No moment encapsulates the feeling of a relaxing break like slipping into a hotel pool. Whether you want to unwind body and mind, have fun with friends or maintain your fitness regime, a hotel with a swimming pool is an enticing treat. Our top picks include beachside options and energising pools in spectacular spas. Here are some of our favourite hotels with swimming pools in the UK.
Dormy House Hotel
Combining comfort with class, Dormy House Hotel is a picture of tranquillity. Slip into the centrepiece 16m indoor infinity pool illuminated by candlelight in the chic spa and dare yourself not to relax. After a few leisurely lengths, you can move on to the lavender-infused sauna and juniper-laced Finnish cabin – or simply curl up on one of the comfy poolside loungers. The cosiness continues in the rest of the hotel, with roaring fires warming wood-panelled rooms. In a stylishly restored 17th-century farmhouse, the 38 rooms and suites are individually designed by leading studio Todhunter Earle. The hotel is a seven-minute drive from the charming Cotswold-stone village of Broadway.
The Nare Hotel
Overlooking the pristine white sands of Gerrans Bay in Cornwall, the Nare Hotel oozes seaside elegance. Here, you can dip in one of two pools and enjoy the stunning surrounds of this peaceful haven. Sheltered by beach huts, the outdoor pool has sweeping views across the gardens, coastline and out to sea. Even better, it’s heated to a cosy 30 degrees when open between May and October. If the notorious UK weather is playing up, you can still get a swim in, against the in-built jet stream in the indoor pool. When the weather improves, explore nearby the Fal and Helford Rivers on Alice Rose, the hotel’s motor yacht.
The Retreat at Elcot Park
Sixteen acres of magnificent grounds. Two bespoke restaurants. And far-reaching views over the North Wessex Downs. There’s rather a lot to like about The Retreat at Elcot Park in Berkshire. Once the home of the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, this beautiful boutique hotel blends the very best of modern comforts with the charms of the countryside. The Retreat’s spa ticks all the boxes. Think steam and sauna rooms, private massage treatments, and hydrotherapy pools where you can sit back and relax. It also features a state-of-the-art gym and spin studio for heart-racing workouts. If you’d prefer to exercise outside, hone your backhand on the hotel’s tennis court, or swim lengths in the outdoor pool – which has designer cabanas for when it’s hot and sunny.
Share this article
Latest stories
10 of the best hotel rooftop bars to take in the views
There’s a particular pleasure in seeing a city or a landscape from above. Rooftops offer a different perspective on familiar streets — whether that means a cocktail in Soho, a pool overlooking the rooftops of Seville or a table with the Mediterranean stretching out beyond it. From polished hotel bars
Surfing holidays: where to stay for the best waves
From Costa Rica and Brazil to Bali and Spain, the world’s best surfing destinations combine serious swells and beginner-friendly breaks with a laidback lifestyle and nature. This is our pick of seven top spots around the globe for catching waves – and the boutique hotels to stay at.
The Wellbeing Collection turns one
As the Wellbeing Collection celebrates its first anniversary, we take a closer look at some of the hotels shaping the world’s most restorative wellness experiences. Each is deeply rooted in its sense of place, with the surrounding landscape, local traditions and cultural heritage shaping everything from treatments and food to
The new boutique hotels for August bringing destinations to life
This month’s edit of new boutique hotels focuses on places with stories to tell, from historic estates in the likes of Ireland and Romania and a family-owned vineyard in Champagne to a remote retreat in Ladakh shaped by local traditions.
