Think opulent mini-break or luxe staycation and one of the first ingredients that come to mind, is a hot tub. Whether outdoors Scandi style with steam rising or a large indoor jacuzzi bath, there’s something about bubbles that delight almost every traveller. Book one of these hotels and you can soak in some of the finest surroundings.
Nira Caledonia Edinburgh
The Scottish climate may not always be suitable for outdoor tubs, and Nira Caledonia has the perfect solution – 40 square metre jacuzzi suites. Luxuriate in total privacy, as you gaze over the Georgian New Town or gardens and enjoy your tub. Huge windows create an airy feel in these grand, individually designed rooms with sleek furnishings in a sophisticated dark and earthy colour scheme. If you can tear yourself away, pop down to dine on chef Garry Swan’s cuisine in Blackwood’s Bar and Grill.
Gilpin Hotel & Lakes House
Family owned and run for over twenty years, the pretty white Edwardian house hotel opens up to Scandi style outbuildings in pale cedar wood and glass, creating a vintage meets contemporary feel. Of 25 rooms at Gilpin, six have their own private hot tubs, as do the garden suites and spa lodges, all with cosy touches, pale colour schemes and patterned wallpapers. Cross the grounds – where alpacas and llamas roam – and you’ll reach the Lake House, home to the hotel’s spa. And if you’re looking for great food you’ll find it at the two restaurants offering pan Asian and Indian Michelin starred cuisine, with a champagne bar for flowing bubbles of a different kind, late into the night.
No 15 Great Pulteney Bath
Housed in a Georgian grade I listed building, No 15 Great Pulteney is home to an eclectic mix of curios. Grand period features blend with statement modern art pieces and quirky furnishings such as chandeliers made from earrings and an illuminated statuette of Big Ben. In the basement – once a coal cellar – is the spa, where the cedarwood hot tub is found, along with a sauna for a Finnish feel. There are 40 rooms, eight of which can be found in the coach house beside the garden, as well as Cafe 15, the hotel’s eatery adorned with antique chemist’s cabinets and jars.
Hotel 41 London
Stay in the shadow of Buckingham Palace, overlooking the Royal Mews, at this distinguished Forbes Five Star-rated hotel. The Executive Lounge is geared to feel like a home from home (although with champagne trolleys and refined afternoon teas it has the edge on most domestic dwellings) and boasts the unusual inclusion of an honesty bar. A distinctive black and white colour scheme runs through public areas and 30 rooms. And for an unforgettable trip, book the stunning glass-roofed Conservatory Suite to sleep under the stars and luxuriate in a whirlpool bath.
Linthwaite House Hotel Lakes
Founded by Analjit Singh and part of the Leeu Collection, this hotel is found on the outskirts of Bowness surrounded by rugged countryside and overlooking Lake Windermere. It has 36 rooms, but choose the Hot Tub Suite to enjoy your own verandah with views across the water to Coniston Fells. The tub has its own indoor space, with large doors giving the option to open it up to the outdoors and breathtaking scenery. Almost everything inside is British made, with decor from South African interior designer Beverley Boswell fusing eye-catching style and relaxed comfort. Chef Simon Rogan is at the helm of its superb restaurant, Henrock with some of the produce coming directly from the hotel’s own farm in the Cartmel Valley.