Best spa hotels in the UK for 2023 breaks

Is there anything more relaxing than a spa hotel break? From soft lights and soothing music to calming scents and knot-busting massages, or even a tranquil dip in the pool, spas offer us the chance to unwind and to switch our frazzled brains to full de-stress mode.

It doesn’t matter if you need to recover after a busy day of sightseeing or just want to indulge in a holiday that’s all about being pampered, a spa break is bound to leave you feeling rejuvenated. Better still, you don’t have to travel a million miles to reap the benefits. There are plenty of fantastic spa hotels in the UK, meaning you get a relaxing holiday without the stress of booking flights and trying to remember where you last stashed your passport.

Whether it’s a countryside break or a city-slick urban recharge you’re after, here are the best UK spa hotels to book.

Location: Bath

As famed for its pretty honey-hued Georgian buildings as the ancient thermal waters it was founded on, Bath makes for a brilliant wellness break. The place to bed down is the Gainsborough Bath Spa, which has 99 bedrooms with restful monochrome palettes and is the only hotel with a spa directly fed by Bath’s mineral-rich spring water. A handful of spa bedrooms even have the thermal water piped straight into roll-top bathtubs.

The Spa Village’s centrepiece is a dramatic mosaic-tiled thermal pool surrounded by Romanesque columns. This, combined with two smaller soaking pools, an ice alcove and relaxation terrace, forms an invigorating self-guided bathing circuit. Unknotting aromatherapy and Swedish essential-oil massages are on offer in 10 treatment rooms, and the gym and complimentary weekend yoga classes will keep active types happy.