Spectacular views, space to walk and breathe in the fresh air, and total peace and tranquility - for tranquil spa escapes this season, here are some of our favourite country spa hotels.
This four-star country house hotel is set in 38 acres of Buckinghamshire beauty. A historic property with a brand new spa, Horwood House is charming and romantic, dating to to 1911, but having enjoyed a £5.5 million renovation, which has transformed it into a tantalising fusion of historic charm and modern hospitality. The restaurant is an ode to the original Head Gardener Harry Thrower, serving up dishes inspired by the grounds. Meanwhile, the H Spa is a haven of luxury wellness, brimming with luxury interiors as well as five treatment rooms using vine-inspired therapies from Caudalie.
A perennial favourite amongst groups of friends, Whittlebury Hall is a vast, four-star destination. In a grand Manor House, it's surrounded by a golf course and neighbours Silverstone race circuit - which inspires the hotel bar. Everything here is convivial and buzzy, including the spa, which is a feast of thermal experiences. There's an aromatherapy crystal steam, caldarium, experience showers, foot spas, a hydrotherapy pool, ice cave, roman salt steam, sanarium and tepidarium - and that's on top of 23 treatment rooms including a hammam chamber and rasul room.
Surrounded by 26 acres of glorious landscaped grounds, Redworth Hall Hotel is an impressive Jacobean property with a wealth of activities to enjoy. Dating to 1693, it's not short on historic details, but it's also blessed with tennis courts, crazy golf and Frisbee golf facilities. There are 143 guest rooms including family rooms, twin rooms and spa bath rooms, which leads us onto the spa itself. Sympathetically incorporated into the traditional original house, the Retreat has fitness facilities alongside a 14 metre heated indoor pool with large steam room, sauna, Jacuzzi and space to relax. There are also six treatment rooms in a newly created ESPA beauty treatment centre, not to mention a large hair and nail salon.
Light, bright and contemporary, East Sussex National Golf Resort and Spa sits amidst the beauty of the South Downs, with views of its 18-hole championship golf course. Enjoying 1000 acres of rolling Sussex countryside, the hotel has an award-winning restaurant and 104 modern rooms and suites, while the Horsted Spa is dedicated to working out and winding down, from the 50 piece gym to the 20-metre pool, ESPA treatments and a dedicated spa cafe for healthy brunches, sushi and cream teas.
Home to the only swim-up bar of its kind in the UK, Manor House Hotel - Alsager is a romantic four-star retreat in the Cheshire countryside where rooms are made to feel like home and the restaurant sits in a former 17th-century farmhouse building. The spa is a contemporary, purpose-built addition, where modern architecture lets in lots of natural light, and facilities revolve around a range of thermal experiences and an exquisite English Country Spa Garden. The season outdoor spa is brimming with unique facilities, and to complete the experience, therapists offer treatments inspired by nature. White Chocolate and Orange Blossom Facial anyone?
Few places are as spectacular as Chewton Glen, the five-star country house hotel surrounded by 130 acres of Hampshire countryside on the edge of the New Forest National Park. Famous for its Treehouse suites as well as the more traditional rooms in the main property, it's at once family friendly and utterly romantic. There are multiple award-winning restaurants - also known for their sustainability credentials - and then there's the spa. The spa is a world of its own, complete with activities available throughout the grounds (Tai Chi, Pilates, Physio-Flex, tennis, golf, croquet, jogging trails, beach walks), as well as a sophisticated pool hall with a feast of thermal facilities including a 10-seater sauna and an amethyst crystal steam room. There are also 12 treatment rooms, and exquisite therapies from REN, Oskia and Natura Bisse.
Another recurring favourite amongst spabreakers, Hoar Cross Hall is an awe-inspiring hotel dating to 1871. Set in 50 acres of manicured gardens, surrounded by Staffordshire countryside, the historic interiors remain intact, enhanced by contemporary updates. For example, there are carved monograms in the ballroom, turreted water towers, lofty gables, 48 chimneys and mullioned windows. The spa is five-star all the way, with a 26-metre saltwater vitality pool amongst its many features - we're particular fans of the Snooze Room. That's before you get to outdoor activities such as jogging, cycling, croquet, boules, archery, golf and tennis.
On a 1000 acre estate in Cheshire, The Spa at Carden Park is an adult-only retreat that’s a beautiful day spa destination as well as being an exceptional part of an overnight break. The estate is home to a beautiful hotel, as well as two on-site 18 hole golf courses and a vineyard producing the hotel's own English sparkling wine. The spa is a spectacular two-storey building accompanied by a 2,500 square metre spa garden, and offering a wealth of indoor and outdoor facilities that can be used all year round. A partnership with Bollinger has ensured the presence of a beautiful Champagne bar, and treatments come from the delightful Elemental Herbology brand, complete with a signature treatment using herbs grown in the hotel’s own garden.
A luxurious Queen Anne manor house hotel set in 10 acres of rolling Worcestershire grounds, the Elms invites guests on a romantic break, with just 21 bedrooms spread across the main house and its coach house annex. Head across the lawn and you will find the Elms spa - a bright and modern space with a soothing thermal suite as well as a rooftop terrace for whiling away the day. Therapies are from Mediterranean-inspired skincare brand, TEMPLESPA, and evenings are spent dining by the fire with views of the lawn.
If you're looking for the lap of luxury, The Langley is the place to go. Set in a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Park, the five-star hotel owned by the Duke of Marlborough is a decadent treat. The 18th-century property is achingly romantic, while The Churchill Bar and Cedar Restaurant indulge every sensory wish. The spa is a purpose built destination where numbers are limited and Spa Butlers cater to your every need. There's a wealth of experiences to enjoy, including a Himalayan salt sauna with a juniper wall, a brine-infused steam room with a citronite crystal as the focal point, and a 16.5m marble edged swimming pool. There’s a female only spa area where just some details include heated loungers, a sanarium and a rose quartz steam room. Then there's a VIP suite with couches, a private butler, Champagne, fruit and anything else that you want - not to mention its own thermal experiences. Top it all off with Sisley and Sultane de Saba therapies, and you're in for a treat.
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