The Best Winter Spa Breaks in the UK

We've rounded up the best spas and hotels around the UK to break out of a winter slump and return home feeling refreshed.

As the dark nights and bitter frosts of wintwe set in, you certainly won't find us embracing the great outdoors. Tapping into our primal instinct to hibernate, we've rounded up the UK's best winter spas, where you can retreat for a warming massage and a cleansing tea.

Hibernating for winter? Retreat to one of England's best spas

hotel

Calcot Spa

Hewn into honeyed Cotswold stone and steaming soothingly from its fireside outpost, the outdoor Jacuzzi at Calcot Spa feels a bit like a warm hug at the end of a frosty winter's walk: comforting, restorative and invigorating all in one go. But if you can't hack an al fresco dip in winter, don't fret - you'll still have an indoor pool, sauna, steam room, gym and seven treatment rooms to frolic in. Rise to a fresh morning juice, romp through the hotel's 90 hectares of rolling countryside, then stretch out tired limbs with a yoga class or work off breakfast with a hula-hooping workout. However you choose to spend the day, just make sure to top it all off with a signature Aromatherapy Associates Rose Facial, for a genuine skin reboot.

Address

Gloucestershire, Tetbury, GL8 8YJ

hotel

Gilpin Hotel & Lake House

Think of the Lake District and walking sticks, muddy boots and, well, lakes, probably come to mind. But Gilpin Hotel has flipped this patch of England's "get up and go" reputation on its head, instead saying something along the lines of, "relax and sleep in a while". Guests are cosseted with pillowy, king-size beds and sumptuous roll-top baths, in bedrooms that range from classic-sized up to spa suites, with spa lodges, garden suites and junior suites in between. Celebrating the great indoors, the Jetty Spa is a space for disconnection and rejuvenation. Designed to be enjoyed by two at a time, the space is presided over by therapists who will whip up bespoke aromatherapy oils to your taste, then send you trundling through the Scandi-style wooden cabin to your chosen treatment room, where doors can be flung open to the lake beyond.

Address

Crook Road, LA23 3NE

hotel

The Grove

Hertfordshire

Just a 40-minute drive out of central London, you'll find yourself in the leafy Hertfordshire countryside. Five-star retreat, The Grove is somewhere we've deemed too close to home to be safe from temptation mid-week - and it's the hotel's luxurious Sequoia spa of which we're most wary. The menu features 32 different treatments - opt for The Orangery Experience - which take place in the spa's 18 tranquil treatment rooms (those are some good odds for getting the appointment slot you want). After a dip in the vitality pool and jacuzzi, lather yourself in Natura Bissé products, then peep in for a look at the slick fitness studio before sauntering upstairs to change for dinner.

Address

Chandler's Cross Watford Hertfordshire WD3 4TG

hotel

Dormy House Hotel & Spa

Worcestershire

This cosy converted farmhouse has a lot to offer - from a variety of accommodation types (we love the Rose Cottage) to moreish menus at Back Garden - but it's the House Spa that really makes the place a must-visit. Why? With an indoor infinity pool, outdoor hydrotherapy hot tub and three thermal suites between which to divide your time, you're really spoilt for choice. For a change of scene, we'd recommend availing of the Thermal Suite, which offers a lavender sauna, salt steam room and a juniper-scented Finnish cabin. Expect to leave in a cloud-like state.

Address

Willersey Hill Broadway Worcestershire WR12 7LF

hotel

Bamford Haybarn Spa

Gloucestershire

Located next to the Daylesford Farmshop, Bamford Haybarn Spa offers sensual, botanically inspired treatments to soothe the mind, body and spirit. Spa-goers can select from a wide range of holistic therapies carried out by knowledgeable staff. Grab a farm-fresh lunch on site to complete an afternoon focused on your wellbeing.

Address

Daylesford NR Kingham Gloucestershire GL56 OYG

hotel

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa

Wiltshire

Fight off the winter slump at the Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa in its Reformer Room, where one-to-one sessions are available with personal trainers. Later, repair with a restorative Haslauer reflective sunlight therapy, or a permanent contour, which includes an aromatic herbal steam massage. The spa offers sand polishing and amethyst wraps as well.

Address

Colerne Chippenham SN14 8AZ

hotel

The Gainsborough Bath Spa

Bath

Step into the UK's only spa that uses the famous waters of Bath in its exclusive aquatic beauty treatments. Try being gently moved through the restorative thermal waters by a therapist as part of a 45-minute "freedom" body therapy. Alternatively, hit reset with full-body treatments utilising healing elements such as ginger and magnesium.

Address

Beau Street BA1 1QU

hotel

Barnsley House

Gloucestershire

Escape to a relaxing hideaway in the Cotswolds at Barnsley House's spa hotel. Situated among peacefully secluded gardens, guests can unwind in a heated hydrotherapy pool, a perfect foil for the winter cold. Try the spa's signature treatment, which combines a full-body massage with an anti-ageing facial and scalp massage.

Address

Barnsley Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 5EE

hotel

Lime Wood

Lyndhurst

Lime Wood's idyllic New Forest setting makes switching off a breeze. While cosy rooms in the main house make it all too tempting to relax in your private space for the entire stay, it would be remiss not to pave out some time at the spa. Take part in morning yoga or meditation on the peaceful rooftop herb garden before heading for a quick dip in the hydro-pool, followed by a steam and sauna. Oh, and if you're in need of transformative facial, revered facialist Sarah Chapman, of Skinesis, will sort you out.

Address

Beaulieu Rd Hampshire SO43 7FZ

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