Gorgeous spa thermal experiences that use natural spring water

Wellness in the natural spring waters of Worcestershire

The Malvern, Worcestershire

Famed for its natural spring waters, Malvern is a historic spa town, and this was its first spa, having opened in 1910. The retreat is definitely for 'grown-ups', with cool, calm, contemporary interiors, and a restaurant offering everything from Smörgåsbords overflowing with cheese, olives, and dips, to hearty pasta and nutritious salads.

The spa itself embraces its heritage, with facilities including a 20 metre indoor/outdoor pool that remains at a constant and optimum (by hydrotherapy standards) 35⁰ C, a thermal suite, and a gym. Treatments range from the holistic Elemis to the non-surgical CACI facials for an experience that has something for every spa lover.

A mineral-rich thermal pool

The Buxton Crescent Hotel, Derbyshire

A fusion of two historic hotels, The Buxton Crescent Hotel sits on an elegant Georgian crescent in a town famous for its healing thermal waters. The landmark destination brings 200 years of history into the present day, combining five-star hospitality with an exceptional spa that hinges on a spectacular thermal experience.

Favourite features include a bio-thermal sauna, CO2 mineral bath, an infra-red sauna, Finnish sauna, multiple steam rooms, and a suite of pools, including one on the rooftop. True to its spa town roots, the thermal pool has mineral rich water flowing into it, heated and left chemically untreated, all under a stained glass canopy.

Woodland spring bathing from a natural aquifer

Rudding Park, North Yorkshire

Rudding Park is a breathtakingly beautiful hotel with every luxury accounted for including a standalone spa, built with contemporary architecture and just as indulgent. A destination in its own right, you’ll need all day here to benefit from the extensive facilities and the impressive treatment menu. There are rooftop spa cabanas for groups and a rooftop spa garden, as well as a copper bath, outdoor hot tub and spa experiences that use natural spring water from the grounds.

Amongst the many gorgeous spa experiences, hidden in woodland surrounded by Rhododendrons, you will find a Woodland Spring Bathing experience. Two private fresh water tubs are filled with water from the Rudding Park aquifer, rich in magnesium, calcium and sodium and with no added chemicals. The water is maintained at a constant temperature using excess heat from their energy centre, and you can add to the experience by placing a Magnesium Mineral ‘Bomb’ into the water while you self-apply a Moorish mud mask to your face.

The most famous thermal baths in the UK

Thermae Bath Spa, Bath

Perhaps the most famous thermal baths in the UK, Thermae Bath Spa is the best of traditional and contemporary spa experiences, located in the heart of a World Heritage Site.

The thermal springs at this site are believed to have attracted visitors for their healing powers for more than 8,000 years. The city itself was founded around the springs by a prince, grateful for their medicinal properties, in 863BC. It was the Romans however, who built the Aquae Sulis as a sanctuary of rest and relaxation, and since then Bath Spa has drawn visitors from far and wide to relax in its waters.

Today the site has benefited from inspired contemporary updates and facilities, not least the rooftop thermal pool that allows visitors to luxuriate in whilst taking in views across the rooftops of the beautiful city of Bath.