It’s no secret that 2022 was a difficult year.
With that in mind, we all deserve to start the year feeling rejuvenated and calm. Fortunately, you don’t have to go far to receive some serious R&R.
There is a spa stay for everyone in the UK, from country to capital, north to south.
Whether you’re looking for lavish treatments or a multi-day health retreat, these five British hotels provide the utmost in opulent retreats – the greatest way to treat yourself.
The Gainsborough Bath Spa, Bath
The famed waters of Bath have been a go-to for countless visitors over the last few thousand years — from the ancient Romans who founded the city to the 18th century high society types (including Jane Austen) who flocked here in droves — and it’s a tradition that the Gainsborough Bath Spa continues to this day.
The 5-star facility in has already become one of the most recognised spa hotels in the country — and one that Conde Nast Traveller has named one of the world’s “top 100” hotels.
The Gainsborough has recreated a magnificent spa complex that would not appear out of place in ancient Rome, paying respect to the Romans who initially put the town on the map after constructing a bathing complex in 43 AD. In the Spa Village, tourists can ‘take the waters’ and embrace their inner-mermaid.
The hotel’s spa, which includes natural thermal pools of varying temperatures, traditional and infrared saunas, a steam room, an ice alcove, and elegant relaxation areas, is also the only one in the city to use the same mineral-infused spring water that feeds the nearby ancient Roman Baths — springs infused with 42 minerals that promise to tone muscles, relieve tension, and improve sleep quality. Where should we sign up?
Corinthia Hotel, London
If you’re looking for the best spa in central London, go no further than the Corinthia Hotel.
Set in one of the capital’s most opulent structures, just from Embankment station and beside the London Eye, this place exudes exclusivity.
This opulent house has become a magnet for visiting A-listers, with Johnny Depp, George Clooney, and Beyonce Knowles all walking through its opulent hallways.
However, it is the hotel’s in-house spa that truly distinguishes this establishment from the crowd. The ESPA Life spa, which spans multiple storeys and encompasses 3,300 square metres of ultimate enjoyment, elevates city hotel pampering to new heights.
A labyrinthine network of wavy, modern, black marble tunnels connects a big hydrotherapy pool, crystal steam room, stainless steel pool, hammam, and spectacular flame-lined sauna. Everything feels a million miles away from the hotel’s downtown London location.
Aside from the standard five-star service, the vast spa menu of full head to toe treatments is guaranteed to make anyone feel like a prince or princess.
Headland Hotel, Cornwall
The Headland Hotel in Newquay has been a beach institution for more than 120 years, perched right at the end of the lovely Fistral Beach. This magnificent, red-bricked structure now has another reason for modern-day tranquillity seekers to visit: a new $10 million spa complex.
The separate wellness Aqua Club complex, which complements the existing hotel spa on the lower ground floor, offers spa-goers an additional six indoor and outdoor pools, as well as thermal facilities such as numerous hydrotherapy stations, a Cornish salt steam room, a Swedish sauna, a hot tub, and aromatherapy showers.
Book the trademark Wave Ritual — a full head-to-toe treatment designed to relieve muscle tension and release toxins — and then feed up with Mediterranean-inspired salads and flatbreads at the Aqua Club’s newly-opened The Deck restaurant.
Ramside Hall, Durham
Ramside Hall, located on the outskirts of Durham City, is a historic home-turned-lavish-hotel with over 120 rooms, but it’s the new opulent ‘treehouse’ accommodation that should be on your radar.
Each treehouse is set in the woods next to the golf course and comes with its own outdoor hot tub, slippery copper bath for two, and some even have their own private sauna. Ramside’s crowning glory, though, is its sprawling spa.
The facilities include two saunas, two steam rooms, and both indoor and outdoor spa pools, as well as one of the country’s largest hydrotherapy pools.
There are also private experiences available for booking, such as the Mud Rasul and hydrotherapy Infinity Pool, where visitors may soak in style while enjoying refreshments and a bottle of sparkling. To top it all off, there’s a post-treatment’sensory’ room with sound wave therapy pods where you may take a little nap. A nap and a glass of bubbly? That’s the kind of wellness retreat that everyone can get behind.
The Langley, Buckinghamshire
The Langley, which was built in the mid-18th century as a hunting lodge for the Duke of Marlborough and is only 40 minutes from central London, has one of the country’s largest stretches of spa space.
Outside, there are jogging and cycling trails, a tennis court, and a large open-air pool set in acres of gorgeous private Buckinghamshire parkland. While inside, there’s what could be the most cutting-edge hotel gym in the world, designed by celebrity trainer Matt Roberts, who has clientele like Naomi Campbell and Mel B. Then there’s the massive subterranean spa.
The main attraction is a shimmering 16.5-metre-long infinity-edge marble-lined swimming pool, but there’s more: Himalayan salt sauna, salt-infused steam room, hydrotherapy pool, ice fountain, experiential showers, traditional hammam, and a large ladies-only thermal suite are all available.
Treatments have been designed with a ‘east-meets-west’ wellness philosophy in mind, and there are enough alternatives to keep even the most ardent spa-goer satisfied, including an A-Z of massages and facials (both for guys and gals).
But seasoned spa goers will appreciate the two-hour spa journeys that allow guests to travel the world without leaving their massage table, such as ‘Darjeeling’ (an invigorating salt and oil scrub enhanced with ginger, massage, and green tea detox wrap inspired by the Himalayan foothills) or ‘Bali’ (a body scrub, full body massage with frangipani and lotus flowers oil, and 23-carat gold facial).
After that, put on your soft bathrobe and make your way to the heated marble loungers to drift away on a cloud of happiness.
Montcalm East, London
Montcalm East, which reopened last year after a major renovation, has quickly become a favourite among both Londoners and visitors. Not to mention its new concept spa, Bokeh.
The basement spa offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life, with a large swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and steam room.
Treatments make use of all-natural, vegan, and cruelty-free goods. The distinctive ‘Soul Retreat,’ which includes a foot ritual followed by massage of the back, neck, shoulders, and scalp, is highly recommended. There are even therapies infused with CBD oil, which reduces tension and anxiety.
And when it comes to foraging for food, you don’t have to travel far. The onsite Moor & Mead restaurant and bar serves dishes created with locally sourced ingredients all day. Aside from the spa and dining, guests may sleep in elegance in the 5-star hotel’s 288 rooms (divided into eight categories), all of which are bathed in natural light and have city views.