Good Spa Guide: 39 Best UK Spa Hotels

Good Spa Guide: 39 Best UK Spa Hotels

We track down the most indulgent UK spa hotels and experiences with help from the experts at The Good Spa Guide! You won’t want to miss these…

º = Spa Bubble rating system 

 

THERMAE BATH SPA º º º º

Thermae Bath Spa is tucked away in a cobbled courtyard behind Bath’s high street. A mix of new architecture and restored historical buildings, the spa is visually stunning with soaring ceilings, glass encased walls and city views. The spa draws water from the thermal spring so the three pools – including a rooftop pool – are the highlight. If you’re visiting with a group (of up to 12), hire the Cross Bath which gives you exclusive access to your own thermal pool, changing rooms and refreshments. Best for: Private hen parties

London

THE BULGARI SPA º º º º º

Follow the well-heeled to Bulgari’s subterranean spa in Knightsbridge. There aren’t many spas in London that have a 25-metre pool, let alone one surrounded by cabanas draped in white muslin with service bells when it comes time to rouse yourself from your reverie. Other facilities are equally decadent, did we mention the gold-leaf hydro pool? Get glowing with Georgia Louise and Swiss Perfect facials or work out with WORKSHOP personal training in the gym. Best for: Pre-wedding treatments, entirely indulgent spa days

THE CLIVEDEN SPA º º º º º

For a very special romantic break with your beloved, book into the quintessentially English Cliveden House Hotel. Rooms are elegant, the food is divine and the service exceptional. The lovely new spa hidden in a walled garden with tumbling roses has indoor and outdoor pools, two outdoor hot tubs, an infrared sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and a fitness studio. Romantics can stroll through the magnificent gardens hand-in-hand, or book a private Champagne boat trip along the river. Best for: Minimoons

 

CHAMPNEYS TRING º º º º º

Champneys Tring is a combination of glamorous stately home and holistic wellness retreat. Escape pre-wedding stress in the modernised spa with its swimming pool, hot tubs, peaceful relaxation rooms and gorgeous gardens. You can also get yourself dress-ready at the Detox and Wellbeing Centre with its stunning thalassotherapy
pool and wellness journeys, or by joining one of the many free fitness classes. The huge nail bar is the perfect venue for a pre-wedding polish. Best for: Pre-wedding treatments, brides and mums

SEQUOIA SPA AT THE GROVE º º º º º

This idyllic country manor hotel has 300 acres of grounds, a championship golf course, tennis courts and its own beach. The impressive multi-storey Sequoia Spa is set in a former stable block with a 22-metre indoor swimming pool tiled in black, and a 25-metre outdoor pool for summer. The female changing rooms have their own thermal area and some mesmerising art. Brides can book a Natura Bissé high performance facial for the big day, while there are also plenty of treatments for grooms. Best for: Pre-wedding treatments, brides and mums

AGUA AT SANDERSON LONDON º º º º º

If your idea of peaceful is soft, white minimalism, Agua at Sanderson might be your wonderland. The first-floor spa is a celestial retreat from the bustle of Oxford Street; think huge, billowing drapes, ornate silver mirrors and an almost reverently hushed atmosphere. The treatment menu is varied with facials from Nuxe, De Mamiel, Natura Bissé and
Eve Lom; you might even be able to snag a treatment with Eve herself. Best for: Pre-wedding treatments

NUTFIELD PRIORY HOTEL AND SPA º º º º

Who can resist a lovely spa followed by afternoon tea? The splendour of the neo-Gothic Nut field Priory contrasts with the modern spa, which is a short walk from the hotel. Swim in the 13-metre pool, bubble in the Jacuzzi, or heat up in the sauna and steam room. There are two relaxation rooms and a pretty spa garden, too. The good value Celebration Spa Day includes two mini treatments and afternoon tea. Best for: Smaller hen dos, the bride and her mum, spa time

THE SPA IN DOLPHIN SQUARE º º º º º

A little-known gem in Pimlico, the Moroccan-inspired spa at Dolphin Square is petite but offers a great exclusive-use option for a girly get together. You’ll leave London behind as soon as you step through the heavy entrance doors. There’s a hammam, rasul, steam room and tepidarium to raise your temperature before heading to the walled garden for Moorish treats. La Sultane de Saba treatments will leave you and your party feeling like royalty. Best for: Grown-up hens

South East

UTOPIA SPA AT ALEXANDER HOUSE HOTEL º º º º º

Set in 120 acres of gardens, woodland and Sussex parkland, the five-star Alexander House provides a perfect setting for a tranquil countryside spa break. Utopia Spa has a calming, Grecian-inspired interior, with a deep-blue swimming pool surrounded by temple- like pillars. Fittingly, treatments are from Mediterranean-inspired brand Temple Spa, with therapies on offer to soothe both your mind and body. Outdoors in the peaceful spa garden, relax in the hot tub. Book into a quirky Treetop Suite with your very own butler. Best for: Brides and mums, Grecian goddess hens

THE SPA AT PENNYHILL PARK º º º º º

The spa at Pennyhill Park is a star whatever the season, but a visit in the summer might transport you to sunnier climes. The large outdoor pool area feels like a modern European resort, surrounded by decking with a canvas-covered shaded area, lots of seating, and an outdoor bar that serves the pre- requisite bubbly. Inside, the elegant spa is jaw-droppingly vast with a 25-metre ballroom pool, 11 thermal rooms, a bubble pool and a plunge pool. Best for: Summer celebrations, minimoons

CHAMPNEYS, EASTWELL MANOR º º º º º

If your idea of a grown-up hen party involves pampering and relaxation in beautiful surroundings, head to this neo-Elizabethan manor house hotel and Champneys health spa retreat in Kent, the Garden of England. The spa has indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, steam room, experience shower, hydrotherapy pool and relaxation beds. You can also indulge in a spot of croquet on the landscaped lawns. The cottages are converted from original Victorian stables, which means you can book rooms away from the main hotel. Best for: Mellow hens

BAILIFFSCOURT SPA º º º º º

Bailiffscourt Hotel is a yellow-stone mock-Tudor manor house with romantic gardens and views. The spa is built in the style of a Sussex barn with huge windows; gaze out from the indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi to the heated outdoor pool and woodland gardens. Have a Temple Spa treatment, then cosy up in the lounge with its terrace overlooking the outdoor pool. You may catch a glimpse of the ostentation of peacocks in the impressive 30 acres of grounds. Best for: Minimoons, brides and their mums

DORMY HOUSE HOTEL AND SPA º º º º º

Want to spend your minimoon relaxing in style? At Dormy House Hotel, cosy Cotswold stone meets clean Scandinavian design. It feels like your ‘home from home’ with some luxury thrown in. The modern spa has a 16-metre infinity pool, thermal experiences, a Champagne nail parlour and a fully- equipped gym. You can bask in the sunny outdoor hydrotherapy pool and have lunch in the stylish glass-walled spa lounge. Head to the Garden Room for Instagram-worthy afternoon teas and formal dinners. Best for: Minimoons

ESPA AT LUCKNAM PARK º º º º º

Lucknam Park is a honey-hued Palladian mansion set in a 500-acre Wiltshire estate. Black wrought iron gates automatically open as you travel up a long, tree-lined driveway. While the hotel is elegantly historic, the spa is absolutely modern. There are indoor and outdoor hydro pools, thermal rooms. Their Wellbeing House also offers yoga, Pilates, sunlight therapy and dry flotation. The 20-metre pool is bright, with a re wall coming into its own at night. Best for: Pre-wedding treatments, minimoons

AQUARIUS SPA AT WHATLEY MANOR º º º º º

This 19th-century manor house in mellow Cotswold stone feels very private and exclusive; just right for a romantic minimoon. The peaceful Aquarius Spa oozes charm. Drift in the large hydropool, heat up in the thermal experiences including a tepidarium, caldarium, steam grotto and sauna, or swim outside to the bubbly outdoor pool and watch the wildlife scamper about the pretty gardens. You can finish your day with the rather wonderful 12-course tasting menu in the dining room. Best for: Pre-wedding treatments, foodies.

South West

AQUA SANA LONGLEAT FOREST º º º º

If you’re looking for a sociable celebration, The Hideaway is a private spa suite in the large Aqua Sana Spa in Center Parcs Longleat Forest. The bright open-plan room has floor-to-ceiling windows with forest views. Outside, the private garden has a barrel sauna and shower. As part of the package you’ll have a spa butler to tend your whims, a breakfast, lunch or dinner sharing platter, a glass of bubbly, a mini treatment and access to the main spa facilities. Best for: Romantic getaways, minimoons

CARBIS BAY HOTEL AND SPA º º º º º

On the picturesque Cornish coastline, Carbis Bay Hotel is set against a hillside overlooking a golden, sandy Blue Flag beach. C-Bay Spa runs over two levels, each with views over the Atlantic Ocean. There’s an outdoor pool and hot tub, sauna, relaxation lounge and Beach Retreat, a private spa suite with two treatment beds and a hot tub just a step away from the sand. The resort even has its own yacht if you want to impress your husband or wife-to-be. Best for: Minimoons

C-SIDE COWLEY MANOR º º º º º

Looking for something a little quirky? Cowley Manor in the rural Cotswolds may be your pick. The hotel is modern, colourful and stylish. The glass-fronted C-Side Spa is an inspired piece of modern design, sunk into the hill to one side of the hotel. The slate-lined indoor pool and outdoor heated pool are a real treat. Even better, you can tie the knot at the 12th-century Norman church in the grounds, and book all 30 rooms for your wedding party. Best for: Weddings, minimoons

East Anglia

THE SPA AT BEDFORD LODGE º º º º º

Bedford Lodge is a Georgian hotel in the famous racing town of Newmarket. The spa in the grounds has a dramatic glass structure housing an impressive, light-filled hydrotherapy pool. There is also a glass-fronted sauna and steam room with hammam table, a rasul, an ice-fountain and a pretty decked roof terrace with a hot tub. The luxurious ESPA treatments on offer are blissfully relaxing, while the non-surgical cosmetics clinic is nicely discrete. Best for: Racing day hens, pre-wedding treatments

WEAVERS’ HOUSE SPA º º º º º

The historical Swan Hotel in the picturesque village of Lavenham makes for a perfect romantic minimoon. Tucked away in the garden is the small but perfectly formed Weavers’ House spa, a delightfully designed space to cosy up with your beloved. There’s a sauna, steam room, and outdoor vitality pool on a pretty terrace. Newlyweds will enjoy the ‘Swan Song for Two’ facial and massage together in the double treatment room. Best for: Minimoons, cosy couple romantic getaways

LIFEHOUSE SPA AND HOTEL º º º º º

Lifehouse is a contemporary spa set in English Heritage-listed Thorpe Hall Gardens, close to the pretty Essex town of Frinton-on-Sea. The large and bright facilities include a dramatic pool area with huge twisted ropes decorating the walls. One of the things that makes Lifehouse special is the focus on wellbeing from resident specialists, including fitness, life coaching, nutrition, weight loss and holistic therapies. Book a retreat if you want to kick-start a lifestyle change and glow with health on the big day. Best for: Pre-wedding treatments, healthy hens

Midlands

EDEN HALL DAY SPA º º º º º

Once crammed with plants from the farthest corners of the empire, Eden Hall is now a bright and sociable day spa with indoor and outdoor facilities aplenty. Warm up in the thermal rooms, try the salt-water pool or watch the sunset from the outdoor hot tubs. Eden Hall is an accessible and well-priced spa; perfect if you want to order a glass of bubbly and giggle with your friends. Best for: Fun loving hens

AQUA SANA SHERWOOD FOREST º º º º º

In a quiet corner of Center Parcs Sherwood Forest, the newly opened Forest Spa is a marvel with 25 spa experiences to explore. From the Scandinavian Snug to the Treetop Sauna. Take forest bathing quite literally with the outdoor hot tubs and hydro pool. The huge amount of facilities makes this spa a great space to spend time catching up with loved-ones. Best for: Bride and mum spa time

MODDERSHALL OAKS º º º º º

Moddershall Oaks is delightful spa hotel with two swimming pools, saunas and a steam room. De-stress in the cosy relaxation lounge with its open replace and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the gardens. Book a spa suite with hot tub for a minimoon, or you can even get married here. Say “I do” by the private lake in the grounds, or use the indoor wedding centre with its moveable walls that can take up to 130 guests. Best for: Weddings, minimoons

North East

WYNYARD HALL º º º º

Wynyard Hall is a rather grand affair on the edge of a picturesque lake. Tear yourself away from the elegant interiors and head to the spa, which is in a converted boathouse. Unwind in the thermal suite or step outside to the spa terrace, which has two bubbly hot tubs overlooking the serene lake. Hire the spa for exclusive-use or book a cottage in the grounds with a private hot tub. Best for: Sophisticated hens, private hen parties

ROCKLIFFE HALL º º º º º

Rockliffe Hall is a traditional country house hotel with 375 acres of grounds. Less traditional is the modern spa with so many facilities a day will vanish with a flick of a well-pampered finger. The 20-metre pool has butlers’ service to the poolside loungers, while the thermal suite includes a tepidarium, caldarium, tropicarium and hydropool. If you really want to celebrate, book the Spa Garden with an outdoor hydropool with fabulous views. Best for: Indulgent hens

THE SPA AT RUDDING PARK º º º º º

Spa with a view at Rudding Park’s rooftop spa and garden, a splendid new addition to the three-storey spa with an infinity edge hydropool and sun deck, as well as a sauna and steam room amid gardens designed by BBC horticulturist Matthew Wilson. Inside is a large swimming pool opening onto a courtyard, a juniper log sauna and rasul, and four mind and sense zones. Book into one of the Luxurious Lodges and you get your very own hot tub. Best for: Minimoons, horticultural hens

SERENITY SPA AT SEAHAM HALL º º º º º

Set on the wild north-east coast, Seaham Hall is where the ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’ poet Lord Byron married. The elegant hotel has quirks aplenty, including the fabulous underground walkway to the Serenity Spa: follow the running water until you reach a huge carved elephant. Enjoy holistic treatments and thermal facilities including a large, light ozone-treated pool and steamy outdoor hot tubs. Best for: Minimoons

North West

BRIMSTONE SPA AT THE LANGDALE ESTATE º º º º º

At the heart of the Lake District National Park, the Langdale Estate is as picturesque as the writings of Wordsworth. Book into a Lakeland cottage and explore the landscape on foot, until a massage wins over the next escarpment. The Brimstone Spa is all about bringing the outside in with wood, stone and slate decorating the spa. An outdoor hydropool and relaxation area complete this. For extra romance, book the private couples’ treatment room, The Bubble. Best for: Poetic minimoons

QMS SKIN SPA AT THE LOWRY HOTEL º º º º

The QMS Skin Spa in Manchester is all about the treatments. The space-age white spa does have a petite sauna and relaxation room, but guests flock here for the results-focused treatments from award-winning QMS Medicosmetics. Tailored treatments will brighten, tighten or clear your skin depending on your complaint, no knives involved. Pair your treatment with cocktails on The Terrace or an afternoon of retail therapy in the Central Retail District. Best for: Pre-wedding treatments

ROOKERY HALL HOTEL AND SPA º º º º º

If there is a window in your pre-wedding countdown, use it for some mother and daughter bonding at Rookery Hall. Head for the pool, steam room and sauna, and then treat yourself to a treatment or two. We loved the Elemis Exotic Frangipani Body Nourish. Book a side-by-side manicure in the nail salon where the floor-to-ceiling windows look over the lake. Best for: Brides and mums

 STANLEY HOUSE HOTEL AND SPA º º º º º 

In the rolling Ribble Valley, Stanley House is a boutique hotel where the atmosphere
is cosy and the welcome is warm. The well-designed spa is just across a courtyard from the hotel. Upstairs the relaxation room is stylish and comfortable, while the downstairs thermal area includes a hydrotherapy pool, steam room, sauna, salt steam room and tepidarium beds. All which come with beautiful countryside views. This spa will suit everyone from brides to doting aunts. Best for: Brides and mums

ARMATHWAITE HALL AND SPA º º º º º

 

The views over Bassenthwaite Lake and Skiddaw Mountain from this luxurious modern spa are stunning. Relax with a lovely organic treatment, or get fit and fabulous for the big day. Dip into the warm outdoor hydro pool at twilight, order a glass of bubbly via an intercom and watch the stars come out. In the evening, eat at the AA Rosette Lake View restaurant. You can even get married at the hotel on the shores of the lake. Now who feels special? Best for: Minimoons, brides and mums

Scotland & Wales