Are you longing for a break from the hustle and bustle of city life? A spa day or weekend getaway is the perfect way to recharge your batteries and indulge in some much-needed self-care. Luckily, London is surrounded by some of the UK’s most luxurious and relaxing spas, each offering a unique escape from the everyday.
Sopwell House: Where Tranquility Meets Luxury
Nestled within peaceful gardens designed by an RHS Gold Medal winner, the Cottonmill Spa at Sopwell House is a haven of relaxation. Its extensive facilities, including thermal rooms, salt and steam rooms, and the UK’s largest panoramic sauna with outdoor views, will leave you feeling completely rejuvenated. You’ll need to dedicate a full day to experience everything this spa has to offer. For those who live nearby, consider joining the Club at Cottonmill for exclusive access to the botanical steam room, quiet zones, and fire pit cabanas.
Treatment Highlight: The Signature Inner Harmony massage combines Swedish and neuromuscular techniques to relieve tension, incorporating lymphatic drainage and a choice of 12 plant and flower oils for deep relaxation.
Getting There: Sopwell House is just two miles from St Albans station, with trains to/from St Pancras International taking a mere 20 minutes. The hotel is also easily accessible by car, a ten-minute drive from junctions of the M25 and M1.
Beaverbrook: Victorian Charm Meets Modern Spa
Step back in time at Beaverbrook, a stunning Victorian mansion nestled in the Surrey Hills. This grand estate, once home to Lord Beaverbrook, has hosted a star-studded guest list, including Elizabeth Taylor and Winston Churchill. Today, the modern Coach House Spa offers a luxurious escape with its unique design, featuring stained-glass windows and tilework that mirror the surrounding countryside.
The spa boasts a holistic approach to wellness, with therapy rooms named after the estate’s plants and a resident naturopath to create bespoke remedies.
Treatment Highlight: The seasonal Autumn Nourishment package provides a truly rejuvenating experience, combining a breathwork session, hot stone treatment, and a full-body massage.
Getting There: Direct trains from London to Leatherhead take around 45 minutes, followed by a ten-minute taxi ride to the spa. For those driving, it’s about an hour from west London.
The Grove: Five-Star Retreat & Pampering Paradise
Just 18 miles from London, The Grove is a five-star retreat renowned for its luxurious accommodations and recently revamped Sequoia Spa. Here, you can indulge in a wide range of rituals, massages, and facials, all featuring products from the British brand Bamford.
The spa’s black mosaic-tiled pool and heat experience rooms are perfect for escaping the British winter, while the gardens and plush loungers provide a tranquil setting for summer relaxation.
Treatment Highlight: Book a full spa day for an immersive experience. For a more budget-friendly option, opt for a midweek escape and the De-Stress Experience, which includes a Bamford full-body massage and access to all the facilities.
Getting There: A 15-minute train journey to Watford Junction followed by a ten-minute taxi ride will transport you to this tranquil haven.
South Lodge: A Serene Escape with a Wild Side
Escape to South Lodge, a luxurious spa nestled between Haywards Heath and Horsham. This contemporary spa boasts sleek, modern design and a natural, 18m-long heated wild swimming pool at its heart.
You’ll also find 14 nature-themed treatment rooms, a thermal suite with infused sauna, a marble-lined salt steam room, jasmine herbal steam rooms, and a multi-level terraced sun deck with outdoor hydrotherapy pools.
Treatment Highlight: The Comfort Zone Pro-Sleep Treatment is designed to calm a busy mind and promote deep sleep. Using soft brushes that activate sensorial receptors on the skin, this treatment provides a truly relaxing experience.
Getting There: South Lodge is easily accessible by car, located under two hours from London. Alternatively, take a train to Horsham station, which is a 13-minute drive away, and then a 50-minute train journey to London Victoria.
Cliveden: Luxurious Privacy in a Historic Setting
Experience a retreat of unparalleled luxury and privacy at Cliveden, set amidst 376 acres of magnificent gardens and parkland. This historic estate, now owned by the National Trust, boasts a recently renovated spa, open to members and hotel guests.
Unwind by the indoor pool or explore the gardens, where you’ll discover the Profumo pool, the last remaining listed outdoor pool in England. The treatment rooms feature water mattresses, providing the perfect solution for tight muscles.
Treatment Highlight: Oskia’s holistic massages and facials combine acupressure, specialist bodywork, reflexology, and lymphatic drainage with results-driven formulas. For radiant skin, try an Oskia bespoke facial.
Getting There: Cliveden is a 45-minute drive west of London and a 20-minute drive from Heathrow Airport.
Ockenden Manor: Elizabethan Charm & Modern Spa
Step back in time as you enter the sublime grounds of Ockenden Manor, a stunning Elizabethan manor house. While the manor itself exudes historic charm, its spa offers a modern escape with its impressive facilities, including an in-and-outdoor heated swimming pool, eight luxurious treatment rooms, and a flotation tank.
Nestled within a 19th-century walled garden, the spa boasts a natural underground spring that feeds the pool, creating a truly unique experience.
Treatment Highlight: The Elemental Herbology Rebalancing Ritual provides two hours of blissful relaxation, incorporating hot Thai compresses to release tension, stretches and acupressure to boost energy, and a foot scrub followed by a brightening facial.
Getting There: Ockenden Manor is a ten-minute taxi ride from Haywards Heath station, located on the mainline between London and Brighton. The hotel is also accessible by car, around an hour’s drive from central London.
Heckfield Place: Realign & Rebalance in a Serene Setting
Heckfield Place’s vast and luxurious Bothy spa is a retreat designed to realign and rebalance, offering a serene escape from the outside world. Open only to hotel guests, the spa provides a tranquil ambiance, with no clocks and phones left at reception to encourage complete relaxation.
Treatments incorporate Wildsmith Skin products and are scheduled at dawn, noon, and dusk to help guests tune into their circadian rhythm.
Treatment Highlight: The Wildsmith Time treatment is a heavenly 135-minute experience, starting with kinesiology to identify weak spots, followed by craniosacral holds to soothe tension and a top-to-toe massage with Wildsmith products. Afterward, unwind in the sauna and sun room.
Getting There: The nearest station is Winchfield, reachable from Waterloo via Farnborough. The drive from central London along the M4 takes around 1 hour 15 minutes.
Retreat at Elcot Park: Quick-Fix Rural Escape
The Retreat at Elcot Park is a popular destination for a quick escape from the city. While the spa is on the smaller side, it boasts second-to-none treatments and extensive facilities, including hydrotherapy pools, sauna and steam rooms, a salt flotation room, and a mud rasul.
Treatments are available to hotel guests, members, and non-residents, making it easy to enjoy a spa day, which includes afternoon tea, a treatment, and access to the facilities.
Treatment Highlight: The Gaia Jade Facial utilizes healing crystal wands to stimulate lymphatic drainage and blood flow, leaving your skin glowing.
Getting There: Located about 1 hour 45 minutes from London, the retreat is a 15-minute taxi ride from Newbury station, with a direct service to Paddington taking 40 minutes.
The Langley: Subterranean Spa & Cutting-Edge Fitness
The Langley, a former country estate of the third Duke of Marlborough, is one of Buckinghamshire’s best-kept secrets. This luxurious hotel boasts an impressive subterranean spa created during a million-pound renovation.
The spa features a 16m marble-lined swimming pool, hammams, vitality pools, a Himalayan salt-walled sauna, and an amethyst steam room. For those seeking a more active experience, the cutting-edge fitness suite offers bespoke wellness programs led by PT Matt Roberts.
Treatment Highlight: Indulge in a variety of treatments from renowned brands such as Sisley, La Sultane de Saba, and Margaret Dabbs. The Sisley Supreme Facial will leave your skin feeling restored, while the signature Spa Journeys are blissful, two-hour treatments inspired by native wellness traditions.
Getting There: The Langley is a 40-minute drive from central London, or you can take a direct train from London Paddington to Slough, a 13-minute journey, followed by a ten-minute taxi ride to the estate.
