If you, like us, tend to click ‘hot tub’ whenever you’re browsing for a UK staycation, then this list of options near Greater Manchester should tick a few boxes for you.
While we can never guarantee good weather here in Britain, none of that matters once you submerge yourself in hot, bubbly water with a glass of cold bubbly in your hand.
Luckily for us Mancs, we have the Peak District, Lake District and Yorkshire Dales all right on our doorstep (not to mention all the beautiful countryside in Lancashire, Cheshire, North Wales and beyond), and there are plenty of places you can stay with hot tubs.
Did you know that Hoseasons, which has holiday parks, lodges, cottages, and caravan holidays right across the UK, has the largest collection of hot tub holidays in the entire country?
So you can quit searching high and low for your perfect staycation and sink your teeth into the list below, right in time for the August bank holiday.
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10 of the best hot tub holidays near Greater Manchester
Charlesworth Lodges
Hoseaons has a wealth of hot tub holidays near Greater Manchester. Pictured here is Charlesworth Lodges.
On the edge of the magnificent Peak District National Park you’ll find Charlesworth Lodges, a collection of eight beautiful lodges decorated with modern but cosy interiors.
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When you stay at these perfect rural retreats, you’ll have moorland walks and postcard-perfect villages right on your doorstep.
Then you can, of course, unwind in your own private hot tub outside your lodge at the end of a day exploring.
Book your hot tub stay at Charlesworth Lodge with Hoseasons here.
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Darwin Forest
Darwin Forest has beautiful lodges with hot tubs near Greater Manchester
Fancy a staycation with some of the north west’s most famous walks on your doorstep, as well as plenty of family-friendly activities to keep you entertained?
Darwin Forest might be the one for you. It’s located in woodland near Matlock and Bakewell, and is home to activities like tennis, mini golf, bodyzorbing, archery and SeaScooters, plus loads of footpaths and cycling trails to explore.
There’s an indoor play centre for kids, an activity den, a heated indoor swimming pool, a gym, and dozens of different lodges with private hot tubs (some of which are pet-friendly, too).
Ribblesdale Lodges is nestled in Gisburn Park Estate.
Nestled in the grounds of the Grade I-listed Gisburn Park Estate is Ribblesdale Lodges, where you can wave hello to the resident peacocks and Sika deer while relaxing in your own sumptuous hot tub.
With a range of Hoseasons lodges and cottages with hot tubs to stay in, plus a lovely on-side restaurant and a great pub down the road, it’s easy to see why these are some of the best staycation options near Greater Manchester.
You’ll be near the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty which inspired ‘The Lord of the Rings’, too.
Landal Twin Lakes has two-storey lodges with hot tubs
You’d be forgiven for looking at Landal Twin Lakes and thinking we’d picked a staycation in Austria – but nope, this beautiful spot is indeed just up the road from Greater Manchester.
Tucked between the Lake District and the Forest of Bowland, you’ll find bespoke two-storey lodges with unbelievable waterside views and lakefront decking (with, of course, giant hot tubs).
Each boutique lodge can sleep up to six people.
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Book your hot tub staycation at Landal Twin Lakes here.
Coole Acres Fishery
Coole Acres Fishery has hot tubs with waterfront views – and it’s not far from Greater Manchester
This new family-friendly destination is nestled in the heart of the Cheshire countryside, offering the most picturesque British staycation experience.
There are cosy shepherd’s huts, glamping pods, and spacious luxury lodges available, and if you’re a keen angler, you’re right on the shores of well-stocked lakes for fishing (including 49 lb catfish).
You’ll just be a five-minute drive from the village of Audlem, and not much further from bustling Nantwich, plus driving distance from Alton Towers, Delamere Forest and Wild Shore Delamere.
Kitty’s View Country Lodges are perfect hot tub holidays for animal lovers
Animal lovers will adore a holiday at Kitty’s View Country Lodges, which is set on a working farm filled with cows, sheep, hens, ponies and donkeys.
From your one- or two-bedroom lodge in the heart of the Cheshire countryside, you’ll be able to soak in views of Bickerton Hill and the lush surroundings.
You know we mentioned they’re perfect for animal-lovers? Some of the lodges even come with a dog room so your four-legged friend can have a luxury staycation too.
The White Willow Premium Cabin at Delamere Forest. Credit: paulbox
Even if you’re a seasoned pro at British staycations, you might not have discovered these new lodges in the heart of the Cheshire Plain yet.
You’ll be able to escape into a leafy haven and discover lost meres and mosses, along footpaths, cycle and riding trails, and while drinking in views across seven counties.
These beautiful, modern lodges have huge windows and private hot tubs too.
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Click here to book your stay at Delamere Forest Lodges.
Rivendale Lodge Retreat
The Rivendale Lodge Retreat is in the Peak District
Part of Hoseasons’ Evermore Lodge Holidays Collections, this Peak District beauty has loads to offer both on site and just on its doorstep.
Shall we name just a few of the places you can easily visit from Rivendale Lodge Retreat? Okay then – the Heights of Abraham, Poole’s Cavern, Gulliver’s Kingdom, Dovedale nature reserve, the Tissington Trail, and all the picturesque countryside in between.
There are several lodges and even treehouses with hot tubs you can book here.
Water babies will love a holiday at Delamere Lake Sailing and Holiday Park, which has activities like paddle boarding, sailing, and open water swimming around its 120-acre lake, plus more adrenaline pumping options at the neighbouring Wildshore Watersports Centre.
But even if you prefer to keep your feet on dry land, this Cheshire holiday park is one to add to the bucket list.
It’s moments from Delamere Forest (so an easy trip from Greater Manchester) and is filled with beautiful lodges with outdoor hot tubs. Book your trip here.
Internet signals reportedly ‘100x faster on the moon’ than on some UK trains
Danny Jones
Yes, you read that right: according to a recent study, internet signals on some UK trains are currently estimated to be 100x slower than they would be on… wait for it: the actual MOON.
Give us strength – and by that we mean signal strength.
As per new analysis carried out by Good Business Travel (GBT), research into some of the worst-connected train routes across Great Britain has delivered a rather depressing evaluation of our telecommunications systems and railways.
While some may certainly be better than others, it’s fair to say that we’ve all been there; you’re trying to have a call or use even a crumb of your data on a train before you ultimately give up and start arbitrarily looking through your photo library.
Put a man on the moon ✅ Cure diseases ✅
Get wifi on a fucking train. ABSOLUTELY NOT. NOOOO WAYYYYYY.
As damning and hyperbolic a claim as it might sound, GBT have indeed found that when compared against Ofcom’s benchmark for reliable internet performance (5Mbit/s), not a single train journey consistently meets the regulator’s standard.
Anyone who’s ever done Manchester to London and vice versa will know all too well how frustrating it can be to get a steady signal during your journey.
Never mind, eh? You know, they’re only two of the most modern and digitally-driven cities in the entire country – foolish of us to expect the key North-South link would carry over to internet connection.
Regarding train WiFi, hit and miss is putting it mildly, and even if you’re lucky enough to be on one that actually has a decent signal, it’s only a matter of time before the carriages fill up and throttle everyone’s connection, and it becomes patchy at best.
In what might be one of the slightest consolations ever, you’ll be glad to hear the LDN-MCR speeds are only the seventh worst in the nation, managing just 16% when it came to the average mobile network ‘Good Performance’ by Ofcom standards. You can see the unwanted top 10 leaderboard in full below.
The worst UK train journeys for mobile connectivity
Rank
Route
Average mobile network Good Performance (Ofcom)
1
Basingstoke to Coventry
6%
2
Sheffield to Doncaster
12%
3
Taunton to Leeds
13%
4
London to Edinburgh
14%
5
London to East Midlands Parkway
14%
6
Bedford to London St Pancras Peak
15%
7
London to Manchester
16%
8
London to Glasgow
18%
9
London to Plymouth
24%
10
London to Bournemouth
25%
Put simply, a staggering number of domestic train journeys fail the litmus test for what would be considered even a decent connection.
It’s got to the point now that there are even people starting nationwide campaigns to help generate awareness around upgrading telecoms infrastructure across the UK, with trains being one of the biggest challenges in this country.
Speaking on the report, Good Business Travel’s Client Experience Director, Natasha Inglis, said in a statement: “Millions of people travel by train every week expecting to work, stream, message friends or simply stay connected.
“Instead, they’re met with frozen video calls, emails that won’t send and endless buffering. While improvements to Britain’s rail connectivity have been promised by the government, passengers still have to deal with unreliable coverage every day. There are a few tricks that can help in the meantime.
“Many people don’t realise that sitting on the side of the train facing nearby towns or major roads can improve your signal because you’re closer to mobile masts. It’s also worth switching your phone to 4G instead of allowing it to constantly search for weak 5G signals, which often makes connectivity even less reliable on moving trains.”
But hey, things are slowly getting better if reports are to be believed, with satellite-enabled mobile services gradually being rolled out, meaning traditional ‘deadzones’/signal blackspots may not be as big of a problem as they once were. Touch wood.
For now, we’re just going to keep making sure we’ve got a decent book with us and enjoy taking a break from endless screentime.
The UK’s ‘fastest-growing ultra’ run that’s the perfect beginner’s race and less than 90 minutes from Manchester
Danny Jones
Dubbed as the UK’s ‘fastest-growing ultra’ run, not to mention perfect for beginners looking to get into the craze, and its picturesque setting is located more than an hour and a half away in the Lakes.
Revolving around one of Britain’s most beautiful National Parks, you can get there in less than 90 minutes, and it’s also easily reachable via public transport if you’re willing to make the journey.
Let’s be honest, if you’re the kind of person who enjoys running long distances, a few hours on trains and buses is a drop in the ocean.
Founded in 2023, the Altra 13 Valleys Ultra over in the Lake District has seen a bigger attendance every year, with a 60% increase in registrations year-on-year, and with such stunning scenery to take in whilst trekking through the hills, it’s no wonder.
The trail and ultra marathon phenomenon is one that, rather fittingly, looks to be constantly on the up, with seemingly a huge uptake not just here in Greater Manchester but across the country in general.
A great sport to take up early and often turned to later in life, the benefits go without saying; then, taking into account events in places as gorgeous as this World UNESCO Heritage Site, it’s no wonder this particular race is seeing even bigger crowds.
Ticking off famous Wainwrights and other bucket list destinations like Borrowdale, Buttermere, Coniston, Langdale and Ullswater; the Theatre finish line at Keswick, and of course, Windermere, plenty simply turn to the 13 Valleys Ultra for the views and accessibility – especially if you live here in the North West.
We don’t need to tell you how jaw-dropping the Cumbrian landscape can be at times, but the promotion hosted by beloved running brand Altra really has put together a wonderful whirlwind tour of the region that you can enjoy on foot.
Credit: Press shot (supplied via Altra/Get the Affect)
Now into its fourth year, with people already gearing up for 2027, too, it’s fair to say that this is fast becoming one of the most in-demand trail races on the national circuit and endurance calendar.
Speaking to The Manc, Event Director Colin Murphy told us: “Not everyone wants to tackle 100 miles, and that’s exactly why the 2 Valleys has become such an exciting part of the Altra 13 Valleys Ultra weekend.
“It’s an adventure that’s within reach for so many people, runners and walkers alike, giving them the chance to experience the incredible Lake District, soak up the event atmosphere and challenge themselves in a completely new way. We want people to realise that ultra and trail events aren’t just for elite athletes; the 2 Valleys proves there’s a place for everyone on the start line.’”
That being said, walkers are also welcome, of course, and they also have shorter variations for those just starting out on the trail scene or looking for an easier race, but we’ll get on to that in a minute…
We’re always blown away by the people who can add elevation into already big enough tests; for instance, this bloke is taking on the biggest mountain in England as part of a wider charity challenge.
It’s worth noting that you don’t need to do the ‘full thing’, as the organisers offer four different routes when it comes to length, with total distances ranging from 22 kilometres and going all the way up to a whopping 180km. Gulp.
George Thorpe – long-distancerunner, 33, who is taking on the 2026 challenge –is following in his fiancée and former participant’s footsteps, insisting that running has shown him he’s “stronger than I ever imagined”, while also providing an escape into nature, improving mental wellbeing and introducing him to a supportive community that encourages everyone to achieve more than they think possible.
The 22k/half-marathon version is a super popular choice, having already sold 70% of their entire allocation for this year, as you get a little bit of everything: an ideal intro to trail running, a mix of road and trail, the scenic course, a great crowd of mixed abilities, and once again, walking is encouraged.
So whether you’re an ultra-marathon addict, a runner looking to make things up, or just a rambler looking to cop a medal for your next outing, you can find out more about the Altra 13 Valleys Ultra, see if any of them suit you, and sign up for the 2026 edition right HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
13th August 2024 
