Hotels with pools – a round-up
Hotels with swimming pools are much more than just a lovely place to stay for a night or two; a hotel pool turns a short break into a real holiday.
Staying in a hotel is a treat at any time, but sometimes a hotel stay comes with the feeling you should be visiting a historic attraction, a nearby town or exploring the surrounding countryside.
If your hotel has a swimming pool though, the choice is already made for you. ‘Let’s go to the pool!’ Then the only decision is whether to go for a swim or to make for the nearest lounger with an armful of books and magazines and order a poolside cocktail or two. Result: instant relaxation and the feeling that you’ve really left everyday life behind. With staycations soaring in popularity, hotels with swimming pools are going to be in high demand.
Here then are 45 of the best hotels with swimming pools – indoor and outdoor – all of which I’ve stayed in and which I could highly recommend. Happy swimming!
Hotels with swimming pools in Bedfordshire
Luton Hoo hotel and spa, Bedfordshire
The swimming pool in the spa complex at Luton Hoo hotel
Luton Hoo hotel is an almost perfect rendition of a traditional country house hotel, which is only to be expected from a building whose credentials are so impeccable that Winston Churchill addressed a crowd of 110,000 after the end of the Second World War and where the Queen and Prince Philip spent part of their honeymoon here in 1947. The combination of history and luxury makes it one of the top luxury hotels in Bedfordshire and a stay at Luton Hoo hotel will certainly be a memorable one. Located next to the championship golf course and clubhouse, the spa contains everything you need for a relaxing or energetic day, with a large indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, treatment rooms, outside loungers, tennis courts and a gym.
Luton Hoo review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Berkshire
Cliveden, near Taplow
The outdoor swimming pool at Cliveden
Five-star Cliveden is certainly one of the finest hotels in the country and possibly one of the most well known, thanks to its starring role in the Profumo Affair in the 1960s and being where Meghan Markle spent the night before marrying Prince Harry. It was built in 1666 by George Villiers, the Second Duke of Buckingham, and passed down the line before being sold by the Duke of Westminster in 1893 to William Waldorf Astor, a wealthy American who had decided to make England his home. Over the years it has hosted politicians, poets and princes, from Winston Churchill and Noel Coward to Charlie Chaplin and Kenneth Branagh, and boasts a fine-dining restaurant, opulent bedrooms and stunning gardens leading down to the Thames. The outdoor pool at Cliveden is in a walled garden and is famous for being the place where Christine Keeler met John Profumo, but it has had a modern makeover with a new luxury spa with indoor pool, luxury treatments room and all the pampering you can handle.
Cliveden review
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The Vineyard, Newbury
The spa with pool, hydrotherapy jets and plenty of loungers should you wish to sleep off the effects of the night before
The Vineyard hotel Newbury is a hotel serious about wine and dinner at The Vineyard was one of the most memorable meals I’ve experienced. Privately owned by the Michael family, which also owns the highly-regarded Peter Michael Winery in California, it has an award-winning cellar with 30,000 bottles, offers 100 wines by the glass in its restaurant, hosts wine-tastings and wine courses and even wine-themed treatments at its spa (including its Red Grape pampering body wrap). Any trace of a hangover will evaporate in the hotel spa, which has a circular indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and loungers by the pool or outside.
The Vineyard review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Buckinghamshire
Hartwell House, Aylesbury
The indoor swimming pool at Hartwell House
Set in 90 acres of Buckinghamshire countryside, Hartwell House hotel and spa is just 40 miles from London and just two from Aylesbury, but barely a sound of the outside world penetrates the deep calm surrounding Hartwell, just the occasional snatch of birdsong. It’s a 17th century hotel with a pool and luxury spa but it’s also a historic hotel with beautiful grounds for walking in and feels miles away from the modern world. The spa at Hartwell House is equipped with a gym, an indoor swimming pool, indoor and outdoor jacuzzis and a steam room and sauna as well as offering treatments and fitness classes
Hartwell House review
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Danesfield House hotel and spa, near Henley-on-Thames, Buckinghamshire
Danesfield House hotel and spa has a large indoor swimming pool
If your idea of a perfect country break is to have breakfast in the sun on a terrace overlooking a spectacular view, followed by a day lounging in a luxury spa, then Danesfield House hotel and spa in Buckinghamshire is just the place for you. Just a few miles from the pretty town of Marlow, Danesfield House with 79 rooms and suites is set in 65 acres of grounds, and the entrance is rather impressive, a gravel drive passing beneath a stone archway into a courtyard. The spa, which is connected to the main building via a glass walkway, but which also has its own car park for day guests and club members, is extremely modern-looking, with a 20 metre indoor swimming pool, steam room, sauna, jacuzzi and bar where you can order G&Ts to be delivered to you while you sunbathe on the lawn outside.
Danesfield House review
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Stoke Park hotel and country club, Buckinghamshire
The impressive indoor pool at Stoke Park spa
A stay at Stoke Park hotel and country club comes with high expectations. It’s where James Bond played golf with Goldfinger, where Bridget Jones spent the night with Daniel Cleaver and where Teri Hatcher and Pierce Brosnan (as another James Bond) danced the night away in Tomorrow Never Dies so a night here will seem both glamorous and familiar. Thankfully the five-star, 111-year old hotel is more than able to live up to its reputation and manages the tricky task of combining country house hotel relaxation and country club sporting energy with aplomb. As well as luxury bedrooms and a fine-dining restaurant, there’s a vast spa building containing a gym, complete with ultra-modern body scanning machine, fitness studios, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, an indoor swimming pool, hot tub and steam rooms, a creche, a restaurant and outdoor loungers.
[Note: Stoke Park is now closed for refurbishment but will reopen in 2023]
Hotels with swimming pools in Cornwall
The Headland hotel, Newquay
The Headland hotel in Newquay, Cornwall
Swimming fans are spoiled for choice of the five-star Headland hotel in Newquay, Cornwall thanks to its new £10 million swimming and wellness space, The Aqua Club, which has six pools, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and a sun terrace overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Those looking to improve their fitness can swim lengths in the 25-metre training pool, while the hydrotherapy pool is perfect for soothing aching muscles after a long walk along the South West Coast Path. There’s also a dedicated children’s pool. Inside the hotel itself the five-bubble rated spa has a thermal hydrotherapy jet pool, bubble seats and a hot tub as well as six treatment rooms, a Cornish salt steam room, Swedish sauna and aromatherapy showers.
Headland hotel review
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Mullion Cove hotel, Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall
The heated outdoor swimming pool at Mullion Cove has great views of the Cornish coastline
Mullion Cove hotel has a stunning location right on the cliffs above the pretty Mullion Cove and its modern spa takes pride of place at the front of the hotel, meaning you can enjoy an outdoor swim without fear of getting swept away by the Cornish tide. There’s a large heated outdoor pool for a refreshing dip, an outdoor hot tub for when you just want to enjoy a glass of bubbles while relaxing in some bubbles, and an indoor plunge pool and treatments rooms for when the weather turned less conducive to outdoor swimming.
Mullion Cove review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Devon
Bovey Castle, Dartmoor
The swimming pool at Bovey Castle
Bovey Castle is a five-star luxury hotel set in the rolling acres of Dartmoor, but if indoor pampering is more your thing (or maybe to unwind after a tough day of golf, archery, rifle shooting or falconry) then the spa is mere steps away from your bedroom. With an indoor Art Deco swimming pool surrounded by views of the surrounding countryside and the River Bovey, Bovey Castle spa includes a whirlpool, sauna and steam room – there’s also a fully-stocked gym. Aside from the gym, Bovey Castle has two restaurants, a golf course, lots of sumptuous lounges and complimentary sloe gin to get your stay off to the best possible start.
Bovey Castle review
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Thurlestone hotel, south Devon
The vast outdoor swimming pool at Thurlestone hotel
Thurlestone hotel in south Devon faces the English Channel, giving sweeping views all the way along the Devon coastline. Set in 19 acres, the 65-bedroom hotel has been in the Grose family since 1896. This is not a place for guests looking for boutique chic and a lively vibe, but if you want to stay put for a few days, a week even, in a cosy, relaxing, comfortable hotel which has ample sofas and lounges for afternoon tea or even a snooze then this is the place for you. That’s not to say it’s dull: there’s an excellent contemporary restaurant, a stunning outdoor art deco pool as well as an indoor pool plus spa, a golf course, tennis courts and excellent children’s play facilities so you won’t be short of things to do. Thurlestone hotel has not one but two swimming pools: an indoor one and a vast art deco one with stunning views of the coast – perfect for a bracing morning dip or a relaxing afternoon’s sunbathing.
Thurlestone review
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Hotels with swimming pools in the Cotswolds
Dormy House, Broadway
The spa at Dormy House
Located on the massive Farncombe Estate, which is perched on the hills above Broadway, one of the prettiest towns in the Cotswolds, Dormy House was originally a 17th century farmhouse and has been owned by the same family since 1977. However while the building is charming, it is certainly not fusty or old-fashioned, and the luxury hotel spa – handily in the main building – could hardly be more modern. As a spa hotel in the Cotswolds it ticks all the boxes. The spa contains a sleek 16-metre infinity pool, salt steam room, tropical shower, glass-fronted Finnish sauna and outdoor hot tub, and you can walk straight from your room to the spa in your fluffy robes.
Dormy House review
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Calcot Manor near Cirencester
The outdoor hot tub at Calcot Manor
For those who love the idea of staying in a luxury spa hotel in the Cotswolds (and who doesn’t?) and are travelling with children in tow, Calcot Manor luxury hotel, just the other side of Cirencester, is a great choice – a Cotswolds hotel and spa for families but still with that element of luxury. It has a 16m heated indoor pool, fireside hot tub in a lavender-lined courtyard while inside the spa is a sauna, steam room and relaxation lounge as well as seven treatment rooms.
Calcot Manor review
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The Lygon Arms, Broadway
The indoor swimming pool at The Lygon Arms has a retractable roof for those balmy summer days
This historic hotel has been a main fixture in the beautiful Cotswolds village of Broadway since its days as a coaching inn back in the 17th century and is an impressive and unmissable part of the High Street. The Lygon Arms is steeped in history – Oliver Cromwell stayed here before the Battle of Worcester in 1649, while Charles I also visited, so it was used by both sides in the English Civil War– and modern-day celebrity guests at this four-star luxury hotel include the likes of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Evelyn Waugh and Kylie Minogue. The Lygon Arms spa contains a 14-metre indoor swimming pool with retractable roof, steam room, hot tub, sauna, treatment rooms and state-of-the-art gym.
Lygon Arms review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Essex
Talbooth House, Dedham, Essex
The outdoor swimming pool and pool house at Talbooth House hotel in Essex
Talbooth House hotel, part of the Pride of Britain Hotels collection, is a lovely 12-bedroom hotel on the Essex/Kent border and within striking distance of the village of Dedham in the heart of Constable country. As well as the individually-designed luxury bedrooms and lounges for afternoon tea, there is also a spa tucked away at the other side of the hotel with three treatments room where guests can indulge in all manner of massages, facials and beauty treatments. However the piece de resistance is the stand-alone pool complex in the gardens which contains the ultra-modern outdoor heated swimming pool and hot tub as well as the well-equipped pool house, ideal for afternoon or evening cocktails and/or swimming. The hotel also does popular day spa packages including treatments and access to the swimming pool.
Talbooth House review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Gloucestershire
Ellenborough Park hotel, Cheltenham
Ellenborough Park hotel is located just above Cheltenham Racecourse (hence the horsy theme)
For horse-racing fans, the location of Ellenborough Park hotel and spa is hard to beat, being the closest hotel to Cheltenham Racecourse. Perched high on top of the hill overlooking Cheltenham and its famous racecourse, this luxury hotel and spa has a lovely country feel, an outdoor pool for the summer months and 61 rooms – some in the main house and others in separate buildings around a courtyard – designed in the classic country house style.
Ellenborough Park review
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Greenway hotel, Cheltenham
The indoor pool at Greenway hotel Cheltenham was the perfect lounging spot
Greenway hotel, located just on the outskirts of Cheltenham, has an excellent restaurant, luxury bedrooms, lovely grounds and friendly staff but a main draw is the modern spa. Indoors there is a good-sized swimming and hydrotherapy pool, a steam room, a sauna and even a rainforest/tropical jungle shower, while outside there is a hot tub in a relaxing spa garden, the perfect place in which to unwind before and after your pampering spa treatment.
Greenway hotel review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Northamptonshire
Fawsley Hall hotel and spa near Daventry
The indoor swimming pool at Fawsley Hall hotel
This grand country house hotel and spa – we’re talking at least 600 years old here – has withstood wars, plagues and famines over the years. Built by the prestigious Knightly family, who came over with William the Conqueror and whose descendants were knighted by various Kings of England, Fawsley Hall hotel has hosted monarchs including Elizabeth I and Charles I. The ceiling of the Great Hall is possibly one of the highest hotel lounge ceilings in Britain and still contains some original beams from its construction in 1537 as well as the original Tudor fireplace, where you can see the coat of arms of Richard I and the 26 knights who accompanied him on his first crusade. It’s not just ancient history at Fawsley Hall though: there’s a large, modern spa building with a large indoor swimming pool as well as a sauna, steam room, outside hydrotherapy rooms and treatment rooms.
Fawsley Hall review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Surreyx
Hotels with swimming pools in the New Forest, Hampshire
Chewton Glen, New Forest
The newly renovated indoor pool at the luxury spa at Chewton Glen
Constantly topping the lists of best spas in the UK, Chewton Glen’s leisure facility boasts a 17 metre indoor swimming pool, one of the largest hydrotherapy pools in Europe, a steam room, sauna and jacuzzi and various treatment rooms offering anything from reiki and hot stone massages to oxygen facials and Manipura body treatments. Aside from the luxury spa, the five-star Chewton Glen has a top restaurant, beautiful grounds and its unique luxury treehouses which make for a memorable stay.
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Lime Wood hotel and spa, New Forest
Lime Wood hotel spa’s swimming pool is at the centre of this modern and well-equipped spa
Herb House – to give the spa at Lime Wood hotel its proper name – is a constant presence on top hotel spa lists and it’s easy to see why. While it isn’t the biggest of hotel spas, it makes great use of its space and its attention to detail and little personal touches are what you would hope for from the team behind the excellent Pig hotels. The hotel pool is 16-metres long and surrounded by a dozen or so comfy loungers, and staff are very good at clearing away towels, making sure there isn’t a shortage of spare beds to relax on. Outside in the middle of a pretty garden terrace is a large hot tub and in the summer time the roof is a lovely spot for sunbathing or some outdoor yoga. There’s also a steam room, a sauna, a hydrotherapy pool, a caldarium and eight treatments rooms, all with views of the surrounding forest so you felt like you are nestled on the forest floor.
Lime Wood spa review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Hertfordshire
The Grove, Watford
The dramatic black-tiled indoor pool at The Grove hotel
Any luxury hotel where the guests arrive by air is usually full of the super-rich or the super-busy, but thankfully The Grove luxury hotel in Hertfordshire is large enough to absorb all sorts of guests without feeling too full. In fact one of the best things about a stay at The Grove is that in spite of there being 225 rooms at The Grove – 26 in the older Mansion House and 191 in the more modern West Wing – it never felt crowded. It also has its own 7,152 yard championship course which has played host to the likes of Tiger Woods and Barack Obama, and its popular luxury spa, Sequoia. There are two large swimming pools at The Grove: an outdoor one in its popular walled garden, and an indoor black mosaic-tiled one in the spa which also features treatment rooms, saunas and steam rooms.
The Grove review
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Sopwell House, St Albans
The pool at Sopwell House looks huge in this picture (it’s about 20 metres) but you can have a proper swim in it or relax in the jacuzzis, sauna or steam room
Sopwell House luxury hotel on the outskirts of the historic Roman city of St Albans is no stranger to VIPs, having hosted countless sporting and other celebrities over the years, but being family-owned means it retains a relaxed and personal air. The hotel boasts 128 rooms and suites including 16 individually designed stylish Mews Suites which are located in a private courtyard and come with their own hot tubs. There is also a 2 AA Rosette restaurant, brasserie, bar, cocktail lounge as well as the Club at Cottonmill, a private members’ spa which Mews Suites guests can access during their stay. All guests can use Cottonmill facilities including the indoor pool, two vitality pools, a state of the art gym, fitness studio, sauna, steam room and poolside terrace and Sitting Room.
Sopwell House review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Leicestershire
Stapleford Park hotel near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
The indoor swimming pool at Stapleford Park
Stapleford Park hotel is set within 500 acres of parkland just a few miles away from pork pie capital Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. With a fine-dining restaurant, luxury bedrooms, cocktail lounge and acres of land, Stapleford Park is a combination of traditional stately home and modern spa, with all the trimmings of a luxury hotel. In the hotel building itself is an indoor swimming pool, sauna and steam room and in the separate spa building is a gym, lounge and treatment rooms.
Stapleford Park review
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Ragdale Hall spa hotel, Leicestershire
The rooftop infinity pool at Ragdale Hall gives great views of the surrounding countryside
There are hotels with spas and hotels which ARE spas, and the excellent Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire is definitely one of the latter. You’ll find no fewer than six swimming pools at Ragdale Hall, including a lane pool, an infinity pool on the roof, an outdoor pool and – well, you’ll just have to come and find them all. You’ll also find an exercise pool (with in-pool gym equipment, great for preventing stretched muscles), a ‘mind gym’ complete with games and puzzles, and an actual gym, with a boggling array of the latest fitness technology and the centrepiece of the whole spa experience, the Thermal Spa, which contains a lazy river, outdoor hydrotherapy jets and trickling water features, plus a dozen or so wonderful and wacky ways in which to relax, from a volcanic salt bath to a ‘colourflow cave’, a underwater candle pool which is like a massive flotation bath, a thought zone, saunas, steam baths and tropical showers.
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Hotels with swimming pools in Kent
Brandshatch Place hotel, Kent
The large indoor swimming pool at the spa complex in Brandshatch hotel
It shares its name with a famous motor racing circuit but guests at the Brandshatch Place hotel and spa will enjoy a relaxing stay away from the fast lane. The hotel itself predates the motor age by almost a century, being built by the Duke of Norfolk in 1806 and it remained a private home until 1977 when it was transformed into a hotel and country club. Now owned by Hand Picked Hotels, the 19-strong hotel company owned by Julia and Guy Hands, Brandshatch Place has 38 bedrooms and a restaurant plus a spa with a gym, 13-metre indoor swimming pool, hot tub, steam room, sauna and treatment rooms.
Brandshatch Place review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Rutland
Hambleton Hall, Rutland
Hambleton Hall hotel swimming pool in the summer time looks rather nice…
With just 15 bedrooms but 55 staff to attend to your every need, Hambleton Hall in Rutland, England’s smallest county, is a haven of country house luxury. Its acclaimed restaurant has continuously held a Michelin star for decades and with cosy lounges, a bar, gardens sweeping down to Rutland Water and great views from every angle, a stay here is a real treat. In the summertime Hambleton Hall’s outdoor swimming pool comes into its own to provide a deeply relaxing summer staycation spot.
Hambleton Hall review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Surrey
Foxhills hotel and golf, Surrey
One of several swimming pools at Foxhills Manor, Surrey
Set on a 400-acre estate in Surrey, handily just a few miles from the M25 and M3 motorways, Foxhills is such a size that your room key comes with a very useful map of the grounds. It’s perfect for sporty types as there are two 18-hole championship golf courses and a smaller 9-hole one, 11 tennis courts, three swimming pools (one indoors, two open-air) and a spa, all surrounding the main building, the 19th century Manor House. As well as outdoor pools there is the spa complex, which has an indoor pool, steam room, sauna and best of all, a lovely spa garden where you could relax in the outdoor hot tub or on one of the many loungers tucked away in little pockets of the hedge.
Foxhills review
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Pennyhill Park hotel and spa, Surrey
Pennyhill Park luxury hotel spa is one of the largest hotels in the country with indoor and outdoor pools and well as steam rooms, saunas and treatment rooms for maximum pampering
Known not only for being the training ground of the England rugby team, Pennyhill Park hotel has one of the finest and largest hotel spas in the country. Covering 45,000 sq ft and with eight indoor and outdoor pools (one with underwater music), saunas, steam rooms, bubbling hot tubs, ice-cold plunge pools and a salt scrub ice cave, the spa at Pennyhill Park is one of those places where you could happily spend a whole day (and night – sitting outdoors in a jacuzzi as the sun goes down makes for a memorable evening). For guests – or rugby internationals – who like to work a little harder, there’s a gym, nine-hole golf course, tennis courts and 120 acres of parkland with paths and cycling trails, while those who want to fully indulge can pad to the spa’s restaurant in their fluffy towelling robes for a spot of lunch, or have drinks and snacks delivered to their loungers from the al fresco poolside bar.
Pennyhill Park review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Sussex
Ashdown Park, Forest Row, East Sussex
Ashdown Park hotel in East Sussex in set in beautiful grounds
As befits one of the best hotels in East Sussex, Ashdown Park in the heart of Ashdown Forest has a modern spa and country club just a few steps from the main hotel building with an indoor swimming pool, treatment rooms, gym, tennis courts and offers spa days as well as being open to hotel guests. As well as the spa, Ashdown Park has an 18-hole golf club, chapel, outside terrace with stunning views across the grounds, lake and forest and AA-rated restaurant.
Ashdown Park hotel review
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Bailiffscourt, Climping, West Sussex
The spa building next to the hotel itself is modern with a traditional touch
Bailiffscourt hotel and spa has the perfect combination of historic hotel building and a thoroughly modern spa. While the hotel itself is full of atmosphere and feels much older than its actual age (in a good way) the spa boasts an indoor and outdoor pool as well as tonnes of treatment rooms and relaxing loungers. The hotel itself is set in some lovely grounds just a short walk from the south coast which means you can enjoy some bracing walks along the seafront before indulging in some great food at its fine-dining restaurant.
Bailiffscourt review
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The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne, East Sussex
The Grand Hotel Eastbourne is just across the road from the beach on the south coast and has an indoor swimming pool all year round as well as an outdoor pool in the summer
This vast 152-bedroom hotel, which claims to be Britain’s only five-star seaside hotel, was built in 1875 and its gleaming white building has taken pride of place on Eastbourne’s seafront ever since. The Grand is one of those places which is a destination in itself and certainly lives up to its name, being unmissable the moment you arrive in this pretty coastal resort.
The hotel itself is just across the road from the beach on the south coast and has an indoor swimming pool all year round as well as an outdoor pool in the summer.
The Grand hotel review
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Park House hotel near Midhurst, West Sussex
Park House hotel has two good-sized swimming pools; one outside and the other in the main spa building which also contains a gym and treatment rooms
It’s been receiving guests for more than 60 years but Park House hotel is still making the transition from well-kept local secret to firm fixture on the British country house hotel scene. Hidden deep in the West Sussex countryside, Park House hotel manages to pack a lot into the space it has, notably its modern and award-winning spa which contains large indoor and outdoor pools as well as jacuzzi, a steam room, sauna and a gym and fitness studio. There’s plenty going on outside too, with lush green Sussex countryside, two lawn tennis courts, a bowling green, a small but perfectly-formed six-hole golf course, two helipads, and a croquet lawn. Inside the hotel and in adjoining buildings are luxury bedrooms, lounges and a fine-dining restaurant.
Park House review
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Ockenden Manor, Cuckfield, West Sussex
The rather fabulous swimming pool at Ockenden Manor hotel and spa in West Sussex
Ockenden Manor Hotel and Spa, is a 17th century old country house set in nine acres of land in West Sussex, which has a first-class luxury spa facility neighbouring the hotel and which is owned by Historic Sussex Hotels. You can stay in the historic hotel building itself or above the modern spa in one of its luxury spa suites, meaning that its indoor pool, outdoor hot tub and treatment rooms are just a few steps away.
Ockenden Manor review
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South Lodge near Horsham, West Sussex
The vast indoor swimming pool at South Lodge hotel and spa
With a huge, modern spa, two restaurants, a bar, acres of lush grounds to explore, a terrace for cocktails or afternoon tea and even its own wine-tasting cellar, guests at South Lodge hotel are unlikely to want to leave. The 88-bedroom South Lodge hotel itself was built in 1883 but the modern luxury spa is only a few years old and at 44,000 sq ft is full of everything you could ask for, for a truly relaxing and pampering spa weekend. There’s a 22 metre indoor pool surrounded by luxurious loungers, there’s a sauna, a herbal steam room and a marble-lined salt steam room. There’s the option of trying out the popular activity of wild swimming in the outdoor pool but for those who like a little warmth with their swimming, there’s a large heated outdoor hydrotherapy pool too.
Ockenden Manor review
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Spread Eagle hotel, Midhurst, West Sussex
It’s a Sussex hat-trick for Historic Sussex Hotels which owns not only the previously-mentioned Bailiffscourt and Ockenden Manor but also the Spread Eagle in Midhurst, a historic inn dating back to 1430 which has a fine-dining restaurants, 39 luxury bedrooms (including the bedroom where Elizabeth I slept) and a modern spa. The spa itself is compact but fits a surprising amount in, from an indoor heating swimming pool to jacuzzi, fitness suite, sauna, steam room and treatment rooms offering expert massages and facials. Located right in the heart of the bustling village of Midhurst, the Spread Eagle is a great spot for morning coffee and afternoon tea alike.
The Spread Eagle review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Warwickshire
Mallory Court hotel near Warwick
The hydrotherapy pool at the spa at Mallory Court hotel
Mallory Court, part of the Eden Hotels Collection, is one of the nearest hotels to Warwick and the spectacular Warwick castle and was built around 100 years old, being converted from a family home into a hotel in 1976. The beautiful courtyard leads into a charming classic country house hotel with a succession of lounges and even a tiny sun trap of a bar, a restaurant, library and glass corridor leading to the rooms. There’s a separate, modern spa building which contains an indoor steam and sauna room plus a 10-metre pool with hydrotherapy jets, the hot tub and sauna outside plus a nail bar, cafe and state-of-the-art gym.
Mallory Court review
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Hotels with swimming pools in West Midlands
New Hall hotel, Sutton Coldfield near Birmingham, West Midlands
The indoor swimming pool at New Hall hotel – there is also a jacuzzi, steam room and sauna
There are probably many historic hotels with a spa and swimming pool but I don’t think many of them can say they have their own moat, which makes New Hall hotel and spa in Sutton Coldfield, just a few miles from the centre of Birmingham, a rare hotel indeed. It’s not just any old moated hotel though – New Hall hotel is actually reputed to be the oldest listed inhabited moat house in England. Dating from the 13th century, the manor house has over the centuries been a school, a hunting lodge, a private house and is now a luxury hotel owned by Hand Picked Hotels group. Set in 60 acres and with 60 bedrooms, New Hall has a separate spa building which contains a well-equipped gym, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna as well as a large indoor swimming pool surrounded with loungers for a relaxing spa stay.
New Hall review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Wiltshire
Lucknam Park near Bath
The outdoor pool and relaxing area at the spa at Lucknam Park
Lucknam Park hotel is a 17th century Palladian mansion turned into a luxury hotel, with a Michelin-starred restaurant, mile-long driveway, cookery school, beautiful grounds and ultra-modern multi-million pound spa. The spa, which is in a separate building from the historic hotel, contains a 20-metre indoor swimming pool, surrounded by loungers behind which are the sauna, steam room, tepidarium and even a Japanese salt room and an amythest room. There’s also an outdoor hydrotherapy pool, an outdoor salt plunge pool, an outdoor terrace and Brasserie restaurant for outdoor and indoor dining.
Lucknam Park review
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Whatley Manor hotel and spa near Malmesbury
The hydrotherapy pool at Whatley Manor is part of the luxury spa complex
Whatley Manor, located in Wiltshire countryside near Malmesbury, is certainly not a budget option, but there are few hotels who can offer a luxury spa, private cinema, two Michelin-starred restaurant and acres of beautiful gardens and maintain such a high quality of service throughout, which means a stay here is more than worth it. Whatley Manor’s spa includes a whole range of pampering options and a lovely outside space where you can sunbathe surrounded by Whatley Manor’s beautiful gardens. There’s a central, vast indoor/outdoor hydrotherapy pool where jets spring into life at set intervals, there’s a range of sauna and steam rooms which you can work your way through, increasing in temperature each time, there are salt scrub showers where you fill a wooden bowl with sea salt and get scrubbing, there’s a floatation pod and even a ‘Natura Bisse Treatment Bubble’ which boasts has 99.995 per cent pure air which will rejuvenate and purify.
Whatley Manor review
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Bowood hotel, spa and golf, Wiltshire
Bowood hotel, golf and spa has a 16-metre indoor swimming pool which feels much larger due to its great views of the grounds and golf course
While it has the grounds of a posh country hotel, complete with an imposing gate house and sweeping drive through the grounds, Bowood hotel, spa and golf is more informal than you might expect, with many visitors here for the golf, Bowood House or just a spa weekend away. There’s a 16-metre swimming pool at the spa here – it’s indoor but feels outdoor as it has all-round views of the ground and golf course – as well as a sauna, steam room, spacious gym and treatment rooms offering massages, facials, manicures and pedicures. There’s also two restaurants, the golf club and sweeping terraces with great views of the surrounding countryside.
Bowood review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Yorkshire
Feversham Arms, Helmsley, North Yorkshire
The outdoor pool is a central point of Feversham Arms hotel in North Yorkshire
Feversham Arms is a member of the excellent PoB Hotels group and is located in the historic village of Helmsley in North Yorkshire. The hotel is centered round an indoor swimming pool and there are 33 bedrooms at Feversham Arms, 21 of which are suites, including spa suites and poolside suites where you literally step out of your room to the pool area. As well as the swimming pool, there is an outdoor hot tub and separate spa area with treatment rooms and an aromatherapy area.
Feversham Arms review
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Middlethorpe Hall near York
Middlethorpe Hall in York is a luxury country house hotel owned by the National Trust
Middlethorpe Hall is a 17th century building lovingly converted into a luxury hotel with 29 rooms and suites in the main house and adjacent courtyard, as well as a spa building across the road with a swimming pool and treatment rooms. Run by long-standing general manager Lionel Chatard, the historic house is full of atmosphere, from the downstairs lounges to the portrait-lined oak staircases, the upstairs drawing room and the various suites with four-poster beds and rolltop baths. There’s a fine-dining restaurant and beautiful grounds to explore, plus a terrace ideal for afternoon tea and pre-dinner cocktails, and is one of the nearest hotels to York racecourse.
Middlethorpe Hall review
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Hotels with swimming pools in County Durham
Rockliffe Hall hotel, County Durham
As well as the main spa with indoor swimming pool, the hotel also has a separate ‘Spa Garden’ which offers even more chances to relax
The five-star hotel Rockliffe Hall hotel in Darlington, County Durham is set in 375 acres of parkland with the original building dating from the 1800s, Over the years the 61-room hotel has been extended to include a highly-rated 50,000 ft spa and three restaurants, two of which overlook its 18-hole championship golf course. The modern and spacious spa contains an impressive 20 metre indoor swimming pool plus a huge adults-only hydrotherapy pool, and there’s also a sauna, caldarium, tepidarium and ice-machine to stimulate the senses. Entrance to the hotel’s Spa Garden costs extra but guest will enjoy a separate relaxation area which includes an infinity pool, heated loungers, outdoor decking, a glass-fronted sauna and a Jacuzzi.
Rockcliffe Hall review
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Hotels with swimming pools in London
Corinthia hotel, London
The seriously impressive indoor swimming pool at the Corintha hotel London’s vast spa
The Corinthia hotel in central London has 225 rooms, 51 suites, seven penthouses, two top restaurants and a multi-award-winning spa, covering four floors and containing two pools, a sauna, ice fountain and 17 treatment rooms. The bustling central lobby alone – where everyone from politicians, tourists, ladies who lunch and aspiring business tycoons meet for power coffees and afternoon tea – is the size of most hotels. The spa is one of the largest spas in a London hotel and makes a spa break at the Corinthia hotel London a real treat: the changing rooms alone were vast and opulent while the spa itself contains a 20 metre indoor pool, a hydrotherapy pool, a step-down sauna, marble heated loungers next to a line of flickering flames, private sleep pods and an ice fountain to boost the circulation after all that relaxing.
Corinthia hotel review
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One Aldwych, The Strand, London
At the indoor swimming pool in One Aldwych you can swim with the fishes, listen to music underwater…or just snooze away next to the pool
One Aldwych hotel is a hotel with a great location in central London close to Covent Garden, the Strand, Holborn, the South Bank and Somerset House. In spite of being on the corner of one of London’s busiest streets, the hotel itself is an oasis of tranquillity, particularly in its subterranean spa which includes an 18-metre swimming pool, a real luxury in a London hotel. The pool was one of the best hotel pools in London I’ve seen so far, not just due to the many loungers dotted around the edge which, together with a large selection of magazines made it an ideal place in which to recover from jetlag or a hard day’s shopping – but nice touches such as underwater music, which made me think of the mermaids in Harry Potter, and a massive video screen at the end of the pool which displayed footage of fish and other sea life. There’s also a fine-dining restaurant, a beautiful cocktail bar which is popular for afternoon teas and luxury bedrooms at this impressive London hotel.
One Aldwych review
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The Montcalm Royal London House, Finsbury Square
The Montcalm’s spa has a swimming pool, hot tub and gym (visible in the top right hand corner)
Montcalm Royal London House is located in Finsbury Square, also home to the likes of Bloomberg and Grant Thornton. However while the hotel is in the heart of office-based, corporate London, its size and layout doesn’t make it feel cramped or commuter-y. The lobby alone contains a juice bar, cafe and restaurant as well as a spacious lounge and dining space and there’s an impressive rooftop cocktail bar on the tenth floor. The swimming pool – rare for London hotels – is in the basement and not only was the pool big enough to swim in – again, unusual for central London hotels – but it had a clever current which meant you could swim against it for ever. There was a jacuzzi, sparkling new changing rooms and a well-equipped gym next door.
The Montcalm Royal London House review
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Hotels with swimming pools in Wales
Bodysgallen Hall, north Wales
The indoor pool at Bodysgallen Hall is impressively large
Secluded in over 200 acres of parkland just south of Llandudno with spectacular views of Snowdonia and Conwy Castle, the Grade 1 listed Bodysgallen Hall makes for a memorable country house stay. It’s beautiful gardens include a rare 17th century parterre of box hedges filled with herbs, a walled rose garden and several follies while if you’re lucky enough to make it up to the roof you will be rewarded with views across to Conwy Castle. The modern spa and impressively-large swimming pool are in a separate building which also includes a sauna, hot tub and fully-equipped gym, as well as several treatment rooms (Bodysgallen was listed as one of Britain’s Best Hotels for spa by The Sunday Times). Aside from the spa there’s a succession of cosy lounges, individually-designed bedrooms and an award-winning restaurant.
Bodysgallen Hall review
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Have you stayed in any of these great hotels with swimming pools? Or can you recommend any others which I’ve yet to review? Drop me a line at [email protected] or share your favourite hotels with swimming pools in the comments!
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If you like reviews of London hotels then check out: A Sherlock-worthy stay at Holmes hotel on Baker Street; A penthouse stay at nhow hotel, east London; Mayfair Townhouse off London’s Piccadilly; A luxurious five-stay at at The Stafford, Mayfair; Disco lights and a budget stay at Point A, Kings Cross;