Swinton Country Club & Spa

First Impressions

You know you have arrived at The Swinton Country Club & Spa, which dates back to the 1800s, when you see the ornate ivy-covered towers and turrets as you approach. The hotel and spa are at the centre of 200 acres of landscaped grounds within the Yorkshire Dales; look out for the 120 wild fallow deer that roam freely in the Deer Park.

With its contemporary wood and glass construction, the standalone spa is a sharp contrast to the antiquity of the hotel and located a short walk from it. Glass sliding doors at reception open to reveal a palette of earthy browns, fern greens and sky blues, designed to bring the outside in.

What's on offer?

Staff warmly greeted us in the light and spacious reception area, with its exposed wood and colourful artwork. We loved the living wall behind the desk and the giant pebble stools in the main area. Taking a seat, we filled in consultation forms while sipping tea before being shown around the spa.

Set over two floors, the spa is surprisingly vast. Despite the size, it feels intimate with its ground-floor gym, fitness studio, pool, thermal suite and outdoor area; head upstairs for the treatment rooms, relaxation areas and changing facilities.

The stylish, well thought-out changing room is a barefoot-only zone; leave your shoes in a cubby hole before entering. There are plenty of large, code-operated lockers with room to hang coats and dresses; you'll find a fluffy grey generously-cut robe, towel and flip-flops (choose from two sizes) inside and a box for storing your jewellery – a nice touch.

The vanity area has comfortable seats with hairdryers, straighteners and giant-sized hairspray for ultimate coiffing; around the corner, there are large showers containing Bamford geranium shampoo, conditioner and shower gel. Help yourself to a fresh towel, of which there are plenty, after showering and whizz your cosy in the dryer – bags are available, too.

One side of the impressive indoor pool is made up of exposed brickwork modern slate tiling; the other has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a sunny terrace. At 18 metres, the pool is a good size for working off your delicious spa lunch. Relax on one of several stylish loungers afterwards.

We began our thermal journey at the foot baths, selecting a warm setting to prompt relaxation. Next door is a hot Finnish sauna and a 100% humidity steam room designed to encourage deep muscle relaxation. Both can accommodate up to six people. The Salt Steam room beside the hydro-pool is set at a slightly lower temperature for those who find full blast steam a little much.

With its green mermaid tiles, warm bubbly water and three powerful jets, the hydrotherapy pool is a real highlight, as is the spa garden where its 10-metre natural pool for bathing is bio-filtered using reeds from the pond next door. The natural pool is a bit chilly – a hit with cold water lovers - but you can warm up in the alfresco hot tub after taking a quick dip or curl up under a duvet on the much-coveted lie-back recliners- reach for some fluffy socks in the basket. Tucked away around the corner is the outdoor sauna, along with some secluded seating with wood burning stove and blankets to snuggle under.

Feeling restless? Make good use of the spa's well-equipped gym and fitness studio. Upstairs there are three relaxation zones for post-treatment resting. Choose from bean bags in the lounge area -you can join in a mediation or sound bathing session here, too- chaise longue in the relax room, beds in booths with blankets and twinkling lights in the slumber room or water beds in the sleep room.

With a 200-acre estate at your disposal, wellness extends beyond the spa building; nature lovers can enjoy woodland walks and wild swims in Coffin Pond (don’t let the name put you off; it’s beautiful, but you do need to sign a waiver). Alternatively, have a wander around the spa garden. On warmer days mindful meditation and yoga takes place here. You can also borrow wellies from the Boot Room in the main hotel, branded coats are provided in your bedroom wardrobe, too.

Tell us about the treatments

We enjoyed an Oskia Luxury Face & Body Fusion (90 minutes, £165).

My therapist, Lauren, met me in the treatment area and led me to a softly lit, stylish treatment room which was modern and cosy with neutral hues. Lauren talked me through the treatment whilst washing my feet in a copper bowl. Once dried off, she asked me to choose an oil based on smell; I was drawn to the Oskia Rose De Mai blend, the candle burning in the treatment room had the same fragrance.

Once I was settled face down on the heated bed, the treatment began. Starting on my back, Lauren used a range of massage techniques to warm the muscles before applying deeper pressure using her forearm and elbow to iron out the knots and nodules around my neck and shoulders. The same technique was then adopted on the backs of my legs.

Turning onto my front, Lauren covered my eyes and continued the massage on the fronts of my legs and arms before turning her focus to the facial. This began with a cleanse and some analysis to determine my skin type. Deeming it to be combination oily, Lauren selected products from the Oskia Violet range: a Micro Exfoliating Balm to eliminate dirt from my pores and a Renaissance Mask, which felt silky. While this sunk in, Lauren massaged my scalp using circular movements.

Lauren concluded the treatment with Oskia finishing products including serum, eye cream, lip balm, moisturising gel and a protective layer of SPF. My body felt truly relaxed; my skin looked soft and radiant.

Shown to a chaise longue in the relaxation room, Lauren handed me a lemon Cannoli (yum) and a cup of Bamford Haybarn Signature Tea known for its immune boosting properties - winter bugs, be gone. Here I met my spa partner who commented that her Bamford Signature massage with therapist, Heidi was the best she’d had.

Swinton Country Club & Spa offers a good selection of Bamford and (newly-appointed) Oskia facials, wraps and massages, including deep tissue and hot stones. Men and mums-to-beare also catered for. For finishing treatments such as manicures and pedicures, try The Beauty Cottage on the ground floor. There's a hair salon here, too.

Food Facts

You can opt to get dressed and eat in the Terrace Restaurant next to the spa or continue your spa journey in the poolside atrium. You can also enjoy afternoon tea in the hotel's Drawing Room or order a picnic from the hotel and explore the grounds.

Preferring to stay in our robes, we opted for a light spa-box lunch in the atrium which was served on one platter with different sections. We tucked into hot smoked sea trout, roasted carrots and a sun blushed tomato pesto pasta for mains; desert was a delicious cocoa nectar brownie. There’s also a bar food menu if you prefer light bites from the comfort of your lounger.

If you're staying overnight, don’t miss dinner in The Terrace next to the spa. On recommendation we chose to share six small plates: barbecued cauliflower, hand-rolled Saffron linguine, Moroccan braised lamb shoulder hash brown, estate Venison faggots, estate apple cider braised pork ribs and - the dish of the evening - Thai style blue Shetland mussels with Thai green curry and a dashi broth, served with prawn and sesame toast.

Six empty plates – and compliments to the chef – later, we took a pause before sharing two desserts: strawberry trifle with Pimms jelly, Tonka bean crème pâtissiere and macerated strawberries, and a Pavlova with tropical fruit salad, yuzu curd and pistachio cream. A truly memorable meal.

We loved / we didn't love

We loved

The staff: everybody focused on looking after guests with nothing too much trouble. They all seem to genuinely love their place of work.

The food: our evening meal was noteworthy.

The variety of experiences available: as well as the amazing spa facilities, guests can participate in Deer walks, interact with birds of prey, go wild swimming, and access 200 acres of parkland and gardens.

We didn't love

Not having enough time to fully experience all that's on offer.

Who do you think would like it?

Couples: with outdoor hot tubs and duvets to snuggle under, couples will feel right at home.

Solo spa-goers: Swinton Country Club & Spa is a fantastic spa for peaceful contemplation.

Eco spa-goers: sustainability is at the heart of the Swinton Estate: the natural pool is cleansed using reeds and the spa is heated using biomass from the estate. The goal is to be carbon neutral by 2030 and carbon negative by 2040.

What bubble rating did you give this spa?

Once again, we awarded Swinton Country Club & Spa a Good Spa Guide Bubble Rating of 5 Bubble Luxury for its clever design, great facilities, incredible food and a good range of treatments. There’s enough here to fill an entire day (and more); stay overnight and make the most of the beautiful setting..

Serene Spy visited in October 2024 and awarded it 5 Bubble Luxury.