8 spa breaks for couples in the UK to book now

As the run-up to Christmas really begins, for many, so does the present panic. What to get the loved one in your life? Forget battling it out with the crowds in the shops or waiting in for endless online deliveries – a winter weekend escape at a gorgeous spa hotel could be the answer. From pampering treatments to countryside strolls, fireside cocktails to candlelit dinners at Michelin-star restaurants, a couple’s spa break in the UK ticks all the boxes. Here’s our pick of the best spa breaks for couples across the country right now.

Saltmoore, North Yorkshire

There’s something special about off-season coastal escapes, and Saltmoore, a five-minute walk from Sandsend Beach, is no exception (blow off the cobwebs with a romantic stroll along the sand to Whitby or head inland for a stomp across the wild North York moors). Set on a woodland estate with its own lake, this spa hotel opened its doors a year ago, but The Sanctuary has already garnered a reputation as a go-to destination for wellness. Highlights include the light-filled indoor pool that looks out onto the garden, the cryotherapy chamber and invigorating Brass Monkey ice bath (for the brave) – all of which complement Wildsmith treatments inspired by the principles of circadian rhythm. Inviting interiors nod to both sea and country, as does the food at Michelin-starred restaurant The Brasserie, where you can sit down for suppers of venison haunch and smoked mash, perhaps, or cider-battered fish and chips, before cosying up together by the roaring fire in the bar for a nightcap.

Address: Sandsend Road, Whitby, YO21 3ST
Website: saltmoore.co.uk

South Lodgeshoot360.co.uk

South Lodge, West Sussex

A hot-cold spa circuit is always more fun when there are two of you, and here, at the oak-clad, stand-alone spa in the grounds of South Lodge hotel, the pools are the star of the show. The blissfully warm alfresco hydrotherapy pool (as well as the glass-fronted botanical sauna) offers views of the South Downs in the distance; heaters keep the outdoor wild swimming pool at a nippy 14 degrees. There’s also an indoor infinity-edge lap pool, a marble-lined steam room, and spoiling treatments that range from vinotherapy to a gold sugar scrub. Instead of staying in the traditional, neo-Jacobean mansion, opt for The Reeds: choose from lakeside or a spa lodge (the latter has an infrared halotherapy sauna). Don’t miss dinner at Michelin-starred The Pass or the morning breakfast hamper, delivered to the door so you can make the most of a lie-in.

Address: Brighton Road, Lower Beeding, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 6PS
Website: exclusive.co.uk