The Best Spas In The UK For A Winter Wellness Break

Thyme Meadow Spa

The Vibe: This cookery school turned country-chic bolthole has a ‘village within a village’ feel, offering everything you’d expect from a country escape – characterful rooms, great food and a pub within walking distance. It’s in the picture-perfect Cotswolds village of Southrop, so the nearest train stations are Kemble to the west and Charlbury to the north, both of which are 30-minute taxi rides away. As for the spa, it’s a haven of peace and tranquillity. Guests are encouraged to embrace the peace associated with country living, with many leaving their phones at reception on arrival. The Meadow Spa is the first in the UK to offer Aurelia treatments and the pool is chemical free, using water from Thyme’s underground spring. Keen yogis will be pleased to hear there is a yoga studio too.

What To Book: Try the Aurelia Natural Face Lift, which uses deep muscle rolling and pressure point massage to relieve tension and supercharge collagen production. The 75-minute CBD facial uses shiatsu and ancient healing techniques to reduce inflammation.

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Middleton Lodge

The Vibe: If you want to immerse yourself in fresh air and sprawling country landscapes this winter, Middleton Lodge is the place to go. Up in North Yorkshire, it’s the ultimate destination for hitting reset. The big Georgian estate is reason alone to visit – it provides a lot of the food on a property with a serious commitment to conservation and self-sufficiency. As for the spa, the interiors make you feel at home – think muted, natural, calming tones paired with comfy sofas and squidgy chairs – while the outdoor whirlpool, relaxation rooms and heated outdoor pool all feel private. That’s thanks to the towering trees that flank the space and make you feel as if you’re in a Nordic forest. There are plenty of treatments to enjoy, all benefiting from Aromatherapy Associates and Voya products – count on facials, body wraps, bathing experiences and deep tissue massages. With self-catering cottages available, this is a great place to come as a group.

What To Book: Our favourite option is the Forest Therapy treatment. Created to restore vitality, the massage hits all the right spots as you’re encouraged to inhale and release tension with guided techniques. The legs, back and abdomen are a focus, but you can ask for certain areas to be prioritised to suit your needs. We love that it ends with a mud mask on both the hands and feet.

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Dormy House

The Vibe: Perched above the village of Broadway with beautiful views across the Cotswolds, Dormy House is 45 minutes from Oxford. The closest train station is Moreton-in-Marsh, 95 minutes from London Paddington. A former farmhouse, Dormy House offers a luxury stay in rustic surroundings. As well as cosy, clean-lined rooms in neutral hues, there are three restaurants to choose from. Its award-winning spa has been newly renovated with a brand-new thermal suite and spa partner – Proverb Skin. You’ll find multisensory thermal suites, aromatic steam rooms, showers with forest mists and Himalayan salt sauna's which help to alleviate tension and stress. There is an outdoor spa terrace too where you'll find bubbling hydrotherapy hot tubs and electric fires to hunker down by with warming teas and healthy lunches.

What To Book: The 60-minute Proverb Natural Facelift Facial isn't to be missed. Combining specialised cardio HIIT moves with targeted massage, it promises to lift, sculpt and tone skin, carving out cheekbones and definition immediately. You can also try floatation therapy in the special tanks, or opt for a full body massage to work out knots, aches and pains.

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The Langley Spa

The Vibe: The Langley is one of Buckinghamshire’s best-kept secrets. Forbidden to build up during its recent renovation, the hotel has added an impressive subterranean spa, complete with 16m marble-lined swimming pool, hammams, vitality, pools, Himalayan salt-walled sauna and an amethyst steam room. If you’re feeling active, book in for a session with PT Matt Roberts, who heads up the cutting-edge fitness suite.

What To Book: With treatments from Sisley, La Sultane de Saba and Margaret Dabbs on offer, you’re spoilt for choice. The Sisley Supreme Facial will leave skin feeling restored, while signature Spa Journeys are blissful two-hour treatments inspired by native wellness traditions.

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Hoar Cross Hall

The Vibe: Staffordshire’s Hoar Cross Hall is the ideal place to relax body and mind. Facilities include a Nordic heat and ice suite, a 26m saltwater vitality pool, a snooze room and countless whirlpools, plunge pools and steam rooms. There’s also a state-of-the-art gym, tennis, cycling, croquet and boules if you’re looking to work up an appetite before afternoon tea.

What To Book: The spa offers seasonal treatments, so there’s often something new alongside its signature offering of facials, massages and holistic treatments. For a special treat, the HCH Grand Spa Trilogy is two hours of total relaxation, including a full body exfoliation, a back massage and facial – all using Elemis products.

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Heckfield Place

The Vibe: Heckfield Place is one of the most special destinations in the UK. The eco-friendly estate in Hampshire boasts excellent facilities, enviable interiors and flawless services. Just 75 minutes from London by car, the hotel is set on a 400-acre estate with walled gardens, forests, meadows and a biodynamic farm. The 18th-century building has been carefully restored with modern luxuries and six room types, all elegantly decorated. Guests have a choice to dine at two restaurants, both overseen by chef Skye Gyngell. As for its spa, the Bothy is in a walled garden, which hides its natural pool and outdoor hydrotherapy tub (where you can watch birds circle above) as well as a sauna, yoga studio and fitness suite.

What To Book: All treatments take place inside the Bothy. Each part of the spa has been designed for total relaxation – from the birdsong that plays by the pool to the décor, with its neutral colours and relaxation areas built from natural materials. We recommend booking a naturopathic health assessment which encourages healing through natural remedies and lifestyle changes. There are also realignment sessions with the resident osteopath for an overall wellness boost.

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Scarlet Hotel

The Vibe: Overlooking Cornwall’s sweeping Mawgan Porth beach (a ten-minute drive from Newquay), this adults-only eco-hotel blurs the boundaries between inside and out, with glass walls and infinity pools that appear to reach into the sea. The Ayurveda-inspired spa is where the magic happens – luxury tented treatment rooms are lit by lanterns for deep relaxation. For the complete experience, book a clifftop hot tub complete with expansive views of the Atlantic.

What To Book: For full-body relaxation, the Sarvanga massage is designed to bring scattered mental energy back into focus. After a top-to-toe oil massage, it finishes with an Ayurvedic facial massage. For an affordable option, consider a Scarlet Sunday, which includes an overnight stay for two, Sunday lunch, a bathing experience and full access to the spa, as well as a late checkout and breakfast in bed the following day.

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Claridge’s Spa

The Vibe: Claridge’s spa was designed by Andre Fu, who wanted to create a feeling of calm and an immediate sense of peace. As you step across the monochrome lobby, you’ll disconnect from the busyness of everyday life thanks to simple additions like the sound of flowing water, soothing music and minimalist interiors. From the handmade poultices to the soft lights that surround the saunas, we love how everything is so considered. The heated swimming pool flanked by stone columns is a highlight. Nearby, you’ll find cabanas offering privacy pre or post-treatment and a host of saunas and steam rooms. Around and about you’ll find seven treatment rooms.

What To Book: There are endless treatments on offer – from cryotherapy facials to traditional services like waxing. Favourites include the Bamboo & Silk Ritual – a warming, deep tissue massage that focuses on alleviating tension and stress. It’s 90 minutes of sheer bliss, ending with a skin-softening facial – plus, any treatment of this length allows you to use the pool at no extra cost. The Body Detox & Sculpt also yields impressive results. Perfect before an event, your therapist will focus on areas like your thighs, abdomen and upper arms, deeply massaging them using lymphatic techniques to lift and firm, bringing fresh blood to the surface for healthier-looking skin.

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Eynsham Baths At Estelle Manor

The Vibe: Oxfordshire’s Estelle Manor is known for the 3,000 acres of parkland, private houses and glamorous interiors that make it a dream place to stay. Making it even more special is the bathing hall that launched earlier this year. Carved with marble details, it delivers on the wow factor, but never feels intimidating or OTT. Alongside the bathing hall there are five thermal pools, steam rooms, hay saunas and ten treatment rooms for you to seal yourself away in and enjoy the vast menu. Before you book, it is worth noting that you have to pay separately for spa access, even if you're a staying guest, but given the level of indulgence on offer, it's worth it if you want real escapism.

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The Retreat At Elcot Park

The Vibe: Forty minutes from London by train – and then ten minutes from Hungerford station – this hotel and spa was once home to poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Since then, the Grade II-listed 18th-century mansion has been carefully restored and officially opened as a spa hotel in 2022. It’s since gone on to earn the title of ‘Britain’s Best Hotel’ for its unstuffy setting and unrivalled attention to detail. The spa makes it a real standout. There’s a heated outdoor swimming pool – complete with Whispering Angel bar – a hydrothermal suite, flotation tanks and steam/sauna rooms. All treatments are available to non-guests too.

What To Book: Treatments start from £30 at Elcot Park. We like the hour-long Destress Body Ritual, which promises to restore weary, sore muscles while the therapist will tailor moves and massage techniques to your individual needs and sore points. Expect to feel a little woozy afterwards – in the best possible way.

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The Spa At South Lodge

The Vibe: The impressively large spa at Sussex’s South Lodge was designed with sustainability in mind. There’s a ban on single-use plastic, water is cleaned through a reed bed, and robes and towels have been chosen to minimise environmental impact. The spa really has it all – three pools, botanical sauna, marble-lined salt and steam room, and the UK’s first heated natural swim pond. New to the space are the Reeds and Spa lodges. They sit lakeside with space to stay for up to four adults or two adults and three children.

What To Book: Facials are offered in collaboration with Omorovicza. The Blue Diamond facial is the perfect treatment, combining traditional Hungarian massage to re-energise and lift the skin with cooling derma-globes to depuff and brighten.

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The Grove Hotel & Spa

The Vibe:

Set among 300 acres, The Grove is home to award-winning restaurants, a recently renovated spa and new guest rooms and suites. Despite the fact it’s only less than an hour from London, it feels worlds away from busy city life, surrounded by endless greenery – and it’s the answer to achieving fresh headspace. Perfect for a winter weekend away, the family-run hotel has everything you need for a special stay, from numerous dining options to luxury suites you won’t want to leave and of course, its Sequoia Spa, which is home to a 22m black mosaic-tiled pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna and a steam room. There’s also a gym with state-of-the-art equipment, relaxation areas where you can doze off, and 18 treatment rooms where therapists offer an extensive list of treatments, including facials, massages and reflexology.

What To Book:

We recommend the spa’s signature massage. Created by its therapists from the Philippines and Thailand, it uses both Eastern and Western massage techniques to unknot tight muscles and joints. The spa recently partnered with Bamford to offer soothing products to help you unwind and leave feeling restored. Plus, 'Mini Spa Days' are worth checking out for treatments and use of the spa facilities.

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