Private hot tubs for supercharging quality time with friends on your next spa break

Women's Health Magazine recently wrote that if you're craving wholesome fun and connection, a getaway with friends - or a sleepover - could be just what you need. Quoting psychotherapist Caroline Plumer, they "explained that 'many of us are embracing more "wholesome" activities that give us a sense of safety and nostalgia'", continuing:

"Being at a sleepover with friends not only gives us the opportunity to have the type of deep and lengthy conversations that often tend to occur in the late hours, it also bonds us closer together and provides us a literal safe space."

We have often written about how spa days and spa breaks are a wonderful way to make space for quality time with friends and loved ones, whether it's two people or 10 enjoying a few hours or a couple of days together.

Furthermore, the activities we include in those days can further tailor opportunities for connectivity, conversation, and simply being in one another's company. While, hot tubs might be an expected feature at most spas, a private hot tub is a whole other level of enjoyment.

From 12-person hot tubs by outdoor fire pits, to private hot tubs in luxurious suites, here are some of our favourites!

A 12-person private hot tub at Galgorm

This magical hotel spa in Ireland has so much to recommend it. From its luxury style to the River House, which is raised on stilts by the River Maine and is where spa guests enjoy classes.

However, amongst its many beautiful facets is the 12 person hot tub, where quality time with friends is perhaps best enjoyed in the form of the Beltane Experience. It’s a spa experience where you relax around a sunken fire with friends before enjoying a dip. There are also various wood-fired hot tubs dotted around Galgorm’s Thermal Village which can be booked privately for 60 minutes at a time, most overlooking the river.

Alternatively, those on romantic spa breaks will adore staying in the Signature Suite, which has its very own private hot tub on the balcony. Or for those travelling with groups of friends, the Red Oaks lodge can be hired all to yourselves, and also has its own outdoor hot tub.

Private hot tubs at Alexander House Hotel Utopia Spa

A gothic favourite just a short distance from London, Alexander House Hotel Utopia Spa in West Sussex was once home to the poet Percy Shelley. With that romantic backstory and exquisite grounds, it’s little wonder that it is a favourite luxury spa destination.

Alongside a variety of accommodation options mansion rooms, Cedar Lodge Suites, Garden Suites, Duplex Master Suite set over two floors, or The Gatehouse (for up to four people), the Utopia Spa is a lesson in indulgence. It's adult-only and priming with facilities, including a neoclassical pool.

The Spa Garden is also a favourite feature, and it's here that you will not only find spa pools, and a barrel sauna, but a series of private hot tubs as well. They're the perfect tonic for aches and pains creating a calming space for time together.

A private Hot Tub Suites at South Lodge

A luxury country house hotel with exceptional views of the South Downs, South Lodge is a stylish and sophisticated retreat where sumptuous soft furnishings meet innovative design. Alongside the hotel, with its award-winning restaurants and immaculate grounds, is a state-of-the-art spa.

Spanning 44,000 sq. ft, the ultra contemporary spa is also a lesson in eco-friendly wellbeing. Facilities range from an indoor pool, outdoor hydrotherapy pool, swim pond and a thermal suite, to a Ridgeview Beauty Bar and dedicated Botanica spa restaurant.

For those looking to take their stay to the next level, their dedicated Hot Tub Suites offer space and tranquility with luxury features including king-sized beds, bathrooms with soaking tubs and separate rain showers, and - as you might have guessed - a private hot tub located on your own private deck so you can simmer away under the stars.

Private Hot Tub Cottages at The Headland Hotel

A spectacular, red brick hotel in Cornwall, The Headland Hotel has been attracting visitors for decades, combining five-star luxury with coastal chic and a warm country welcome. Broody, magical, and mystical, the landscape's natural beauty is a literal breath of fresh air. It's also got a Hollywood reputation having been the filming location of Roald Dahl’s The Witches where Jack Nicholson wooed Anjelica Huston with romantic calls and flowers.

The spa here is a fusion of textures from silver birch and cool whites to Ash wood-panelled treatment rooms. There's a host of facilities, including a mud rhassoul chamber, and treatments continue the oceanic theme using Thalgo's marine products, ‘defined by nature’ and ‘led by science’.

There's a range of rooms and suites to choose from, but for an extra splash of indulgence, their Hot Tub Cottages are perfect for family or group getaways. Hosting up to four people, the south facing cottages are next to The AquaClub, and are complete with a four poster master bedroom, a twin bedroom, a self-catering kitchen, and a private hot tub for four.

The Hot Tub Junior Suites at Bishopstrow House and Spa

Bishopstrow House and Spa is an achingly beautiful, luxury hotel in Wiltshire, that's perfect for romantic breaks and special occasions. Brimming with history and elegance, it dates to 1817 and enjoys views of the River Wylde. Dining is a treat, with The Garden Grill taking their foodie philosophy from their no-dig kitchen garden - they also serve superb Somerset cider.

The spa is equally special, with treatments from French brand Sothys, a collection of indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs and a fitness suite, as well as thermal experiences featuring a steam room, sauna and monsoon shower.

The cherry on top for luxury stays, is the option to upgrade to their Hot Tub Junior Suites, where luxurious spaces featuring spacious living areas and lavish bathrooms, also include a private terrace with a hot tub surrounded by foliage and flowers.