The 12 best spa breaks near London

About a ten-minute drive from Watford Junction, The Grove is probably best known among the swinging community (not that one). With its 7,000-yard course, many visit specifically with golfing in mind; Tiger Woods even took home the WGC-American Express Championship here in 2006. But that’s not all this place has on offer. Situated on a vast 300-acre site, the grounds are to die for with activities including archery, tennis, shooting and even hot air ballooning availble to guests, too. For a more blissful stay though, head on over to the Sequoia spa. 

Hidden away from the main properties, it is a slice of tranquillity. Staff emphatically direct you towards a pool, whose black tiles give the water an ominous, inky look. But, it is the vitality pool that is this spa’s best-kept secret - a bubbling haven with pounding jets. It boasts 18 treatment rooms, where you can relax, unwind, and rejuvenate; the Grove’s signature massage is a blend of Swedish, Thai, and shiatsu techniques that send you right into a state of zen. During the summer months, a lot of the action (or should we say, inaction) takes place outside with the fantastic pool and beach in the hotels walled garden.

If that’s not enough, there’s “a menu” of restaurants to choose from, too. Dine on the terrace at The Stables, where you can smell the grill as soon as you walk through the door. The flagship restaurant at The Grove is The Glasshouse, which offers an international buffet featuring some of the world’s best dishes and flavours. You’ll be sure to leave chilled out and stuffed.

Time Out tip: If you want to merge your stay with a trip to Warner Bros Studio Tours this is the perfect place to check in to. 

Address:  Chandler's Cross, Watford WD3 4TG

Transport: 25 minutes by train from London Euston.

Prepare to feel like royalty when you arrive at Down Hall Country Hotel, a huge stone manor house set on 110 acres of Essex Countryside. Quite different from the busy roads of hectic London, the main building is a feast for the eyes. The next door Eden Spa is slightly less imposing - but inside, there’s a gorgeous blue-tiled hydrotherapy pool, plus a sauna, steam room and ‘relaxation area’ (think: loungers and many, many magazines). Here, you’ll step into the picture of zen.

Unlike in the manor house, modernism is key. There’s a spaceship-like circular wet spa, which feels suitably odd but oh-so relaxing. There are bubbles, huge rainforest head showers and neon lights. The treatments on offer really are fantastic, too: there are positivity sessions and Rose Quartz facial cleanse, which just has to be enjoyed with a glass of fizz.

Best of all, though, is the 55-minute hot stone massage - the sensation will give you that tingly feeling of stepping into a bath at the perfect temperature. The hotel is cosy with a chintzy country house vibe. Head to The Garden Room for a comforting steak, then retire to your room to lounge about in a fluffy robe on perfectly crisp linen. The suites have balconies, and waking up to views of the vast grounds will be enough to send your heart leaping.

Time Out tip: The hotel and spa are big on sustainability. So, if that’s your thing, you’re 100% in the right place. There’s a two-acre kitchen garden that supplies veg and salad for the whole kitchen and even Down Hall’s own Hall Garden Gin and Vodka made with its own blend of botanicals. 

Address: Matching Rd, Hatfield Heath, Bishop's Stortford CM22 7AS

Transport: 40 minutes by train from London Liverpool Street to nearby Sawbridgeworth. 

There’s something delightfully theatrical about arriving at Alexander House Hotel. The red-stone manor, with its Jacobean chimney pots and mullioned windows, rises from the Sussex countryside like a set piece from a period drama. But step inside, and the interiors take a turn for the eclectic: think teal lip-shaped sofas juxtaposed with giltwood Louis chairs, zebra print armchairs and a marble fireplace decorated with light pink ceramic vases.

But, as lovely as the main house is, the real star is the Utopia Spa —a subterranean sanctuary that feels part Greek temple, part futuristic retreat. Descending into its depths, you're greeted by Tuscan columns and Gothic alcoves framing a serene indoor pool. The hydrotherapy pool, with its powerful jets, offers a vigorous massage, while the outdoor hot tub in the garden provides a tranquil spot to read or even better, drink. 

Treatments are extensive and indulgent. The Total Harmony therapy, for instance, combines dry body brushing with hot basalt lava stones, melting away even the most stubborn knots. For something more esoteric, the Ila Manipura Full Body Massage uses Himalayan salt scrubs and hand movements that leave you in a state of blissful oblivion.​

Rooms range from the cosy to the opulent. Even the entry-level Cosy Attic Rooms boast rich velvet textiles and Temple Spa toiletries, while the Spa Suites have Egyptian cotton sheets, roll-top baths for two, and dramatic black rain showers that double as steam rooms at the press of a button.

Time Out tip: What's the highlight? The outdoor hot tubs of course. They’re the ideal spots to relax while sipping a glass of champagne (or a green juice). Don't skip them. 

Address: East St, Turners Hill, East Grinstead RH10 4QD

Travel: 55 minutes by train from London Victoria. 

Ever wandered around a National Trust property thinking you’d quite like to hop into one of those four-poster beds and stay the night? Turns out you can. Hartwell House, the Grade I-listed hotel and spa that’s part-Jacobean mansion and part-Georgian house, is one of only three National Trust-owned historic house hotels. It’s rich in history – in fact, it was once home to French king Louis XVIII, who was exiled there in the nineteenth century (alright for some, eh?). These days, it’s the ideal antidote to city life. The hotel rooms are huge, with ceilings so high that you could probably fit the entire contents of your poky flat in there. 

The lord/lady of the manor vibes continue at the spa, which is housed in what was once the orangery – it’s lovely and light, and feels incredibly grand. There’s a pool, a jacuzzi, a steam room and separate saunas for men and women in the changing rooms. Truthfully, it’s not the most high-tech spa (you won’t find any plunge pools or jazzy massaging foot baths), but that’s kind of the point – it’s just a lovely spot in which to unwind. If you want to feel even more chilled, book yourself in for an aromatherapy sesh, which starts with you choosing the essential oil that most appeals and ends with you feeling totally blissed out. If you’re staying in the hotel, the food in the main restaurant is delicious too. If there were a chance to get exiled here, I’d take it.

Time Out tip: If you’re a spa fanatic then you can also sign up for a membership here for £140 per month. 

Address: Vale of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP17 8NR

Transport: One hour by train from London Marylebone to Aylesbury.

If an hour or two spent wallowing in warm water is what you’re in need of, Bath is the place to head. The honey-coloured city has been the place to ‘take the waters’ since Roman times – and The Gainsborough is in the amazing and unique position of having Bath’s natural, thermal waters trickle right into its spa. The hotel itself is as plush as they come, with thick carpets, soft bedding and heavy curtains that frame stunning views of the city centre rooftops. The bar is dreamy, with staff ready to create cocktails tailored to your tastes (your mood, your demanding requests) while the restaurant serves up incredibly fancy, beautifully presented fare. 

But the 5-star spa is really the reason to book a room. At the heart of two adjoining Grade II-listed buildings sit the gently steaming and world-famous waters. Book a totally relaxing spa treatment or set off on a traditional cycle around the spa (like circuits, but way more soothing), moving from warm water to hot, from an infrared sauna to a pool of ice chips. Go alone to one of the 11 treatment rooms, or if you’re with someone else, there’s a couple's room, too. The best bit? The historically accurate (and delicious) cups of hot chocolate you can sip while you spa. 

Time Out tip: It is worth noting as a hotel guest, you can only use the spa in the early morning or evening unless you also book a spa treatment

Address: Beau Street, Bath BA1 1QY, England

Transport: One hour 30 minutes by train from London Paddington.

Bailiffscourt proudly declares itself as one of the “most beautiful spas in the South of England”. And guess what? I’d argue it deserves even higher praise. Next to the bleak but beautiful Climping Beach and set on 30 acres of parkland, this romantic getaway feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of London. The hotel’s 39 rooms are separated into clusters of thatched cottages and honey-stoned buildings; the whole place has the feel of a well-groomed medieval village. 

But fear not: there’s actually nothing actually middle-aged about this place. Six contemporary treatment rooms are complete with warm flotation beds, steam rooms, saunas and a small gym. There are two oceanic blue pools to choose from: one indoor and decorated with oak timbers that run across the ceiling and another heated outdoor pool with a hot tub nearby. Relaxing in the fluffy comfort of a robe on the loungers here feels unbelievably luxurious - so much so that it's nearly impossible to will yourself to move. 

One thing you have to get up for, though, is the food. At the flagship Tapestry Restaurant, there are endless feasts to enjoy. The Modern British menu boasts thick cuts of chicken and beef, both served with buttery vegetables to die for. There’s a squash wellington, that is packed full of flavour for vegetarians and vegans, too. Finish with a crème brûlée to make the perfect end to this gloriously fancy affair.

Time Out tip: While you’re there, visit the nearby Arundel Castle, which has lavish state rooms and endless flowing green gardens. 

Location: Climping St, Atherington, Littlehampton BN17 5RW

Transport: One hour 30 mins by train from London Victoria to nearby Littlehampton.

Located a few miles from the M4 outside Newbury, like a zen-exuding pit stop for stressed-out motorway drivers, The Vineyard is a slick operation staffed by a friendly, welcoming team. It’s owned by businessman Sir Peter Michael, a passionate wine lover and art collector, and while there’s no actual vineyard here, there’s no shortage of booze, as his own California winery is well-represented in a quirky, adventurous wine cellar. If you fancy unwinding with a wine flight and an immaculate five-course tasting menu – or you just love the idea of chowing down in the shadow of impressionist landscapes – the formal dining room will tick all the boxes. 

In the spa, massage therapists work minor miracles with sore joints and knotty shoulders. The bedrooms are comfy and spacious, and the gargantuan breakfast is worth any amount of motorway congestion on its own. If there’s another massage to ease indigestion, you may need it. You can book a half-day in the spa for £105, which includes a treatment of your choice and afternoon tea, if you want to save money. But, trust us, it would be quite easy to stay here for weeks. The circular pool really is quite something. 

Time Out tip: Looking to get hitched quick? The Vineyard offers late-availability wedding dates that might be worth checking out.

Address:  Stockcross, Newbury RG20 8JU

Transport: 50 minutes by train from London Paddington.

Not many spas feature a swimming pool that helped bring down a government – but then again, there aren’t many places like Cliveden. Founded in the seventeenth century and rebuilt in the nineteenth by the same guy that designed the Houses of Parliament and the real-life Downton Abbey, it's now a stunning country house hotel with National Trust-run grounds – the kind of place you’d normally visit with an audio guide. Inside the spa, there’s a high-tech UV sauna, a warren of treatment rooms for luxurious rubs and scrubs (with scents named after the mistresses of the house) and alfresco hot tubs with a view of the Victorian clock tower. And, of course, there’s the open-air pool where Secretary of State for War John Profumo met Christine Keeler in 1961, kickstarting one of the twentieth century’s juiciest political scandals. 

It is extremely popular as a National Trust property; the grounds include a maze and a water garden. But, as Profumo could have told you, a weekend at Cliveden doesn’t come cheap. But, if you’ve got the cash to splash to sail happily across an onsite lake on a private boat with a glass of bubbles or lounge outside by the heated swimming pool, then you’ll be living the dream. Meghan Markle stayed here the night before her wedding, after all. 

Time Out tip: Don’t forget to try out Sarah Chapman Skinesis's bespoke facial that is bound to leave you with a youthful glow.

Address: Taplow, SL6 0JF, Berkshire, England.

Transport: 40 minutes by train from London Paddington to nearby High Wycombe. 

Prepare to feel like royalty when you arrive at Down Hall Country Hotel, a huge stone manor house set on 110 acres of Essex Countryside. Quite different from the busy roads of hectic London, the main building is a feast for the eyes. The next door Eden Spa is slightly less imposing - but inside, there’s a gorgeous blue-tiled hydrotherapy pool, plus a sauna, steam room and ‘relaxation area’ (think: loungers and many, many magazines). Here, you’ll step into the picture of zen.

Unlike in the manor house, modernism is key. There’s a spaceship-like circular wet spa, which feels suitably odd but oh-so relaxing. There are bubbles, huge rainforest head showers and neon lights. The treatments on offer really are fantastic, too: there are positivity sessions and Rose Quartz facial cleanse, which just has to be enjoyed with a glass of fizz.

Best of all, though, is the 55-minute hot stone massage - the sensation will give you that tingly feeling of stepping into a bath at the perfect temperature. The hotel is cosy with a chintzy country house vibe. Head to The Garden Room for a comforting steak, then retire to your room to lounge about in a fluffy robe on perfectly crisp linen. The suites have balconies, and waking up to views of the vast grounds will be enough to send your heart leaping.

Time Out tip: The hotel and spa are big on sustainability. So, if that’s your thing, you’re 100% in the right place. There’s a two-acre kitchen garden that supplies veg and salad for the whole kitchen and even Down Hall’s own Hall Garden Gin and Vodka made with its own blend of botanicals. 

Address: Matching Rd, Hatfield Heath, Bishop's Stortford CM22 7AS

Transport: 40 minutes by train from London Liverpool Street to nearby Sawbridgeworth.

Ockenden Manor is a hotel and spa in two parts. Half is a quiet cluster of buildings, including a sixteen-century manor. The other is a modern spa with eight treatment rooms, a gym and a fitness studio. It might be in a state of confused identity, but Oxenden is the perfect weekend escape. Just a short taxi ride from Haywards Heath station, which is itself only a 50-minute journey from London, it is close enough for the journey not to dominate the day and far enough to feel like a proper change of scene.

The spa here is spread out across many zones. But, at its centre is a mammoth indoor pool that connects to a smaller outdoor one for braver swimmers. On warmer days, it turns out to be the perfect place to catch some rays, with sun loungers spread around the water’s edge. But there’s plenty to do here to warm yourself up, too: think bubbling hot tubs, sweltering steam rooms and spa baths. If that’s not enough, rainforest showers and yoga classes are on hand to chill you out even further. 

The real novelty here, though are the isopod flotation tanks that help send your entire body into a state of calm. Lying in one of these salt-filled retreats is a real experience; you’re bound to feel a lot less heavy once the hour-session is up.

If you’re thinking of staying over in one of the 28 rooms at Ockenden, then do. The hotel is a complete joy. Rooms are spacious and all lead onto a shared balcony. . The restaurant and bar are located in the manor (naturally), where there’s a wealth of cosy, old-fashioned charm. Pidgeon was on the menu when we visited, and we were served by friendly and helpful staff. 

Time Out tip: Don’t forget to try the quality Susssex-made chocolates and sparkling wine. Absolutely divine. 

Address: Ockenden Ln, Cuckfield, Haywards Heath RH17 5LD

Transport: 45 minutes by train from London Victoria to nearby Haywards Heath. 

The first thing you need to know about Aqua Sana Woburn Forest spa is that it’s in a Center Parcs. And while that means guests miss out on having manicured grounds to wander around, like at other country retreats, it also means this is probably one of the only spa breaks in the country with four water slides (a very good thing!). The spa itself is just as exciting and action-packed. Spread out over two floors, it features six spa areas, each with their own saunas, steam rooms and sensory experiences. Highlights include the invigorating salt sauna, the refreshing and fragrant herbal-infusion rooms, and the mineral and gem area – it features a crystal steam room – but there must be upwards of 20 rooms to visit here.

There’s also a vast array of treatment options (I opted for a scrub/massage combination that left me relaxed and smooth as a seal) and, unlike at other spas, places to eat. You’ll find loads of your favourite chains on Center Parcs high street, as well as the delightful Vitalé Café Bar serving up the freshest salads, cakes and juices. With a welcoming beginner-friendly vibe and huge amounts to experience, this is a spa that’s perfect for people who are easily bored, or for big groups of friends with different tastes. Book it for your next hen.

Time Out tip: Are you a mum-to-be? Well, you’re in luck. At Aqua Sana Woburn Forest, they offer pregnancy-specific treatments for people over 12 weeks. 

Address: Center Parcs Woburn Forest, Woburn Forest, Millbrook, Bedfordshire MK45 2HZ

Transport: 50 minutes by train from London Kings Cross.

Set within the wildlife-rich oasis of Langley Park, The Langley is surrounded by idyllic countryside. Quintessentially English activities are on offer, from falconry to horse riding and polo. Honestly, you could spend hours simply roaming the immaculate grounds and central lake. That alone makes the 40-minute journey from London worthwhile — and we haven’t even got to the spa yet.

Inside, you’ll find a beautifully designed wellness sanctuary that invites you to unwind from the moment you step through the doors. The spa interiors are all understated opulence — think muted tones, rich textures, and flickering candlelight that casts a gentle glow across the stone walls. You’re welcomed with a warm herbal tea (or a glass of fizz, if you're feeling celebratory) before being guided to the changing rooms, where your robe and slippers await.

The thermal facilities are the kind you lose track of time in: hot tubs that bubble away beneath low lighting, aromatic steam rooms that open the pores and calm the mind, and saunas that deliver that perfect dry heat to melt every last bit of tension. There are plunge pools for the brave, and heated loungers for the rest of us.

Top-tier hospitality kicks in the moment you arrive, with your own dedicated spa butler who will discreetly check in to offer refreshments, adjust your schedule, or simply ensure everything runs like clockwork. The treatment list is as decadent as you’d hope — from full-body scrubs using Himalayan salt to deep tissue massages that make you question whether you’ve ever truly relaxed before.

And then there’s the pool: a 16-metre, marble-lined masterpiece so exquisitely designed it could easily be mistaken for a Renaissance fresco. The water is kept at the perfect temperature, with underwater lighting that creates a soft, celestial glow. It’s the kind of pool you drift through, taking in every detail.

If I have one gripe, it’s that there’s not much natural light — but honestly, with treatments this good and service this slick, I’d take first-rate massages in the dark any day.

Time Out tip: If you’re going with a pal or partner, nab a double treatment room for the full pampered-together experience. 

Address: Avenue Dr, Uxbridge Rd, Iver, Slough SL3 6DU

Transport: 30-minute train from London Paddington