The UK spa getaways that will leave you feeling refreshed and recharged
In need of a spa getaway?
One of these should do the trick…
THE FAMILY ALL-ROUNDER
Carden Park Hotel, Cheshire
Lifestyle Editor Catherine Bennion-Pedley, husband Andy and kids Poppy, five, and Raffy, two, found some R&R in the north-west.
THE PAD: While the rooms are pretty typical for a big golf hotel with two championship courses (think more smart corporate, less whimsically romantic), this countryside spot upped its game when it added a stunning spa to the sprawling 1,000-acre estate.
All overnight guests can use the indoor pool, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi in the hotel itself, and take a walk through the vineyard.
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Or, if you’re tall enough, brave the high ropes adventure course for £30 per person.
Dishes at Redmond’s Brasserie are excellent – order treats like smoked cheese tart, £10, paired with a glass of the brasserie’s own rosé fizz, £12, and beef cheek wellington, £27, while kids get free activity packs and enormous bowls of pasta for less than a tenner.
THE SPA: Hop from the salt steam room to the tepidarium, from the aroma steam room to the bio sauna, or from the Finnish sauna to an experience shower, then hit the indoor and outdoor vitality pools.
![This adults-only haven has plenty to keep you chilled all day.]](http://mcb777.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1_SH2984-290__1_jpg-JS867655564.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Yep, this adults-only haven has plenty to keep you chilled all day.
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There’s a fire pit to rival that on Love Island, a garden sauna and outdoor hot tubs, plus a Bollinger champagne bar if you’re really celebrating.
Fab Asian noodle salads are served up in the spa’s Elements restaurant with estate views, too.
EXPLORE: The fantastic Chester Zoo is a half-hour drive away – be sure to spy some of their newest residents, like the baby orangutan born last year.
Lunch at The Oakfield pub, not far from the red pandas, is surprisingly good.
Entry costs £30 per adult, £23 for over-twos ().
Little ones will love The Ice Cream Farm – it’s not just about the sweet stuff (although do try the rocky road and rhubarb and custard flavours), but there are laughs aplenty, too, with bouncy pillows, sand and water play and mini Jeeps to drive.
Entry is £2.50, and activities cost £4.50 ().
A stone’s throw from the hotel is The Egerton Arms, which does roasts alongside Mediterranean fare and friendly service.
Mains cost from £11.95 ().
BOOK IT: Half-day spa packages cost from £85. Double rooms cost from £149 B&B ().
THE COUPLES’ GETAWAY
The Greenway Hotel & Spa, Gloucestershire
Senior Video Producer Rachael Clarke and boyfriend Stuart hit a countryside bolt-hole near Cheltenham.
THE PAD: Sitting in eight acres of pretty grounds on the edge of the Cotswolds, this 16th-century Elizabethan manor brings all the quintessential English getaway vibes.
The best rooms feature egg baths and Temple Spa toiletries, while the Garden Room restaurant serves up treats like tiger prawns in a spiced tomato broth, and king oysters with shiitake mushrooms glazed in miso sauce, £46.50 for two courses.
THE SPA: Step into the Elan Spa for a dip in its indoor thermal pool or outdoor hot tub, or hop between the sauna, sanarium and steam room.
Book the Drift Away massage, £89, for a top-to-toe 55-minute indulgence using essential oils.
EXPLORE: Regal Cheltenham, with its indie boutiques, is less than 15 minutes’ drive away.
Try St Paul’s Vintage for retro clothing (), then find The Alchemist for top cocktails like the French Kiss – a fruity vodka blend with popping candy – plus a great katsu curry, £15.75 ().
Or pop into Vegetus for cracking plant-based Middle Eastern platters, such as the shawerma, £14.50 – AKA spiced seitan, houmous, pickles and fries, drizzled in a creamy tahini.
From the hotel itself, set off on a two-hour amble to nearby Crickley Hill Park for panoramic views of the rolling hills.
BOOK IT Half-day spa packages cost from £135. Double rooms cost from £249 B&B ().
THE LONG-JOURNEY LAYOVER
Aztec Hotel & Spa, Bristol
Editor in Chief Sinead McIntyre, husband Alistair and twins Riley and Harris, 12, found a gem hidden on a business park.
THE PAD: Its exterior may be nothing to shout about, but inside are elegant inter-connecting rooms for families, power showers and Caudalíe toiletries.
We loved the buffalo wings and Korean pork belly starters, £5.50 each, at Aztec’s Curious Kitchen restaurant, before digging into dry-aged sirloin and triple-cooked chips, £29.
Meanwhile, veg sticks, plus chicken tenders and mash, £8.50 for two courses, kept the kids happy. A Bloom G&T with strawberries and thyme, £12, in the cosy bar is also a must.
THE SPA: While the pool, hot tub, steam room and sauna are busy with hotel guests, the spa is a welcome escape.
Help yourself to snacks, and book the 35-minute Soul Soother treatment, from £59, to leave totally zen.
EXPLORE: Hao Wei is the best Chinese in Bristol.
Order the speciality crispy lamb, £10, salt and pepper chicken, £6.50, and beef in black bean sauce, £9.50 ().
And don’t miss a drive across Brunel’s spectacular Clifton Suspension Bridge, £1, too.
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BOOK IT: Spa days cost from £55. Double rooms cost from £115 a night ().