TOP 5 UK HOTEL POOLS FOR LUXURY SPA BREAKS

There’s not one but three pools at Sussex luxury hotel South Lodge, all of which are part of the gorgeous oak-clad spa. The indoor infinity-edged pool is perfect for swimming laps; the bubbly heated al fresco sunken hydrotherapy pool is surrounded by a sun deck and has views of the grounds; and the 18m outdoor wild swimming pool is kitted out with underwater heaters to stop it from freezing in winter (temperatures are around 14 degrees). Perhaps splash out on a treatment – the pro-sleep massage, or hydrating and toning body wrap, say – or try the thermal circuit which includes a marble-lined salt steam room (good for soothing post-swim aching muscles) and sauna. The spa also has its own relaxed restaurant, Botanica, where the dairy-free Mediterranean-inspired menu features plenty of plant-based dishes. No-one bats an eyelid if you eat lunch in your robe and, when the sun shines and the floor-to-ceiling glass doors are pulled back, there’s nowhere lovelier to be. There are also twice-daily supervised swims in the hotel’s cold water lake for a Wim Hof-style circulation-boost.

Just below the C Bay spa gardens at Carbis Bay Hotel, you’ll find the heated outdoor infinity pool which has showstopping views over St Ives Bay and loungers lined up on the terrace for a post-dip snooze. The spa at this luxury hotel in Cornwall also has a hydrotherapy pool and hot tub where you can sit back in the bubbles with a glass of champagne, and candle-lit treatment rooms for Bamford facials and massages, and detoxifying Voya mud wraps. Afterwards, relax by the fire in the lounge or on the balcony, which looks out across the water. When the private 25-acre Blue Flag beach below tempts you out, borrow up a kayak, paddleboard or canoe from the watersports centre and hit the water or an ice-cream from the wooden Lower Deck for a stroll along the sand. Restaurants include Walter’s on The Beach with an alfresco terrace and cocktail bar, and the laidback Mediterranean Beach Club with sea vistas through the floor-to-ceiling windows. At the latter, fresh fish from the St Ives day boats and Cornish crab are both top menu picks.

There’s nothing like mesmerising sea views to help you hit your target while swimming laps – and that’s exactly the panorama from the outdoor pool at this clifftop hotel on the North Devon coast, overlooking Saunton Sands Beach (consistent waves mean it’s especially popular with surfers and longboarders). Heated to 28°C from May to October – and open for cold water dips the rest of the year – it’s surrounded by loungers. There’s also a heated indoor pool and a mineral-rich 38°C saltwater vitality pool with pummelling massage jets which is part of the spa’s rejuvenating marine-inspired thermal suite (don’t miss the steam room, Finnish aroma sauna or ice fountain). Retreat to the rooftop sun deck, play tennis on courts overlooking the ocean or sign up for yoga and fitness classes on the lawn. For lunch, the best tables are on the balcony of the Beachside Grill where you can order finger-licking dishes such as Exmoor steak sandwiches, brisket burgers or fish and chips.

Listen to the sound of the waves crashing on Woolacombe Beach from the Bay Lido at this chic, coastal escape in north Devon. The outdoor pool (heated in summer) and cabana-style seating on the sun deck are protected from the sea breeze by wind-breaking walls yet still have sensational views of the shore. There’s also a tranquil indoor pool in the Alchemist Spa that’s ideal for bad weather days; pampering Gaia and Temple Spa treatments; an oversized copper tub for an essential oil bathing ritual; and a traditional diy rasul scrub and mud experience. After a day splashing about in the sea, hiking the South West Coast Path or simply kicking back by the pool, sit down for supper (perhaps homemade pizzas, steak and triple cooked chips or duck leg) at The Bay Brasserie before family movie nights at the retro-style NEO Cinema.

One highlight of the two-hour thermal experience at this luxury hotel in Cornwall is the heated hydrotherapy pool – it’s the largest in the southwest, with 21 bubbling jets, all targeting different muscle groups. Once you’ve soaked away any stress, drift between the heated loungers, the skin-cleansing Finnish sauna and the rainforest steam room. Not to mention, the world’s only Cornish sea salt steam room (excellent for reducing toxins) and, in the spa garden, the outdoor hot tub, cold plunge and barrel sauna which overlooks Falmouth Bay. The Health Club has its own indoor pool, gym and a timetable of over 100 classes a week – including aqua circuits and bootcamp and yoga on Blue Flag Ghilly Beach. Nearby Swanpool Beach is the spot for watersports such as windsurfing, sailing and kayaking; nearby walks include Pendennis Point and the Roseland Peninsula. For the latter, hop on a ferry to St Mawes and stroll a circular route around St Just Creek to Messack Point – the reward is spectacular harbour views.