7 serene spas in the North West where you can swim, soak, and switch off

Whether you’re planning a romantic overnight escape, a catch-up with friends, or simply craving a few hours of uninterrupted peace, the North West is home to some of the UK’s most impressive spas.

From sprawling countryside retreats with outdoor thermal gardens and swim-up bars, to stylish city sanctuaries hidden in the heart of Manchester, there’s a spa to suit every kind of relaxation.

We’ve rounded up some of the very best spas across the North West and just beyond, each offering something a little different, whether that’s lakeside hot tubs, award-winning wellness facilities, luxurious spa suites, or unique experiences you won’t find anywhere else.

So switch your phone to silent, grab your robe, and prepare to discover the spa breaks that are truly worth checking into.

1. Manor House

If you like your wellness with a side of whimsy, Manor House is the spa break you need to get on your wishlist.

This beautiful garden spa is like a maze of flowers and hedges that hide all sorts of hot tubs, saunas, swimming pools (and TWO swim-up bars), relaxation pods, steam rooms, and more.

There’s a cold plunge pool with spring flowers wrapped around it, a lawn for sunbathing if you’re lucky, and a traditional Finnish sauna overlooking it all, plus a sunken, circular hydrotherapy pool, a cosy summer house with noise-cancelling headphones you can plug in to, a gently heated panoramic laconium, hammocks, squishy sunbeds, swing seats, and so much more.

There’s even a new sauna that looks like a potting shed, so you can sit like a content little garden gnome while all your worries and tensions melt away.

Spa visits from £79, overnight packages from £279 – find out more HERE.

2. Carden Park, Cheshire

A heated outdoor pool, thermal pods, hot tubs, saunas, an all-weather champagne bar, fire pit, indoor pool, treatment rooms, relaxation rooms, Finnish sauna, bio sauna, salt steam room, aroma steam room, two restaurants, bars, golf, sculpture park, tennis courts, lake deep breath…

That’s just a taster of all the facilities on offer at Carden Park, a spa hotel in Cheshire that’s been named the best in the UK at the AA awards.

The rooms within the hotel have undergone a refurb in recent years and are now just as beautiful as those award-winning spa facilities, while the on-site restaurant The Vines has scooped a third AA Rosette.

Spa experiences start from £89 per person, with overnight packages from £170. See more HERE.

3. Ye Olde Bell Hotel & Spa, Nottinghamshire

This gorgeous spa hotel has an amazing indoor-outdoor pool, with loads of massage jets and other features to relax with, plus heated outdoor loungers, different saunas and steam rooms, foot spas, and more.

At Ye Olde Bell, can even experience every season inside, with an artificial snowstorm to cool down after a sauna session, and an indoor beach to relax on.

A highlight is the medieval-looking stone bath, where mineral coals are lowered into a water bath by a mechanised iron bucket, releasing bursts of steam, and there’s a wooden fan you crank yourself to push the heat back down.

The rooms vary from traditional countryside hotel rooms to cosy lodges.

Spa days start from £90, while spa breaks with an overnight stay begin at £160. See more HERE.

4. The Gilpin, Lake District

This Lake District spa hotel is pretty special, with a couple of spa options to suit every taste.

Up at the main hotel, you could book yourself a stay in one of the luxurious and modern spa suites, which come with their own sauna, steam room, treatment space, hot tub, and rainfall showers INSIDE your suite, as well as a private hot tub on the decking outside.

Or you can head down to the fairytale lakeside setting of The Lake House, where wood-fired hot tubs sit on the waterside and have beautiful views down the valley.

You can read more about a stay at The Gilpin HERE.

Spa experiences start from £95pp – see more HERE.

5. King Street Townhouse, Manchester city centre

It’s hard to believe this serene spa is right in the heart of Manchester city centre, tucked down just metres from the rat race.

King Street Townhouse’s exceptional spa is the perfect place to relax and unwind, with facilities like a steam room, sauna and relaxation room, plus plenty of treatment options.

There’s a menu of exclusive ESPA treatments have been designed to ‘melt away stress and restore your glow’. 

Some packages even include a scoop of ice cream after your massage, which is a nice touch.

Spa visits start from £100, – there are also memberships available. Click HERE to find out more.

6. Moddershall Oaks, Staffordshire

A little further afield but worth the drive for the big relax at the end of it, Moddershall Oaks is a luxury country retreat with first-class indoor and outdoor spa facilities.

Spa treatments take place in the cosy former farmhouse, while the spa itself is surrounded by woodland and centred around a 25 sq metre heated outdoor pool.

The outdoor spa also includes a relaxation lounge, kelo sauna, drench bucket and a private spa pool, while inside you’ll find an indoor swimming pool, a steam room, a hydrotherapy pool, an experience shower, and reflexology footbaths.

There’s even a sleep lounge where you devices are banned, so you can proper switch off and have a snooze.

There are loads of spa packages available starting from £120, plus overnights from £260. See more HERE.

7. Mottram Hall, Cheshire

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On arrival, the theme of Mottram Hall is grand – you drive past 270 acres of landscaped gardens, check in inside the Grade II-listed manor house, then head across to the luxurious £15m Champneys spa.

The spa facilities at Mottram Hall include a 20 metre swimming pool, a hydropool, thermal suites, and a cold room, plus an outdoor hydropool so you can soak beneath the stars or in the sunshine.

And if you like a more comprehensive wellness day, they’ve got a fantastic gym, a golf course, and a padel court too.

Spa visits start from £59; spa breaks with an overnight stay and meals from £220 per person.

See more HERE.

Read more

• Manor House Hotel & Spa – The magical garden spa near Manchester with TWO swim-up bars
• The boutique Manchester hotel quietly boasting the most serene spa in the city
• The countryside spa hotel with its own beach, outdoor pool, and beautiful lodge rooms

Featured image: The Manc Group