1. Liverpool: a city break with a sauna by the Mersey
Liverpool may not be the first place that comes to mind for a wellness break, but its waterfront offers plenty of ways to spend a relaxing winter day, from riverside walks and cosy cafes to the growing number of contemporary wellness spots.
Start at Wyld Sauna, Britain’s first floating sauna, moored at Princes Dock. Warm up in the Finnish sauna before taking a plunge into the cold water, with the Liverpool skyline stretching out across the Mersey. For a night in the city, Titanic Hotel Liverpool occupies the vast red-brick warehouses of Stanley Dock. Inside, Maya Blue Wellness offers a hydrotherapy pool, thermal suite, sauna and steam room – a very different use for a Victorian warehouse. In the city centre, The Municipal Hotel & Spa occupies a former council building and has its own spa, Himalayan salt sauna and 16-metre pool. When you’re ready to get outside, take a winter stroll around Royal Albert Dock, now boasting plenty of lively cafes and restaurants, or see the city from the water on the River Explorer Cruise.
2. Bath: where wellness has been on the itinerary for 2,000 years
Bath has been drawing visitors to its thermal waters since Roman times, making it one of Britain’s longest-running wellness destinations. Today, the ancient bathing tradition sits alongside Georgian architecture, modern spas and a thriving food scene. And with a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility recently released, visitors can relive Austen’s world while exploring Bath’s elegant Georgian streets.
At Thermae Bath Spa, bathe in naturally warm, mineral-rich thermal waters while enjoying panoramic views of Bath from the rooftop pool and relaxing in the Wellness Suite’s steam rooms and ice chamber. For a stay steeped in Georgian character, The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa occupies part of one of Bath’s most recognisable crescents. Its spa has a heated relaxation pool, vitality pool, sauna and steam room, with a garden to pause between treatments.
For a countryside take on Bath’s spa tradition, head just outside the city to Homewood Hotel & Spa, overlooking the Avon Valley. This elegant Georgian house is packed with artworks, playful decor, and there’s even an outdoor pool. Stay in a luxury spa suite and enjoy your own private hot tub, barrel sauna and plunge pool.
Bath’s connection between wellbeing and good food goes back centuries, too. At the Roman Baths, explore the remains of the ancient bathing complex before afternoon tea at the Georgian Pump Room Restaurant, which has been a meeting place for more than 200 years. For a more contemporary taste of the city, Savouring Bath runs award-winning walking food tours stopping at independent food and drink producers across the city.
3. Cumbria and the Lake District: trade screens for mountain views
It’s easy to slow down in the Lake District, where a landscape of clear lakes, sloping valleys and misty fells give visitors plenty of reason to put the phone away and reconnect with nature. At Another Place, Ullswater, the lake is part of the stay, offering swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding, followed by a retreat in a cosy waterside cabin. For a more traditional country-house stay, Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa sits beside Bassenthwaite Lake within 400 acres of woodland and grounds. Spend the morning walking through the winter landscape, then warm up in the spa’s indoor infinity pool or outdoor hydrotherapy pool. At Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa, guests can explore the countryside with a Hawk Walk & Spa experience, combining falconry on the fells with time in the thermal spa overlooking Windermere. For something a little more rustic, The Quiet Site offers carbon-neutral glamping, including Hobbit Hole accommodation - ideal for anyone who likes their winter hideaway with a touch of Middle-earth. When not floating in a hot tub, take to the water with Windermere Lake Cruises or head to Grizedale Observatory and watch the stars come out.
4. Scottish Borders: stories, landscapes and a slower table
South of Edinburgh, the Scottish Borders offers a different kind of reset, shaped by literary history and a landscape of rolling hills, stone-built villages and the winding River Tweed. Make SCHLOSS Roxburghe your base, a luxury country-house hotel set within 78 acres of grounds. Spend the morning playing a round of golf, then retreat to the spa for some downtime. From here, follow the River Tweed to Abbotsford House, the former home of Sir Walter Scott. Explore its richly decorated interiors and gardens, or follow the riverside paths through the landscape that inspired one of Scotland’s great writers and historians.
In the Borders, it’s easy to while away a winter afternoon. In Peebles, indulge in award-winning chocolate at Cocoa Black and get hands-on with chocolate masterclasses and workshops. In Hawick, The Borders Distillery offers guided tours and tastings at the Scottish Borders’ first Scotch whisky distillery since 1837. Discover the region’s whisky-making traditions while seeing how the spirit is made from grain to glass.
For a change of scenery, swap the hills for the coast and head east to St Abbs National Nature Reserve, where a coastal path follows cliffs above the North Sea. Or slow things down in a different way at Jacksons at Jedburgh, where a Highland Cow Experience introduces visitors to the some of the region’s more unhurried residents. The region’s creative traditions offer another reason to explore. In Galashiels, explore the intricate stories woven into The Great Tapestry of Scotland, or visit Lochcarron of Scotland in Selkirk to discover the craft and history behind tartan.
5. Cardiff: castles, culture and waterside saunas
Cardiff makes an easy winter escape, with a compact centre packed with history, culture and wellness spots. Make The Parkgate Hotel your base, a luxury stay with rooftop spa just a short walk from Principality Stadium. Then start the day with a visit to Cardiff Castle, where Roman remains, medieval walls and the lavish Victorian Apartments sit in the heart of the city. For a different kind of reset, head to Revival Floatation Centre for an hour of weightless relaxation in a floatation tank, or try Hikitalo Cardiff Sauna for a traditional sauna session. In the evening, immerse yourself in Cardiff’s buzzing cultural scene at the Wales Millennium Centre, which hosts theatre, music and dance throughout the year. By day, Cardiff’s waterfront is easy to explore on foot, but for a change of pace, take the train to nearby Penarth (around 30 minutes), where Sauna Flo’s waterside sauna offers views across the Bristol Channel as you warm up beside the water.