The north of England offers many things: dramatic landscapes (Lake District, North York Moors), empty beaches (Northumberland), creative musical hotbeds (Manchester), rich history (Durham) and supremely good food (the region has over 25 Michelin-starred restaurants). Less appreciated is that the north has some great spa hotels, many of which are independently owned and, thus, have all the flair and individuality that brings.
Here you can find woodland hot tubs, rooftop infinity pools, outdoor Finnish saunas and sprawling grounds in which to unwind with a superfood smoothie or a glass of fizz. Expect a whole host of treatments (spanning bespoke facials and reflexology, to nurturing full-body rituals) using both high-end brands and more niche, locally made products. All that’s left to decide is whether you want the buzz that comes with a city-centre location, the grandeur of a country house escape, or the peace of a truly rural setting.
How we review
All our reviewers are either resident destination experts or travel writers that specialise in hotels. Often they will have stayed at a hotel many times and so can see how it has changed for better or worse over the years. They know what makes a great hotel in that particular destination and will compare it contextually against local competition. When our reviewers first visit a hotel, they stay for at least one night, eat one meal in addition to breakfast and will experience all of the facilities on offer. Whichever category of room they stay in, they will see the entry-level rooms in order to assess them.
After their stay, our reviewers then give the hotel six scores out of 10, rating its location, style and character, service and facilities, rooms, food and drink, and value for money. The average of these scores then determines the overall score. Our experts then select reviews for curated lists like this – the best hotels in a particular destination for families, for instance – together with the Telegraph Hotels team.
At a glance, the best spa hotels in the north of England
The Midland Hotel has one of the northwest’s best-looking spas. The Thermal Experience is where the fun starts, with its salt-and-wood sauna, aromatherapy steam room and artfully lit relaxation pool. Body treatments span candle massages to collagen-boosting wraps, while facials are performed with results-driven Germaine de Capuccini products. You’ll be ushered into the relaxation room afterwards, where ergonomic sleep chambers and hanging pods await. Book one of the bedrooms or suites with city views and be sure to nab a table at Adam Reid at The French where the Mancunian chef’s 11-course menus focus on modern-British flavours without the fuss.Guests staying in the six-bedroom Lake House on its private 100-acre estate can make use of its indoor swimming pool, sauna, treatment room and al fresco tubs. The main hotel, where the rest of the accommodation is found, also has a spa space with a steam room, two hot tubs and couples’ treatment suites. Most rooms feature private hot tubs and en-suite facilities; max the indulgence by staying in one of the Spa Suites: chic, standalone glass-and-wood affairs with their own saunas, steam rooms and sunken hot tubs. The swishest options have in-room circular stone baths, double showers, automated massage chairs and bedrooms suspended over a pond.Middleton Lodge is a rambling Georgian country estate not far from the market town of Richmond. With a scene-stealing heated outdoor pool at the heart of it, every inch of the Forest Spa has been thoughtfully considered. Nature-inspired treatments – courtesy of VOYA and Aromatherapy Associates – take place in charming woodland huts kitted out with tin baths and log burners. The thermal spa space meanwhile is home to a sauna, a steam room, an arch stone plunge pool, and a relaxation zone complete with sink-in sofas and a crackling fireplace. Explore the seemingly endless grounds on the complimentary bicycles, tuck into a six-course supper at garden-to-fork restaurant, Forge, and then retire to one of the rustic-luxe suites.A curving, contemporary state-of-the-art spa that makes the most of its Lake District scenery. The crowning glory is the Thermal Experience with Finnish cabin, ice fountain, Himalayan salt steam room and lava sauna. Treatments are inspired by Lake District surrounds, such as techniques inspired by the mountains. Facials are of the whizzy superfood and dynamic resurfacing calibre. A private spa for couples has a ”steam cabin”, and those committed to the cause can book the Spa Suite – its humongous bath faces French windows that open straight onto a private terrace.This Grade I-listed beauty is surrounded by acres of parkland and has an award-winning tri-level spa fed by natural spring water. Along with a sleek indoor lap pool, a juniper log sauna and rows of outdoor loungers, highlights include a vast rooftop garden with a hydro infinity pool, a panoramic sauna and a herbal steam room. Treatments feature Elemis products, and in addition to a menu of massages, facials and manicures, guests can book multisensory sauna sessions guided by the spa’s resident Aufguss master. There are a several relaxation rooms to laze in post-treatment, too. When it comes to bedding in for the evening, the spa suites open out to the gardens and are kitted out with their own saunas, steam rooms or spa baths.This former derelict Victorian mansion is now a five-star golf resort and spa with all the trimmings. The spa garden has an infinity-edge pool with bubbles and massage jets, a second heated pool and landscaped gardens overlooking the grounds. There’s also a glass-fronted sauna and clutch of clever self-heating sun loungers. Treatments use Neom and Comfort Zone products (the latter’s facials are thorough yet relaxing). While the Old Hall is being refurbished, book a room in the New Hall for suite-level spaciousness and bathrooms with tubs and televisions set into the wall.
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This cossetting Georgian mansion has a huge Feng Shui-inspired spa. There’s a 20m pool with massage jets, a salt sauna, a eucalyptus-infused amethyst crystal steam room, outdoor hot tubs, an ice fountain, plunge pools and an impressive roof terrace. A hydrotherapy pool completes the offering. Wellness packages draw inspiration from the hotel’s coastal location – therapies incorporate sea salt scrubs and meditative soundtracks by Swell, and there are health-boosting seaweed shots to look forward to afterwards. Rooms are decorated with bold wallpapers, deep-coloured velvet sofas and luxuriously big bathrooms, and there are bikes to borrow for guests keen to take in the surrounding beaches.A modern development just southwest of Chester, Carden Park sits in 1,000 acres of rolling countryside. What it lacks in traditional character is more than made up for with impressive facilities, though the jewel in the crown has to be its £10 million spa. The feel throughout is lavish and luxurious, with high-spec finishes, white orchids at every turn and super-comfy treatment beds. Indoors, you’ll find a swimming pool, thermal experiences, a beauty lounge, a number of relaxation rooms and a restaurant. Outside meanwhile, the sprawling spa garden features various hot tubs to pick between, heated seating pods, a fire pit, a sauna and a bar.This sprawling Palladian-style hall on the eastern fringes of the Yorkshire Dales has an entire sweep of distractions: from 38 acres of parkland to explore (there are walking maps available and wellies to borrow) to a wine-tasting room and a choice of restaurants, including that of Michelin-starred chef Shaun Rankin. Most impressive though is the Three Graces Spa, with its colonnaded swimming pool, indoor-outdoor hydrotherapy pools and soothing treatments by Ila and Natura Bissé. There’s also a well-equipped gym, a Nordic Spa Garden where guests can pad between an outdoor sauna and an ice bath, a “snow room” and a relaxation zone to kick back in post-treatment.With its superb position overlooking Derwentwater and the surrounding fells, this landmark Lake District stay has moved into the 21st century with a swish spa in a lodge-style building. The star of the show has to be the breathtaking outdoor hydrotherapy pool, although the champagne bar makes for another highlight – inviting guests to enjoy a post-treatment tipple on a lounger. There are plenty of places to stretch out and relax, including a conservatory and a vast terrace, plus gardens with views of the waterfall after which the hotel is named.You’ll need a whole weekend to do justice to the swanky spa in this ivy-cloaked Baronial pile that once belonged to a Bradfordian mill owner. The dipping pond is fabulous on sunny days – though relaxation beds topped with heated canopies (plus sheepskin rugs and gloves) allow guests to enjoy these spaces in colder months too. An 18m lap pool, a smaller hydrotherapy pool, and nature-scented steam rooms provide further pampering. Bed in with an Oskia Renaissance Vitamin Body Glow, featuring a top-to-toe scrub with Himalayan salt and starflower oil, the application of a warm clay body mask and a tension-melting scalp massage.This remarkably pretty riverside inn has been much extended over the years, though a great amount of care has been taken to preserve its original charm and character. The sleek indoor-outdoor spa has a handful of treatment rooms and a menu of Temple Spa facials, massages and rituals. There’s also a fragrant spa garden with a vitality pool, a steam room, a hot tub, Finnish sauna and cosy bothy. Bedrooms meanwhile take on a modern, country-fresh feel with bold wallpapers and cushions in fruit-drop colours, and some of them look out over the river.This grand-looking country house hotel, set in a former stately home at the head of Bassenthwaite, comes with spectacular views and a swathe of resort-style features. With its extensive grounds, outdoor activities and spa – plus the next-door Wildlife Park to which guests are granted discounted entry – there’s no shortage of things to do. Along with an infinity pool, an outdoor hot tub with soothing garden views and a thermal suite, the spa features a tranquility terrace and 10 treatment rooms. The surrounding woodland is a delight to wander through, with a direct path to the lakefront, or you can just admire the view from the terrace.This landmark Lake District hotel has been revived as a modern resort with a brilliant watersports offering and a smart spa. Peering out across Lake Windermere, the heated outdoor infinity pool is a real showstopper. There are a couple of outdoor hot tubs just right for a post-ramble soak, plus a sauna with views across the fells. Inside, you’ll find a bubbling vitality pool, a coconut steam chamber and a dry salt sauna. There’s also a gym, and a large health club pool for those keen to swim lengths. Treatments incorporate products from ESPA as well as the hotel’s own skincare label, Berry & Birch.The smart spa at this sprawling, 350-acre country estate is the ideal escape for those wanting an “away-from-it-all” setting. With one of the UK’s largest hydrotherapy pools along with a sauna, a frigidarium plunge pool, plenty of treatment rooms and a seriously hi-tech gym, you can easily spend a full afternoon here, though it does get rather busy. Treatments are tailored and wide ranging: golfers will love the Freestyle Deep Tissue Massage, while those who struggle to nod off can try the Voya Mindful Dreams Ritual, featuring sound bowl therapy and sleep-inducing motions. There’s a great deal on offer for couples too, including the Mud Rasul Ritual, which involves earthy handfuls of mud and your own private steam chamber.
Contributions by Cathy Toogood, Charlotte Eggleston-Johnstone, Harriet Charnock-Bates, Hattie Garlick, Helen Pickles, Suzanne King and Tina Walsh.
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