The best spa hotels near London for a weekend of wellness
From wild dipping pools and “mind massages” to hot tubs overlooking race tracks, these are the best spa hotels near the capital
You don’t have to travel far from London to reach the beautiful English countryside, and areas like Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire are particularly easy to get to by train with plenty of stations and direct lines from the city. There’s plenty of choice when it comes to spa hotels in the home counties too, so a weekend (or week!) of wellness is perfectly within reach.
Whatever the season, spend your time lounging by the pools with a good book at Pennyhill Park, ironing the commuter creases out with a muscle-busting massage at Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, or relaxing with a glass of Champagne as you gaze over the Vale of London at Nutfield Priory.
Whether you’re escaping the urban sprawl for a few days, or travelling through from somewhere else, here’s our pick of the best spa hotels near London.
Pennyhill Park, Surrey
One of the loveliest spa hotels near London, Pennyhill Park offers wellness facilities to boot. If eight pools aren’t enough ─ one with underwater speakers and fibre optic illuminations ─ there’s a range of thermal cabins, an ice igloo, Canadian hot tubs, and private cabanas with large copper tubs and complimentary refreshments.
Round the day off with a superb tasting menu experience in the Michelin-starred restaurant before you head to one of the sumptuous rooms for bed. The best part is that it’s only about an hour by car or train (23 minutes from Waterloo to Woking plus a 30-minute taxi). There’s free parking on site.
Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa, West Sussex
Near the popular market town of Arundel, on 30 acres of private parkland leading to Climping beach, the medieval-looking Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa is the ultimate countryside wellness escape. Around two hours by car and train from London, city-dwellers are often found lolling around the stand-out spa, a modern haven compared to the cluster of revived ancient buildings.
Relax in heated indoor and outdoor infinity pools, the steam room, sauna and spa bath, plus relaxation rooms where treatments by Temple Spa unfurl the knottiest of muscles. The grounds are also a triumph ─ walk among roses, play games or swing under a tree.
Ockenden Manor, West Sussex
Ockenden Manor is a place for seriously treating yourself ─ particularly popular with Londoners winding down for the weekend or anyone celebrating a special occasion. Swim or lounge in the modern spa to soothing views of Cuckfield Park, combine a treatment with afternoon tea or a multi-course tasting menu, then relax in one of the stylish spa rooms or suites.
Post-treatment chocolates and wine served to you in the lounge is a nice touch. The hotel is about an hour and 45 minutes' drive from London and a 40-minute train from Victoria to Haywards Heath (plus 10-minute taxi).
South Lodge, West Sussex
Within acres of beautiful grounds in the heart of the Sussex countryside, just an hour from London by train and two hours by car, South Lodge is ideal for a romantic weekend of self care and fine dining. You feel properly out in the countryside here ─ yet you’re only a hop from city life.
The knockout spa features a sumptuous outdoor hydrotherapy pool, a wild swimming pool with reeds and plantlife, a thermal suite with a botanical sauna and salt steam room, and oodles of space. Two award-winning restaurants pushing out plates that rival some of the best in the capital complete the picture.
Brighton Harbour Hotel & Spa, Brighton
On the seafront, a pebble’s throw from the Palace Pier and Royal Pavilion, the Brighton Harbour Hotel & Spa is quirky and boutique in feel, with wonderful sea views from over half of the bedrooms. The HarSPA is a real highlight here; a subterranean sanctuary hidden in smugglers' tunnels leading out to the beach.
With six treatment rooms, an atmospheric heated indoor pool, steam room, sauna and hydrotherapy suite, it’s perfect for young couples on a cheeky seaside weekender away from London, and mothers and daughters or girlfriends looking for a spa break. It takes about two hours by car and an hour by train.
Foxhills, Surrey
Under an hour’s drive from London and 26 minutes’ train journey to the nearest station (Woking, a 15-minute taxi from the hotel), guests travelling to Foxhills, a beautiful Victorian manor house in the Surrey Hills, are rewarded with invigorating country air and a wealth of activities.
Aside from the two 18-hole championship golf courses, 11 tennis courts and five swimming pools, the spa is something to shout about. You can wallow around a refreshing natural pool purified by plants and minerals in the Zen garden; enjoy relaxing massages, facials and treatments; and explore several thermal experiences.
Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire
Bordered by spectacular Hampshire scenery, the Four Seasons Hotel is popular with the well-heeled set looking to pop on their Hunter wellies and romp around the countryside, enjoy the many activities on site (horse riding, tennis, clay pigeon shooting), or indulge in some professional pampering.
The spa is set around a large indoor pool in a striking glass atrium; opt for a "mind massage" before your usual treatment and you'll be relaxed for the whole weekend. It’s an hour and 40 minutes’ drive from London and an hour by train.
Fairmont Windsor Park, Berkshire
Boasting a serene design and high-end facilities, the spa at Fairmont Windsor Park is simply immaculate. Treat yourself to a couple of hours padding between the smart indoor pool, al fresco hydro pool in the courtyard, cryotherapy chamber, Himalayan salt room and traditional marble hammam; round it all off with a treatment ─ a liquid gold facial perhaps, or a dry floatation ritual.
The distinctly smart hotel is situated on the edge of Windsor Great Park and 15 minutes from the city of Windsor. It’s great for a quick sojourn from the city, with journeys taking just over an hour by car and just under an hour by train.
Nutfield Priory, Surrey
About an hour and a quarter’s drive from central London by car (or 30 minutes by train), this neo-Gothic country house hotel is nestled atop a ridge with sweeping views over the Vale of London.
The countryside location and wellness facilities make Nutfield Priory the perfect spot for a spa weekend away from the city ─ luxuriate in the swimming pool and spa pool, indulge in a yummy afternoon tea, drift away with a swoon-worthy treatment (we love the hot mineral body-boost massage). Elsewhere there’s fine dining, historical features at every turn, and comfortable rooms with the odd four-poster bed or roll-top bath.
Brooklands Hotel & Spa, Surrey
In the picturesque Surrey town of Weybridge, with Mercedes-Benz World and a motor museum next door, Brooklands Hotel & Spa is as much loved for its modern racing-themed design as its relaxing spa treatments ─ and views of the cars dashing around the track from the outdoor hot tub are mesmerising.
Inside the spa, a sunlight therapy room is just the place to kick back in 30-degree heat while the Fleur De Vigne Candle Massage is the treatment of choice for silky smooth skin. It takes under an hour to get here by car or train.
Champneys Forest Mere, Hampshire
It’s all about self-care at Champneys Forest Mere, part of a hotel group synonymous with spa breaks. You'll see lots of people in fluffy white bathrobes as they flit from treatment room to heated water bed to sauna and snow room.
When you’re not making the most of the spa facilities, guided walks are perfect for taking in the fabulous surroundings, and classes offer something a bit more special than usual ─ like line dancing or hula hooping.
The top accommodation to book is the George Best Suite which has a balcony overlooking the lake. The hotel is located in leafy Liphook, about an hour and a half by car and train.
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