When the temperature rises over 30 degrees all anyone can think about is plunging into cool water. So, it’s no surprise that every Lido and public pool in the country has been inundated with bookings over the 9-day heatwave – and packed with hot, sweaty people as a result.
Head to the seaside and it’s a similar story – the most popular sunbathing spots (except these seven hidden UK beaches) get uncomfortably busy when the sun shines.
But there is another way: I recommend booking one of these eight UK hotels with outdoor pools so you can enjoy the sunshine in peace, sipping an Aperol spritz under a shady parasol after a refreshing dip. Bliss.
The whole summer is predicted to be warmer-than-average so it’s no wonder Hotels.com have found searches for UK hotels with pools have increased by 40% year-on-year. And according to Expedia Group’s Unpack ’26 Summer – The Trends in Travel report, demand for staycations has increased by 77% with 45% of us more interested in a UK break this summer than we were last year.
Here are eight of our favourite hotels with pools around the UK – and there’s availability this week if you’re quick!
1. South Lodge, West Sussex
Nestled on the edge of St Leonard’s Forest in the heart of the Sussex Downs, South Lodge has not one but two outdoor pools as well as a peaceful lake for wild swimming (and lifeguards who’ll look out for you when you take a dip).
The original neo-Jacobean house has been extended with two wings, glorious gardens (look out for Big Rhodey, the country’s largest rhododendron bush), Michelin-starred restaurant The Pass, an award-winning spa, tennis courts and luxury lakeside lodges. I can’t think of a better place to be than during a heatwave than in one of The Reeds: six, luxury two-storey lakeside lodges which have a private sundeck, outdoor copper bath, kitchenette and access to the cold-water lake. The Reeds sleep four so are perfect for a family or small group of friends and there are two Spa Lodges nearby for couples with a steam shower, outdoor whirlpool bath and infrared halotherapy sauna.
Split over two levels, The Reeds’ double height floor-to-ceiling windows look out over a small lake (with ducks!) where you can go wild swimming – and there are DryRobes in the wardrobe to use afterwards.
Beautifully designed with sustainability in mind, there’s a kitchenette with a fully stocked fridge and snack drawer, huge marble bathroom with Pelegrims toiletries (made using waste from nearby vineyards) and a breakfast basket full of delicious pastries is delivered through a handy hatch in the morning so you’re not disturbed. And for more pampering, the spa is a short walk away through the grounds (all 93 acres of them).
2. Ragdale Hall, Leicestershire
Ragdale Hall, a mix of Victorian grandeur and state-of-the-art facilities, has offered the latest spa treatments - as well as fitness classes, wellness advice and delicious food - for more than 30 years.
We love hosting Good Housekeeping spa breaks here and the first place I head to when I go is the stunning rooftop infinity pool. It’s one of the best in the country (and I’ve tried a few!) with fabulous views over the green countryside and rolling hills beyond. Beautiful at night, too, there are massage jets and bubbles beds to relax on before heading off to bed.
There’s a heated outdoor pool in the grounds open during spring and summer with plenty of padded loungers to relax on in your white robes during the day, plus six more pools inside (I love the candlelit and waterfall pools, too).
GH has up to 35% off spa breaks at Ragdale Hall if you fancy a swim in that infinity rooftop pool, with prices for a two-night break starting from £625pp midweek. This fabulous offer includes two nights’ full-board accommodation in a Luxury room, one indulgent 40-minute treatment and full use of the spa facilities, gym and exercise classes as well breakfast in bed if you want it, a three-course buffet lunch and three-course dinner each evening. Make the most of the outdoor pools and you’ll not only cool down during the heatwave, but leave feeling relaxed, rested and restored, too.
BOOK HERE FOR 35% OFF BOOK HERE FULL PRICE
3. art’otel London, Battersea Power Station
Outdoor pools are scarce in the capital, so this hidden gem overlooking Battersea Power Station’s iconic four towers, is a hidden gem. Part cocktail bar (an Aperol spritz is a must), part infinity pool, you can cool off and take in sweeping views of the city skyline from the 16th floor.
Reserved exclusively for hotel guests, it’s worth spending a night in the hotel for the pool alone. Children are only allowed in from 6am-12noon, meaning afternoon dips will be peaceful and splash-free. There’s a Technogym and spa as well as aqua board Pilates classes on stand-up paddleboards in the pool. The colourful art-inspired rooms aren’t bad either.
4. Schloss Roxburghe, Roxburghshire
Bask in the fresh Scottish air and enjoy a moment of calm in this hotel’s impressive outdoor pool, complete with a sauna, snazzy outdoor showers and a hot tub for some hot and cold therapy. Set in the gorgeous greenery of the Scottish Borders, the hotel’s only an hour’s drive from both Edinburgh and Newcastle. There’s a modern gym with windows that look out over the grounds (I always find that helps me run faster) as well as the opportunity to explore the property’s 300 acres of land, which includes 2.5 miles of the River Teviot, Trout Loch, beautiful parkland and estate gardens.
5. Cliveden House, Berkshire
Possibly the most famous pool in the country, the elegant ‘Profumo’ pool in the gardens at Cliveden House is the last remaining listed pool in England. Famous for being where Macmillan’s Minister for War John Profumo first glimpsed the unclad Christine Keeler frolicking in the water, its role in the ensuing sexual and political scandal is etched in history. You can bubble away in the outdoor hot tubs or head inside for a less controversial dip in the 22m indoor swimming pool.
Set within 376 acres of immaculate National Trust gardens, it’s a wonderful place to escape for a special occasion and let’s not forget that Meghan Markle stayed here the night before her wedding.
The hotel itself, built in the late 17th century and once owned by the Astor family, is perched on chalk cliffs above the Thames. Queen Victoria was a regular visitor and even moved in for a while in 1866, to escape ‘the noise and turmoil of Ascot’.
Have a relaxed lunch in the Astor Grill, take in the afternoon tea in the Great Hall and then dress for dinner in Cliveden’s grand Dining Room. Just don’t forget to use the pool because a swim at Cliveden won’t just cool you down – it will capture your imagination.
6. The Hotel Portmeirion, Gwynedd
Pastel-hued Portmeirion is best known as being ‘The Village’ in cult sci-fi series The Prisoner and fans still flock to it today to see where Number 6 lived. Designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis in 1925, it took 50 years to finish what looks more like an Italian town than a Welsh village complete with an ornate central piazza, stylish villas and towering domes.
There are two hotels you can stay in but only one, The Hotel Portmeirion, has an outdoor pool. You’ll find it open from April to September on the lawn, overlooking the sandy beaches of the Dwyryd Estuary. There are only 14 bedrooms and they get booked up fast – so nab one if you want a swim in the Prisoner pool!
7. The Newt, Somerset
This is a hotel that needs little introduction – it’s one of the most famous estates in the Southwest, except perhaps for nearby Worthy Farm. The purchase and renovation by Koos Bekker and Karen Roos after they purchased it in 2013 was delayed by a colony of 2,000 protected newts that lived on the grounds, which gave the hotel its now-famous name. The South African couple also own its sister property, Babylonstoren, a wine estate near Franschhoek in The Western Cape.
Attached to the Clockhouse at The Newt is a historic ‘Byre’ where cattle were kept for milking and overwintering. Behind it was a Barton (farmyard) and barns, which were expanded over time and in use for farming until the late 20th century. Now, the building is home to an indoor-outdoor pool which is part of the state-of-the-art spa, with a focus on the healing power of nature. This open-air swimming spot is surrounded by the property’s medieval herb garden – a haven where plants are grown to be used in botanical treatments. Book an orange, honey and olive hammam experience if you know what’s good for you.
8. Middleton Lodge, North Yorkshire
This Georgian country pile overlooking the bucolic North Yorkshire moors is the kind of quintessentially British boutique hotel that has you dreaming of buying your own four-poster bed. It’s situated on a 200-acre livestock-speckled farm and emanates cosy, country charm. With cool metal tubs outdoors for bathing in and a stress-soothing ‘forest spa', there are plenty of places to put your feet up, before you’ve even spotted the sizeable outdoor pool. Be sure to book your 3.5 hour swim and spa slot – it’s for your own benefit because you’re guaranteed to get a lounger to relax on afterwards.
