I can’t think of many better places in the UK for a spa break than the charming Cotswolds. This glorious green part of England dotted with pretty, honey-toned villages offers plenty of properties with outstanding spa facilities.
If you follow me on social media then you’ll know about my ongoing love affair with the Cotswolds. I’ve visited the region countless times over the years and have been lucky to try a number of the best spa breaks in the Cotswolds.
Based on my own personal experiences, plus a few recommendations from fellow travellers, my guide details 14 of the finest spa breaks in the Cotswolds.
From an elegant city spa in well-heeled Cheltenham to a country bolthole in a secluded spot, read on to find your new favourite Cotswolds spa in which to fully unwind.
1. Whatley Manor, Malmesbury
Address: Easton Grey, Malmesbury SN16 0RB
Best for: An exclusive feel
Whatley Manor provides an incredibly peaceful and sophisticated retreat from everyday life.
I think it’s the perfect spot for a memorable Cotswolds spa break. With just 23 rooms and suites in total, I love that this property exudes an exclusive yet relaxed air.
On site amenities for guests to wallow in include a dozen acres of gardens, a gym, two restaurants, a couple of bars and even a 40-seater cinema.
Accommodation, meanwhile, comes with Bang & Olufsen electricals and deluxe toiletries.
A range of beauty treatments are available at Aquarias Spa and I’d recommend making thorough use of the hydrotherapy pools, salt scrub showers, thermal cabins and heated stone recliners.
2. Barnsley House, Cirencester
Address: Barnsley, Cirencester GL7 5EE
Best for: A romantic spa break
It may only be a few miles from Cirencester, but I love that Barnsley House feels like an entirely different world.
The glamorous, 17th century property is set among magnificent landscaped grounds, and offers an impressive range of accommodation and facilities.
Rooms and suites boast features such as garden views, whirlpool baths, four poster beds and split level living.
While hotel amenities include a cinema, tennis courts, a heated outdoor pool and a restaurant. I have no doubt that this is one of the best luxury hotels in the Cotswolds.
There’s an extensive treatment menu offered at the spa, which is packed with botanical elements and natural woods to create a soothing atmosphere.
3. Thyme, Lechlade
Address: Southrop, Lechlade GL7 3PW
Best for: More than just a spa
Thyme is located in the sleepy hamlet of Southrop, and is more of a lifestyle concept than merely one of the top Cotswolds spa hotels.
At the site there’s also a retail outlet including a fashion boutique, which I’d highly recommend visiting. The hotel and its grounds occupy 150 acres of Gloucestershire farmland.
Accommodation options range from luxurious cottages to well-appointed rooms, and the property offers cookery classes, a pub, a drawing room and a boules court.
I love that the spacious site is almost like a village in itself. Meadow Spa includes a heated freshwater pool plus a suite of treatment rooms.
4. Dormy House, Broadway
Address: Willersey Hill, Broadway WR12 7LF
Best for: An award-winning spa
Dormy House was once a Broadway farmhouse, and is now the ideal venue for a spa break in the Cotswolds – and one of my personal favourites.
Located in one of the most picturesque Cotswolds villages, its position can barely be bettered.
Each room is equipped with modern amenities like a Nespresso machine and an in-room iPad, and suites have spacious lounge areas.
The restaurant and bar has a relaxed air, yet serves up refined cuisine each evening.
The award-winning Dormy House spa has a thermal suite, a walk-in pool and a hot tub on the terrace. It offers a range of pampering treatments to ensure guests look and feel their very best.
I love that guests book one hour slots for the spa, in order to limit the number of people in there at a time. This guarantees a serene and relaxing spa experience that’s not overrun with too many people – I really think that more spas could benefit from doing this!
Watch my Instagram Reel of my stay at Dormy House.
5. Ellenborough Park, Cheltenham
Address: Southam Lane, Cheltenham GL52 3NJ
Best for: An Indian-inspired spa
This five star spa in the Cotswolds offers a convenient location for the elegant regency town and its racecourse, yet the honey-coloured building is set among many acres of gardens.
A complimentary shuttle service to the racecourse is provided on race days.
The Indian-inspired Spa at Ellenborough Park can tailor bespoke treatments to suit each guest and deluxe Elemis products are used.
I always appreciate when only adults are admitted to the sauna, jacuzzi and steam room. This property offers spa days in the Cotswolds from Monday to Thursday.
A fine dining restaurant, 61 individually styled rooms, a gym and an outdoor heated pool complete the appealing picture.
I’d recommend booking via ASMALLWORLD for access to VIP benefits like free room upgrades and late check-outs where available.
6. Cotswold House Hotel & Spa, Chipping Campden
Address: The Square, Upper High Street, Chipping Campden GL55 6AN
Best for: Great location
Cotswold House occupies a regency building on a two acre site in Chipping Campden. With the village’s market hall just two minutes’ walk away, I think it’s as convenient a location as it is aesthetically pleasing.
Some of the suites at Cotswold House feature unusual egg-shaped bathtubs, and one even boasts a hot tub within its own secluded garden. I’d definitely recommend booking this one if you can!
There’s a great restaurant here, and the village eateries are also within easy reach.
The spa is housed in the former stables block, and offers a steam room, a hydrotherapy pool, a relaxation zone and even a nail bar and hairdressing salon. There are five treatment rooms too.
7. Wild Rabbit & Bamford Wellness Spa, Kingham & Daylesford
Address: Bamford Haybarn, Daylesford, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0YG
Best for: Foodies
While you may associate the Daylesford name with organic produce, trust me when I say that the spa here really is something to write home about.
To reach the spa from the Wild Rabbit pub, you can take a 20-minute stroll across farmland or a five minute drive.
Inside, it’s a symphony of white, light-filled spaces plus pale natural woods.
As well as treatments, the spa offers a range of movement classes to help promote good posture (currently hunched over my laptop as I write this, so sign me up!) and overall wellbeing.
Accommodation options here range from pub rooms at the Wild Rabbit to Daylesford farm or Kingham village cottages.
8. Lucknam Park, Wiltshire
Address: Lucknam Park, Chippenham SN14 8AZ
Best for: Incredible spa packages
Tucked away near Chippenham, Lucknam Park’s fine dining establishment has been making waves on the culinary scene for some time – and I can see why.
The hotel also offers superlative spa breaks in the Cotswolds. The early 18th century Palladian mansion is set on a vast 500 acre site, and a definite bonus is the fact that Bath is just eight miles distant.
Lucknam Manor also houses a cookery school, a gym and an equestrian centre, while the spa area includes indoor and outdoor heated pools.
I think the spa packages list here is second-to-none and includes afternoon tea, dining and horse-riding spa days.
I’d recommend booking with ASMALLWORLD for access to VIP perks like free room upgrades and late check-outs when available.
9. Mallory Court, Leamington Spa
Address: Harbury Lane, Leamington Spa CV33 9QB
Best for: Newest Cotswolds spa
Though it’s housed in an iconic, historic Lutyens style building, Mallory Court’s Elan Spa is actually one of the newest venues for a break or spa day in the Cotswolds.
Mallory Court offers 10 acres of outdoor space, 43 rooms and a triple AA rosette awarded restaurant.
The spa can be booked for an hour or two prior to arrival. Guests booking a treatment also receive complimentary access for one hour (though a time slot must be reserved).
Spa facilities include hydrotherapy and vitality pools, a gym, a thermal zone and a café. The list of available experiences, meanwhile, covers spa rituals, refining facials and pampering body treatments.
It sounds like utter bliss to me!
10. The Greenway, Cheltenham
Address: Shurdington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL51 4UG
Best for: An intimate feel
With only 21 guest bedrooms, I love that The Greenway has an intimate feel as well as a natural one. The eight acre site offers a smart brasserie, a more traditional panelled dining room and a superb spa.
The spa at this historic, ivy-clad Elizabethan manor in the Cotswolds offers three hours’ access to all hotel guests who book a treatment of at least 55 minutes’ duration.
Or you can purchase several hours’ access for a very reasonable flat fee.
The outdoor hot tub, thermal suite, gym and pool provide plenty to keep you occupied when you’re not being pampered by an expert therapist.
11. Soho Farmhouse, Chipping Norton
Address: Great Tew, Chipping Norton OX7 4JS
Best for: Exceptional spa facilities
Boasting 100 acres of sprawling countryside, there’s no shortage of space at Soho Farmhouse near Chipping Norton. This is another one of my personal favourites.
There are various amenities and accommodation options found throughout the grounds.
These include dining rooms, a cinema, a boathouse on the lake, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, stables and even a five-a-side pitch. I’d also recommend trying your hand at clay pigeon shooting here, or going horse riding.
The facilities of the Cowshed Spa are first-class and include hot tubs, a hammam and a broad range of treatment options. I’ve had some of the best massages of my life here!
Top tip: Part of the Soho House Group, Soho Farmhouse can only be booked by members. If you’re not a full member, you can get a Soho Friends membership which costs £100 per year.
This membership allows you to visit any Soho House property as long as you are staying overnight.
12. Calcot Hotel & Spa, Tetbury
Address: Calcot House, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8YJ
Best for: Fine dining
A 14th century country manor, fine dining and an outstanding spa can all be yours for the day or weekend when you book into Calcot Hotel.
All accommodation is uniquely styled and the options include family suites spread over two floors.
There’s both a Cotswolds pub and a Mediterranean style restaurant here. The hotel also has a creche, kids’ pool, gym and hot tub – I’d really recommend this Cotswolds spa hotel for families.
Half day spa packages can include lunch at The Gumstool Inn, or book a full-day spa that can be tailored to suit your preferences.
13. Cowley Manor, Cowley
Address: Cowley, Cheltenham GL53 9NL
Best for: Beautiful swimming pools
I love that beautiful Cowley Manor oozes a sophisticated yet quirky style in typical Cotswolds fashion.
The landscaped grounds are a delight, and filled with tranquil lakeside spots for those moments of romance or relaxation.
The C-Spa is also a big draw, and has won a clutch of accolades for the design and service.
The heated outdoor pool surrounded by decking is stunning, and without doubt the showpiece of the site.
There’s also an indoor pool, a gym, a steam room, a relaxation area, a sauna and treatment rooms. My personal favourite part of the spa is the gorgeous indoor pool which feels like it merges with the nature around it.
Accommodation options include good, better, exceptional and outstanding rooms, and there’s also a restaurant, bar and terrace.
14. The Lygon Arms, Broadway
Address: High Street, Broadway WR12 7DU
Best for: Peace and quiet
This smart, four star property is situated in the beautiful Cotswolds Village of Broadway. The traditional coaching inn dates from the 1600s, and offers a mix of modern and characterful rooms.
The Lygon Arms offers a fine dining restaurant as well as the more laid-back pub dining room, and also offers a croquet lawn, a sauna, a gym and an indoor pool.
I think this spa makes the perfect retreat when Broadway is busy with enthralled visitors. Offered here is a range of treatments, plus a good selection of spa day and membership packages.
If you prefer your own self-catering accommodation, discover Cotswolds holiday rentals.
Let me know your own personal favourite Cotswolds spa breaks in the comments! Looking for more inspiration? Start with my guide to visiting the Cotswolds or discover more of my Cotswolds articles:
- 15 luxury hotels in the Cotswolds
- 15 best brunch spots in the Cotswold
- 23 fun things to do in the Cotswolds
- 15 lovely spots for afternoon tea in the Cotswolds
- 21 amazing restaurants in the Cotswolds
Or check out my Cotswolds villages guides:
- Castle Combe
- Bibury
- Upper Slaughter
- Burford
- Cirencester
- Lower Slaughter
- Stow-on-the-Wold
- Bourton-on-the-Water