The best UK spa hotels: ideas for a weekend break

Best for: Spa days with fizz and views

If you and your best friend are in desperate need of a break from reality, look no further than The Spa at Carden Park, a dreamy rural retreat tucked into 1,000 acres of Cheshire countryside. This luxurious wellness destination is the kind of place where time slows down: think bubbling outdoor hot tubs with breath taking views, a panoramic sauna that looks out over landscaped gardens, and a heated vitality pool that feels like bathing in the warm sea. The spa itself is beautifully designed, complete with an indoor thermal suite, relaxation spaces, and a menu of nature-inspired treatments that will leave you floating. Once you've soaked and steam-roomed to your heart's content, you can grab a glass of fizz at the Bollinger Champagne Bar (you’re on a wellness trip, after all) or stroll through Carden Park’s very own vineyard before heading back to the hotel for a cocktail or two on terrace. Whether you're there to reset, reconnect or just chill in robes all weekend long, this spa is perfect for a friend’s getaway.

Price: Afternoon spa break includes an overnight stay, breakfast, full access to the leisure club, and spa garden experience from £200 per person.

Down Hall Spa and Estate, Essex

Best for: A historic romantic escape

Sometimes you just need to escape it all and do your very best "hello, I liiivvve herre" Carrie Bradshaw impression. Down Hall is the ideal location to swan through the historic hallways and pretend that this is your very own country house, and yes, thank you, the 110 acres of woodland surrounding it also belongs entirely to you.

Just 45 minutes from central London, on arrival you're greeted with landscaped garden, complete with dramatic fountains (which also make the views from the rooms absolutely incredible.) Inside, with interiors and a history dating back to the 11th century, each room is unique, some with four-poster beds, huge tubs that you can practically swim in and modern but classic furnishings. We particularly enjoyed the fact that you could remain tucked up in the comfiest bed, while looking out from a huge floor-to-ceiling window across the land.

As for the spa itself, with a private terrace, there's nothing more relaxing than taking a book and going out in your robe, reading a bit, before pottering back in to enjoy the hydrotherapy pool, steam room and sauna. Treatments include massages to match your mood (whether you're looking for something to uplift or encourage you to be more mindful) partnering with ESPA for facial and body treatments.

Price: An overnight spa retreat, including bed, breakfast and use of the Eden Spa plus a bottle of prosecco on arrival, packages begin from £176 per person.

Champneys, Tring

Best for: Couple breaks

Champneys are now synonymous with relaxing, spa breaks and it all began here: in Tring. The resort has been a pioneer in wellness since 1925, and it's clear from the moment you arrive on the 170 acres of sprawling land that you're in safe, spa hands.

Just 46 minutes away from London Euston, it's possible to come for a spa day but we'd recommend staying at least one night, for fully immersive relaxation. As soon as we arrived, we were straight in our robes and bedded in for a day of being entirely switched-off. Most people keep their robes on all day, at breakfast and lunch (which are served buffet-style with a wide selection of delicious and healthy options on offer) and you can pad between an outdoor and indoor jacuzzi, swimming pool, sauna and steam room.

For those looking to be more active, there's a wide range of fitness classes on offer as well as a fully equipped gym, including Barre and Reformer Pilates. There's also guided walks around the ground, with PTs who are experts in their field to offer advice on your next fitness goals. By evening, the restaurant serves a three-course menu and the estate takes on a peaceful, but sexy vibe, making it the perfect place to come with a partner and reconnect.

Price: Book in for a post-Christmas pamper for one night for £215 per person

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Moddershall Oaks, Staffordshire

Best for: Privacy

Staffordshire is a county steeped in history and myth, known for its ceramics, Roman ruins, my fave breed of dog, and Staffordshire oatcakes (a great addition to any breakfast plate, FYI). And amid its lush countryside sits Moddershall Oaks, a wellness haven for a relaxing weekend away. The country house has been transformed over the years, all while blending into its 72 acres of green scenery and sprawling lake – super tranquil.

While some wellness retreats and spa-hotels can feel a bit stuffy, Moddershall Oaks is anything but. The staff are charming from the first welcome Hugo Spritz at reception, to the attentive spa therapists delivering the signature ‘Calibrate’ massage, and those tending the outside heated pool and hot tubs. To its award-winning spa facilities – as a guest you have the full run of it. Lounge around in a fluffy robe, sweat it out in the Kelo sauna and a steam room with eucalyptus milk-infused high humidity steam. When it gets dark, cosy up beside the crackling fire with some snacks, and later, head to the Oak House restaurant for a comforting, hearty meal (don’t skip the sticky toffee dessert).

Some of its top treatments worth booking are the aforementioned Calibrate massage (£90 for 50 minutes) which uses warmed orange and fennel infused oil to relieve pressure, and the glass beauty facial (£90 for 50 minutes) that feels luxurious with all the warming oils and expert pressure. Be sure to check out the range of classes at the MADE fitness centre, take a brisk woodland walk, and book a private slot at the outdoor spa pool for some lush solo time, taking in the picturesque views. You’ve got plenty of time to catch up on your chill too – as an overnight guest, you get complete access to the spa facilities until 4PM the following day, and a very, very fluffy robe.

The nearest train stations are Stoke-On-Trent and Stafford, which are about 20 minutes away from the property – making it accessible from most UK cities. I’d recommend pre-booking a cab with a local firm to take you straight there. Otherwise, it’s a 2.5 hour car trip from London.

Price: The 'Relax & Revive' Spa Break starts from £262.50 per person and includes a welcome drink, a night in a luxury suite, a two-course dinner, one 25 minute treatment and one 50-minute treatment, and use of spa facilities. Check out Moddershall Oaks’ other offers here.

The Grove, Hertfordshire

Best for: Luxurious treatments

Set in 300 acres of Hertfordshire countryside and boasting over 200 rooms, The Grove Hotel is a powerhouse of a venue. Nestled in one of the hotel’s (many) wings, is the Sequoia Spa which is an intimate space to relax and unwind. There’s an extensive spa menu, covering relaxing and energising facials, massages, body treatments and reflexology. They also offer a host of spa packages that include lunch (which you can enjoy in your fluffy robe and slippers following a treatment) and the full use of the facilities, including the 22-metre pool, hot tub, sauna and spa.

All massages and facials are 80 minutes which, frankly, is how long every massage and facial should be - and will blow you away. Once you’ve finished up with your treatment make sure you pop along to the relaxation room to enjoy a herbal tea and marvel at the giant fish tank from your comfy bed. Oh, and not only will you leave feeling completely refreshed, you’ll also smell absolutely divine thanks to the gorgeous Bamford products they use.

Price: Spa experiences start from £225

The Varsity Hotel & Spa, Cambridge

Best for: Low-maintenance activities

If you're after a relaxing weekend but still want to explore and enjoy the surroundings of a buzzy, historic town, look no further than Cambridge - and our favourite spa hotel on offer. The Varsity Hotel & Spa is just a short(ish) drive from London and sits on the outskirts – but still very much centre – of Cambridge town. In other words, you can stroll three minutes down the road to a local cosy pub or stay in and admire the picturesque riverside window view. Need I go on?

Well, if you didn't know, Cambridge is home to the prestigious university which dates as far back as 1209, meaning that you can expect beautiful institutional architecture and wholesome rural vibes – all with activities such as punting, market shopping or a romantic stroll in the park at your fingertips.

By night, why not follow up from a busy day by booking into the boutique hotel spa and enjoy a facial or full-body massage courtesy of Elemis products... a beauty ed's fave. Then, if that (or the jacuzzi, steam room and sauna) wasn't enough, top it all off with a swanky three-course meal at the rooftop brasserie; which is all – if I do say so myself – placed at a fair and affordable price point. Winning!

Price: Rooms start at £131 per night

Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire

Best for: Family-friendly fun

Set in 500 acres of beautiful English countryside and with amenities catering to your every need, the Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire is a heavenly home away from home. The rooms are warm and spacious and the spa and pool are both incredibly luxe. But it’s the service and attention to detail that is truly unrivalled. We stayed with our young toddler, and the staff went out of their way to make a fuss of her at every occasion. From the toddler slippers in our room to the baby products in the bathroom and kids crayons and cutlery at dinner, everything has been thoroughly thought out.

As well as the slick 66ft glass roof pool located in the converted 18th century stable block, there’s also a fun adventure kids pool called Sharkie’s Reef where you could easily spend the entire day - if your kids had their way. Every season, the hotel switches up the activities on offer and this spring they opened a brand new gelato shop (offering a Hampshire honey flavour which is made with honeycomb from the on-site beehives, no less), while this summer will see two outdoor theatre performances taking place on the estate grounds, including Peter Pan and Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Picnic baskets are available to pre-order - all you need to do is bring a blanket, and prepare to relax.

Beaverbrook, Surrey

Best for: Luxury lovers

Reached via a sweeping driveway, past lakes and woodland, Beaverbrook’s a slice of Pride and Prejudice in the rolling Surrey hills. Hit the holistic, ultra-luxurious spa and spend a day swimming and switching between the sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi and using up all of the Bamford products. There are plenty of treatments to try, like a deep tissue massage, or you could book a consultation with the hotel’s naturopath or even get realigned by the in-house Osteopath.

When you’re not hanging out in the spa, there are two restaurants and a romantically-lit bar (an Instagram fave) to enjoy - the best seat in the house is the enormous velvet sofa ideal for people-watching guests. Afternoon tea is served in the lounge, where you can lie back on the vast sofas and plan your next manoeuvre, we recommend staying there with trashy books and eating homemade banana and chocolate cake filled with fresh whipped cream. But that’s just us, you could take a walk in the pretty grounds.

Price: From a whopping £490 per room, per night (best to go halves)

Grantley Hall, Yorkshire

Best for: Spa technology

Tucked away in the glorious Yorkshire Dales, this Grade II listed mansion dates back to the 17th century but recently had an extensive renovation project, so you’re in for a Palladian-architecture-meets-cutting-edge-new-spa type of weekend. Bedrooms are some of the poshest we’ve ever seen and perfect for romance: white linen, huge squishy pillows, fresh flowers, a polished wood writing desk, white stand alone bath tub and a beige-gold colour scheme that looks straight out of the Hollywood Hills.

The Three Graces spa is also ah-mazing, boasting a steam room, sauna, snow room, outdoor hot tub, tropical rain shower (complete with sound effects) and even a cryotherapy chamber - basically a massive freezer which you spend up to three minutes in, said to be good for everything from depression to skin conditions. We also heart swimming between the indoor-to-outdoor hydrotherapy pool, which is uplifting even in winter weather, as you soak up the refreshing air on your face while your body stays deliciously warm in the water.

Price: From £450 per room, per night, including breakfast and spa access.

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Heckfield Place, Hampshire

Best for: Holistic Heaven

Set in the heart of the Hampshire countryside in 438 acres, this handsome Georgian manor house hotel will blow your socks off.

Its Little Bothy spa is gorgeous, with a focus on all-natural, botanical-based treatments. Fresh produce is picked from the apothecary garden each day to create juices and infusions (don’t miss the ginger and turmeric shots). Ease into a 60-minute massage using the hotel’s signature Wildsmith products created exclusively for the estate using homegrown ingredients. But wellness here goes beyond your average treatment menu.

Heckfield has partnered with wellness supremo Bodyism to offer the very best in pilates and yoga, plus there’s regular meditation classes at the Keeper’s Cottage (which is as gorgeous as it sounds). Its two restaurants and the glasshouse (for afternoon tea) are supplied by the estate’s biodynamic farm, guaranteeing the best fresh seasonal ingredients possible.

Price: From £300 per room, per night.

Ladore Falls Hotel & Spa, Lake District

Best for: Unique features

If we told you the 100m walk from the hotel to the spa includes a footbridge across a waterfall (OK, we’re not talking Niagara, but still) you won’t be surprised to know this place is a bit special. The superbly designed spa suites have state-of-the-art facilities and there’s a fantastic range of treatments including the Akwaterra Massage, which the Ladore brought to the UK. If that’s not enough USPs for you, there’s also a Champagne Bar and the country’s longest outdoor infinity pool.

When you’re not having treatments, it’s fun to head outside and soak up the beauty of the surrounding area at Catbells, a fairly short and easy hike up one of the fells overlooking Derwentwater - it came fourth in a survey of Britain’s Top 100 Walks and it’s got a great name, right?

Price: From £225per room, per night.

No.15 Great Pulteney, Bath

Best for: Instagram interiors

If you like your mini breaks to have a little style to them, this gorgeously quirky hotel should be top of your list. It goes without saying that Bath is the perfect destination for a spa break, and No.15 captures all the tradition of the area while adding its own modern twist.

The spa is located in the basement of the Georgian townhouse conversion, giving it perfect cosy vibes. With individually-designed treatment rooms and plenty of thoughtful little touches, it's a spa experience you're unlikely to replicate anywhere else. We'll race you to that hot tub...

Price: Rates start from £183 per night for a room, while spa treatments start at £95

St Brides Spa Hotel, Pembrokeshire

Best for: Stunning views

Snap a picture of this infinity pool overlooking the sea, and you could fool people into thinking you're in Mykonos, not Wales. The coastal hotel is consistently voted as one of the best in the country, and the spa is one of the main reasons.

While you relax with a view of the gorgeous coastline, book in for a massage, facial or even a coastal-themed lava shell treatment.

Price: Rates for an overnight stay start at £200 per room

The Scarlet, Mawgan Porth

Best for: Eco-friendly travel

Chances are, you've seen this little Cornish gem of a hotel on Instagram at some point. The eco-friendly resort is designed to "connect you to the outdoors", meaning there's a lot of outside space and floor-to-ceiling glass.

The simple design aesthetic is enough to inspire your next interior update, while the luxury tented treatment rooms are so relaxing they'll send you to sleep within seconds. Be sure to pay a visit to the relaxation room while you're there for the best nap you've had in ages.

Price: Rates start from £230 per night, and spa break offers are also available

Cliveden House, Berkshire

Best for: Traditional luxury

The stunning Cliveden House is probably best known as the hotel Meghan Markle stayed in the night before she married Prince Harry, but it's also home to an award-winning spa hidden in a secret garden setting.

The hotel has partnerships with Sarah Chapman and OSKIA, and as a result the facials are outstanding. Manicures and pedicures are a bit special, too - Cliveden has its own range of polishes for guests to choose from.

The hotel itself is owned by the National Trust and set 376 in acres of gardens and parkland, making it the perfect place to explore and enjoy a romantic stroll. If you can make it out of bed, of course.

Price: Rates for a double room start at £445

The Ned, London

Best for: Big spa break in the big city

Influencers have been raving about The Ned for some time now, mostly because the uber-cool hotel literally feels like the set of a movie - and where better place to get a couple's manicure than somewhere you're likely to spot a celeb?

The hotel's public spa, Cowshed, offers nail treatments, massages and facials using products from the British brand.

Ned's Club members and hotel guests can exclusively use the Ned's Club Spa, complete with a sauna, steam room and 20-metre indoor swimming pool surrounded by marble columns and mosaic tiles.

With a central London location and an amazing ten restaurants, you could easily spend more than a weekend here - but you might want to budget beforehand, since it's one of the more pricey options.

Price: Rates for a double room start at £250, while spa treatments start at £14

Lime Wood Hotel & Spa, New Forest

Best for: Nature

A break at Lime Wood is the perfect combo of luxury spa and nature retreat. Treatments are all natural, and have a focus on de-stressing and rejuvenating. From massages to body scrubs and facials, there's plenty to choose from.

If you can afford to splash out, the Lake Cabin is truly incredible - think a secluded hut and outdoor roll-top bath. At the cheaper end of the scale are the hotel's cosy Eaves, with views looking out onto the gardens.

Price: Rates for a double room start at £385, while spa treatments start at £60

The Gainsborough, Bath

Best for: Roman spa

This hotel really is something special. For starters, it's the only place in the UK to have access to natural thermal waters. The interiors are also ridiculously cool - they're designed to look like a Roman palace, so there's lots of marble and pillars.

The treatments are vast and impressive; there's everything from body therapies (detox and tone, anyone?) to a 'couples surrender' (which is more massage, less dominatrix than it sounds).

The hotel itself is gorgeous, and if you can bear to leave the comfort of the sauna, the restaurant is the perfect place for a candlelit dinner for two.

Price: Rates for a double room start at £224, while spa treatments start at £120

Isle of Eriska, Scotland

Best for: Total relaxation

If you want to stay on a legit private island without leaving the UK, we've found the most ideal place.

This mansion is located on a piece of land only accessible by a bridge in the West Highlands of Scotland, and if that doesn't sound romantic enough to make you book *immediately*, the rooms outside the main house - each with a private hot tub - looking out to sea definitely will.

If you can drag yourself away from the room, the spa offers a vast range of treatments, including some especially created for men, and even has an option to personalise treatments.

It's a hell of a journey for most, but so worth it.

Price: Rates for a double room start at £265.50, and spa treatments start from £10

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Lake District

Best for: Romance

The Lake District is the perfect place for a romantic break, and The Gilpin has really nailed private couple time.

The hotel's five lodges all have their own personal spas complete with a hydrotherapy hot tub, outdoor saunas, a steam room and - of course - views of the stunning countryside.

If budget doesn't stretch to a private lodge, the remaining rooms are also stunning. Plus, the accommodation has its own Champagne bar, two restaurants, and even llamas and alpacas wandering through the grounds.

Price: Rates for a double room start at £235

Slieve Donard Hotel & Spa, Northern Ireland

Best for: Idyllic location

Yes, this hotel does look like a giant castle. If you fancy living like royalty for a while, you can't get better - it's located right on the coast, with views of the Mourne Mountains behind.

When you've finished admiring the exterior, you'll feel right at home in the spa, which has a cosy fire to set the mood. Treatments include traditional massages and facials, along with holistic treatments.

Price: Rates start from £179 for a room, while spa treatments start at £80.