can indulge in therapies by the luxury holistic brand Templespa, such as hydrating facials and hot stone massages, as well as pampering Jessica manicures and pedicures.
Weather-permitting, do continue proceedings in the tranquil Taittinger Spa Garden with a decadent afternoon tea. Bliss.
The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, 16 Royal Crescent, Bath, Somerset
The Gainsborough Hotel, Bath
The Gainsborough Hotel in Bath is already popular with the Bazaar team, thanks to its charming service and sumptuous bedrooms, but the hotel’s Spa Village – one of the best-smelling spaces we’ve stepped foot in – has just added new Omorovicza treatments to its menu, making it worth the trip alone.
Given that Omorovicza is best known for incorporating Hungarian’s thermal water in its formulas, this new wellness partnership is a perfect fit, as the spa is built around celebrating Bath’s world-famous mineral-rich waters. You’ll also find reviving massages, skin-softening mud scrubs and soothing facials, each one harnessing the restorative and reparative powers of Omorovicza’s products. For those prone to achey muscles, book in for the Golden Massage (85 minutes) and let the expert therapist work on your myofascial tissues to relieve tension.
Hotel residents have complimentary access to the Bath House on designated times but its worth scheduling a spa day with your girlfriends too, as it comes with an afternoon tea to finish.
The Gainsborough Bath Spa, Beau Street, Bath
The Corinthia, London
JACK HARDY
For a central London stay that combines location with luxury, The Corinthia is perfect. The renowned spa – London’s largest spa, no less – is an ESPA flagship, boasting four floors, 17 treatment rooms, heated loungers, sleeping pods, two pools, feature showers and an impressive amphitheatre sauna.
What’s more, with a Daniel Galvin hair studio, AMP (Athletic Medical Performance) training suite, and London Regenerative Institute ‘tweakments’ on offer, you can really emerge transformed from head-to-toe.
ESPA Life at The Corinthia, London
Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square, London
COURTESY
The decedent spa at the Four Seasons’ East-London outpost boasts sizeable swimming and vitality pools plus a hammam. The enticing treatment menu has something for all, from the holistic – like Voya’s Organic Warm Spiced Mud Wrap, to the doctor-designed Precious Golden Jewel Facial – the latest addition, launched in honour of the impressive hotel’s 100-year birthday.Non-resident guests can purchase a day pass or rolling membership to the facilities, including the pool and gym, or indulge in a Trini-Tea Spa Day with personalised massage and leisurely afternoon tea. For something truly memorable, book exclusive use of the sublime pool for up to six guests.
(We also love the Four Seasons at Park Lane, London – and many more London-based spa hotels – which you can read more about in Bazaar‘s guide to the best London spas).
The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, London
South Lodge, Sussex
COURTESY
The spa at 5-star country house hotel South Lodge is perched above the rolling hills of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Continuing this natural theme, there’s a unique heated wild swimming pool and vitality hydrotherapy pool outside, while inside the huge indoor infinity swimming pool serves views of the serene Sussex landscape. Tear yourself away from the thermal experiences to try the Comfort Zone Tranquillity Pro Sleep Massage, designed for those suffering from stress and sleep deprivation, and the Omorovicza Blue Diamond facial treatment which re-energises and lifts. Or visit The Ridgeview Beauty Bar (sponsored by Ridgeview Sparkling Wine) for express services such as manicures, pedicures, and brows.
The Spa at South Lodge, Horsham, West Sussex
Fairmont Windsor Park, Surrey
VIKTOR KERY PHOTOS
Located on the edge of Windsor Great Park, Fairmont Windsor Park may not have the history and grandeur of Windsor Castle, but it’s still very impressive to look at when arriving through manicured grounds down its long driveway. Inside, a vast foyer and mirrored hallways lead you through the hotel, and down to the spa which has to be the jewel in the crown. Somewhere you could easily spend a whole day, or two, there’s an impressive 20-metre indoor pool, a gorgeous outdoor pool with pretty pink foliage surrounding it, and hydrotherapy settings within it.
Back inside, you’ll find a sauna, steam room, ice fountain (for the brave!), Himalayan salt room (said to help with respiratory issues and detoxification), traditional Hamman and… the list goes on. The treatments are in a separate area, even quieter and more private, sending you into a relaxed state before you’ve even hit the bed. Try the Sandstone massage, utilising traditional sandstone tools which, used hot, can be used precisely and deeply to help relax tight muscles.
Fairmont Windsor Park, Egham, Surrey
Coworth Park, Berkshire
COURTESY
The exceptional Coworth Park – the Dorchester Collection’s luxury country house hotel – boasts a deluxe two-storey spa with everything you’d want to feel relaxed or revitalised when you leave. In addition to a generous indoor pool, with its outdoor sun terrace, there are experience showers, a steam room, eight treatment rooms, a manicure and pedicure suite, gym and The Spatisserie (which is as indulgent as it sounds).
When it comes to therapies, the menu features treatments in collaboration with incredible spa brands including Ishga Organic, Valmont and Germaine de Capuccini. We recommend trying the Radiance Vitamin C Face and Body Signature Therapy curated by the latter – a prestigious Spanish house. The energising ritual is perfect pre- or post-summer, combining a full-body exfoliation followed by a firming body wrap while you receive a reenergising facial harnessing the skin-brightening benefits of vitamin C.
Coworth Park, Ascot, Berkshire
Heckfield Place
COURTESY OF HECKFIELD PLACE
Heckfield Place is unquestionably one of the UK’s most coveted hotels, famed for its food, decor and five-star service. But it was missing a stellar spa, though thankfully its long-awaited opening was worth the wait.
The Bothy Spa, situated near the walled gardens of the sprawling estate, was seven years in the making. But its origins go back much further, with the entrance and shop of the spa formed from the original Bothy built in 1760. Attached to this sweet building is now a sweeping but stunning spa, all lime rendered walls and reclaimed wood floors, with an impeccable attention to design detail (Wifi boosters, for example, are wearing linen covers to help disguise them). ‘The Waters’ (the pool, sauna and steam room) features a huge window – the largest piece of retractable glass in Europe, no less – with sweeping views over the estate.
As for the treatments themselves, they are as considered as the space. ‘Wildsmith Time’ for example, is over two hours of heaven, including a kinesiology, craniosacral work, abdominal massage and reflexology, all bespoke to the time of day in line with your circadian rhythms. There’s even bi-aural beats for music, to ensure you fall into the smoothest of snoozes.
Heckfield Place, Hampshire
Beaverbrook, Surrey
COURTESY
As spa hotels go, Beaverbrook stands in a league of its own. The former home of Lord Beaverbrook, this Grade-II listed country house estate oozes luxury with a warm welcome. The Coach House Spa is wonderfully uplifting; designed by contemporary artist and architect Brian Clark, the kaleidoscopic-coloured space instantly reinvigorates the senses. The indoor and outdoor pools offer tranquillity, while the nurturing holistic treatments are thoughtfully designed and excellent executed. (This autumn, try the 90-minute seasonal treatment which combines guided breathwork, hot and cold stone therapy and a tailor-made full body massage.) Look out for the series of transformational wellness retreats, too. With various retreat days and workshops, from specific focus on areas such as deep healing in nature and abdominal therapy to support digestive and reproductive concerns, it promises experiences to take with you long after check out.
Beaverbrook, Leatherhead, Surrey
Pennyhill Park, Surrey
COURTESY
The sister spa to South Lodge is just as impressive. A real spa day destination, facilities include large indoor and outdoor swimming pools, open-air hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, experience showers, foot baths, an ice igloo, tepidarium, sensory room and four spa cabanas, each complete with copper bath tubs and personal spa loungers. Your spa journey may also tempt you into a treatment (you name it, they offer it), or – for those wanting a workout with their wellbeing – the gym. The hotel itself offers a luxury stay with a backdrop of beautiful countryside, and Michelin-starred cuisine at the lauded Latymer restaurant.
The spa at Pennyhill Park, Bagshot, Surrey
Lime Wood, New Forest, Hampshire
JAKE EASTHAM
The Herb House spa at Lime Wood lets its New Forest setting steal the show: see the trees from the giant sauna, do some yoga in the rooftop herb garden and enjoy the very latest all-natural botanical products (think Bamford and Voya) during your treatment. Keep up the good work with lunch from the Raw & Cured bar, where you can enjoy salads, smoothies and meat smoked on-site. If you’re in the market for a facial with real transformative results, book a Skinesis treatment by revered facialist Sarah Chapman. What better alternative to Chapman’s Chelsea clinic?
Herb House, Lyndhurst, Hampshire
The Scarlet, Cornwall
COURTESY
Soak in Cornish seaweed in one of The Scarlet’s clifftop cauldrons that overlook the Atlantic, before warming up inside in one of the Eastern-inspired pods that hang from the ceiling and sway you gently to sleep. The Ayurvedic menu and tailored ‘journeys’ at this adults-only spa hotel ensure a soothing experience from top-to-toe.
The Scarlet, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
We also love The Scarlet’s family-focussed sister hotel, Bedruthan, with its Sensory Spa Garden. This hour long experience–inspired by the elements–features a sea-view sauna, detoxifying cold drench (for the brave), restorative hot tubs and a copper foot bath adjacent to a sparkling fire pit. Try it if you can!
Bedruthan, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
St Michaels, Cornwall
COURTESY
Another Cornish favourite comes courtesy of St Michaels, which overlooks Falmouth Bay. A resort with a world-class spa, when it comes to wellness it ticks every box. A huge health club houses a 17-metre pool and all-singing, all-dancing gym with various studios for classes. Meanwhile, the stunning spa boasts the south-west’s largest hydrotherapy pool with its 21 massage stations, plus a Moroccan rhassoul, herbal Finnish sauna and various experience showers and steam rooms – including the world’s only Cornish sea-salt steam room. Ample treatment rooms deliver all kinds of face and body therapies from the advanced to the holistic.
St Michaels Resort, Falmouth, Cornwall
Article on this page was by a Harper’s BAZAAR editor. Reference Harper Bazaar
