The sun is out; the sky is blue… these outdoor spas will tempt you (sorry). What we aren’t sorry about is shamelessly showing off our spa partners who are going all out – literally – to help you get your summer spa on. From brand new £3million spa terraces to pools large enough to swim lengths in, and from pretty spa gardens with fire pits to new Nordic gardens, summer is finally here. Now where did I put that hat?
The words ‘spa terrace’ don’t really do justice to Hoar Cross Hall’s new outdoor spa area: a 2,000-metre alfresco addition that cost £3 million to visualise – and realise. Aiming to harness the healing elements of earth, water, fire and air, the terrace adds three pools heated by biomass boiler, a Juniper log sauna, a relaxation room, several cold tubs for the brave, six cabanas for post-swim chilling, fire pits for those balmy evenings and an outdoor bar for those ubiquitous glasses of fizz to Hoar Cross Hall’s already impressive list of facilities. Race you…
Another refurbishment – this one to the tune of £6 million – puts the new courtyard at H Spa at Horwood House at centre of the spa. Created to connect the relaxation areas with the spa’s already established indoor pool, folding doors on two sides now lead out to a large area of swinging egg chairs, beds, sofas and comfy chairs. Surrounded by year-round purple alliums and high trees for privacy and shade, this is the ideal spot for post treatment afternoon tea created by the hotel’s own pastry chefs.
The Spa Garden at The Spa at Breedon Priory – with its blooms and lakeside setting - is a stunner, with not one but two pools to choose from. Don’t let the unpredictable British weather put you off taking a dip either - there’s an outdoor snug with firepit for cosying beside on cooler days – grab a blanket and snuggle down – as well as a hideaway terrace for couples or small groups to take cover whilst remaining outside. New for this summer: 15-minute pick n’ mix treatments by the pool
Rarely do we find an outdoor hydrotherapy pool as large as the one at Eden Hall Day Spa which – at 20 metres – is longer than most swimming pools. This one has been designed to boost overall wellbeing with four standing water therapy stations and air loungers with head rests; 16 (that’s right) benches with jets for massaging backs, legs and feet; and two water cannons for pummelling overworked necks and shoulders. If you can get out (and it will take some effort), relax on a comfy lounger with oh-so stylish stripy cushions.
Three of the six pools residing at Ragdale Hall Spa are outside, giving spa goers plenty of choice when it comes to alfresco spa-ing. The open-air Rooftop Infinity Pool - looking out onto heavenly countryside and rolling hills – is a must, as is the Outdoor Pool with its French Riviera vibe. With its steam and mist rising from the water, The Waterfall Pool recreates the feeling of bathing in an undiscovered lagoon. Cold water swimming more your thing? Hit the outdoor pool in the cooler months when the temperature dips and the crowds disperse.
Three Graces Spa at Grantley Hall considerably enhanced its spa garden last year with three new additions: a Nordic Spa Garden featuring two ice baths from renowned brand Brass Monkeys (kept to a brassy 0 degrees) and a steam sauna with views of the hotel grounds (surrounded by seasonal shrubs and pots of fragrant lavender), an alfresco bar for glasses of summery rosé and a Japanese-style House of Suntory Terrace. Open in the summer months, the terrace features a cherry blossom installation and a Grade II listed ornamental Japanese Garden built in 1910.
Nothing beats sitting in warm water whilst admiring a view... at Thermae Bath Spa that warm water is the vast rooftop hydro pool; that view the city of Bath, with its red-roof houses and imposing cathedral. Out in the distance: the gentle Somerset hills. It’s quite the experience and one that requires booking ahead if you don’t fancy jostling for space. As soon as the sun goes down, changing lights cast a myriad of colours onto the water; the view slowly morphing into a sea of twinkling lights.
Stylish Spy
26th July 2024
Spy Likes:
Minimalist lines; organic products; facial massage; tranquillity; interesting people-watching.
Spy Dislikes:
Discarded towels on loungers; steam rooms that aren't steamy; mobile phones.
