We all deserve a treat once in a while, and what better way to get a little bit of me time than at one of Yorkshire’s best spas? Rejuvenating massage treatments? Check. Bottles of Prosecco? Check? Huge swimming pools? Check. Beautifully preened gardens? Check and double check!
Welcome to our picks of the very best spas in Yorkshire, perfect for spa breaks with a loved one, friends or your mum. All of these Yorkshire spas are set in picturesque spots around the county, ready to whisk you away from the everyday stresses and strains of life. Whether you need a weekend getaway, a mid-week break or a just a quick 1-hour treatment, you’re sure to leave feeling rejuvenated. So, what are you waiting for? Explore the best spa breaks in Yorkshire.
Check out our guide to the best wedding venues in York and the best Sunday lunches in York.
Best Yorkshire spa breaks
Rudding Park Hotel
Where: Harrogate
The best Yorkshire spa for: rooftop treatments
If you’re looking for one of the best spas in Yorkshire, Rudding Park Hotel is a multi award-winning spa, surrounded by luscious parkland and golf courses, in the traditional spa town of Harrogate. Housed in a magnificent Grade I-Listed, limestone country house, this Yorkshire spa boasts two wings with bold colours and luxury touches throughout – think brightly patterned sofas, pink chandeliers hanging from the ceilings and modern art adorning the walls.
The biggest draw of Rudding Park – apart from the two golf courses – is the huge, three-tennis-court-sized rooftop spa, complete with hydrotherapy pool saunas, spa bath, steam rooms, lounging areas and plenty of trees. Inside this Yorkshire spa, you’ll find a number of treatment rooms, a high-tech relaxation area and a 17-metre pool. Elsewhere in the hotel, there’s also a private cinema, a modest-sized gym and woodland walks and terraces. Fancy something to eat after a long day relaxing? Why not grab a bite to eat in their Horto restaurant which offers an extensive lunch menu with something for everyone. This is the perfect spa in Yorkshire for getting back to nature while enjoying the finer luxuries.
The Grand
Where: York
The best spa in Yorkshire for: a 5-star break from the city
Next up on our list of the best spa breaks in York is the city’s only five-star hotel, appropriately called The Grand. Located just a stone’s throw from York Minster and housed in the former Edwardian headquarters of the wealthy North Eastern Railway Company, this Yorkshire spa is a sight to behold. And, the interior is just as impressive, with the building’s original Edwardian features being impeccably maintained, including the parquet flooring, sweeping stone staircase, dark-wood doors and wide arched corridors. These period features have been paired with a contemporary colour scheme of deep purples and charcoal greys, along with velvet textures running throughout.
On arriving at the spa, you’ll be welcomed by a five-star mob of doormen, porters and concierges all vying to see to your every whim. The spa itself is located down in the original vaults and feature a 14-metre pool, Nordic sauna, fitness room and whirlpool, providing the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of York’s cobbled streets. If you feel a little peckish after your spa day, why not try their exquisite afternoon tea, then let it digest in the relaxation room while wearing a luxury Egyptian cotton robe and sipping a glass of Prosecco. This is one of the best Yorkshire spas for a convenient location in one of Yorkshire’s prettiest cities.
The Devonshire Arms
Where: Skipton
The best Yorkshire spa for: rural relaxation
Sitting pretty in 33,000 acres of prime Yorkshire Dales countryside on the Bolton Abbey Estate belonging to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, this spa is popular amongst locals and visitors alike. Standing in perfectly preened grounds, the building consists of two wings – a stone main house, built in 1610 as a coaching inn, and a rectangular block built in 1982. Inside, you’ll find artwork from Chatsworth’s Devonshire Collection – one of the finest private art collections in Europe, hanging on the walls and antique furnishings making you feel like you’ve just stepped onto a Downton Abbey film set.
Just across the road from the hotel, the spa itself is housed in a swanky barn conversion and features everything you could want from one of the best spas in Yorkshire, including a small pool, a gym, ESPA treatments and products. For after-spa snacks, head to the Brasserie which features an outdoor terrace and serves up delights like fish pie and Cumberland sausage and mash. Or, for a fancy feast, try The Burlington restaurant, which hold four AA Rosettes and offers six- and nine-course tasting menus.
The Feversham Arms
Where: Helmsley
The best spa in Yorkshire for: true tranquility
For the ultimate relaxing Yorkshire spa break, head down to The Feversham Arms. Part boutique hotel, part country manor house, this spa in Yorkshire is located in the picturesque market town of Helmsley in the North York Moors National Park. Originally built as a coaching inn, the property has been extended over the years to incorporate three adjoining cottages with creamy stone exteriors. Inside, you’ll find a long, slate-tiled corridor, decorated with prints and sketches by local artists, tan leather and burnt-orange tweed armchairs, and a real log fire.
While the aesthetic of this Yorkshire spa is pretty dreamy, the Verbena spa, with its six treatment rooms, salt inhalation chamber and Rasul experience, is what we really care about. Outside you’ll also find a jacuzzi, heated pool and twinkling fairy lights to set the mood. If you’re hungry after all that lounging around, go ahead and check out the Weathervane restaurant, where head chef Christopher Hobley has lovingly put together a three-course seasonal and locally-sourced menu.
Swinton Park Hotel
Where: Ripon
The best Yorkshire spa for: castle comfort
A full-blown castle, located in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, Swinton Park Hotel is a stately home wrapped in parkland and nearby to walks, waterfalls and pretty villages, as well as Fountains Abbey monastery, ruins and gardens just a 30-minute drive away. While it might look like a castle, though, the baronial pile, corner turrets, battlements and magnificent entrance tower are all Victorian embellishments. Inside, they’ve kept the décor true to its 17th-century roots, with one-of-a-kind antiques, soft, stand-out furnishings, polished-wood floors, deep red rugs and old-fashioned, gilt-framed portraits hung on the walls.
By contrast, the new spa and Terrace Restaurant are from a totally different era, decorated with light, fresh, sleek furnishings. Alongside the four-acre walled garden and nine-hole golf course, the spa, opened in 2017, is one of the biggest draws of this hotel. Combining indoor pools and thermal experiences with a chemical-free outdoor pool, heated loungers and a sauna, it’s difficult to beat this Yorkshire spa. At the end of your tiring day, head to Samuel’s Restaurant for a fancy meal or have a spot of afternoon tea by the fire in one of their historic living rooms.
Grantley Hall
Where: Ripon
The best spa in Yorkshire for:
Set in picture-perfect parkland midway between Ripon and the quaint market town of Pateley Bridge, the Palladian-style Grantley Hall offers nothing less than five stars, including its facilities, service and dining options. Its original stately home features have been modernised for its now 21st-century audience. Think soft cream and blue panelled reception rooms, elegant velvet furniture, an eclectic collection of artwork and tropical greenery around every corner. In fact, a new building even boasts a first-floor atrium complete with olive trees and Greek-style marble statues.
This Yorkshire spa has everything (and we mean it). From a spa with thermal experience and a snow room to a Japanese garden, an 18-metre pool, two gyms, 30 acres of parkland, and even wellies to borrow. If that’s not enough, there’s also three lounges, a wine-tasting room, plenty of spaces to sip coffee, and terraces for warm weather days. Grantley Hall really does offer the very definition of luxury spa break in Yorkshire. If you can peel yourself away from the spa and all the other fabulous facilities, you can choose to dine at Michelin-starred chef Shaun Rankin’s dining experience.
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