Outdoor Pools in the UK

Cool off in some of the UK’s finest hotel outdoor swimming pools.

With summer almost upon us, enjoy a dip in some of Britain’s most inviting outdoor pools.  Available through Pride of Britain Hotels, they are dotted around the country, from Cornwall to County Durham and from Yorkshire to Sussex. 

For a pool with a view, it’s hard to beat the location of The Nare Hotel which overlooks Carne Beach and Cornwall’s beautiful Roseland Peninsula.  Heated to 30°C, the outdoor pool is open to guests from May until October and there is also a hot tub which is perfect for chillier days.

In South Devon, Thurlestone has a superb heated outdoor pool with a children’s paddling pool, and is the oldest family-owned hotel in the UK.   Having been owned by the Grose family since 1896, the hotel is celebrating 120 years of family ownership this year.  The property has spectacular sea views and is walking distance from a sandy Blue Flag beach.

Easily accessible from London, and set in rolling Hampshire countryside, Tylney Hall Hotel’s outdoor pool is located next to the impressive Grade II listed main house and is surrounded by clipped hedges and a relaxing lawned area.  The hotel’s grounds stretch for 66 acres and include 250,000 trees and shrubs, as well as the longest uninterrupted view of Hampshire.

On a smaller scale, and just an hour from London, Maison Talbooth is a charming 12-bedroom Victorian country house hotel overlooking Constable Country near Dedham, Essex. The outdoor pool is heated year-round and is complemented by a pool house with an honesty bar, a log-burning outdoor fire and a hot tub.

Ideal for spa lovers, Rockliffe Hall in County Durham features a new Spa Garden, offering a pampering spa experience with two outdoor hot pools; an infinity edge hydrotherapy pool with massage jets and a bubbling Jacuzzi complete the picture.  There is a garden room with a traditional glass-fronted sauna, plus a fire pit, water feature, landscaped gardens and heated relaxation loungers.

Perfect for couples, The Feversham Arms, in the pretty market town of Helmsley, borders the North Yorkshire Moors National Park.  The hotel’s outdoor pool is open throughout the year – as is the award-winning Weathervane Restaurant, which serves six-course tasting menus and seasonal dishes.

Recently crowned Pride of Britain Hotel of the Year 2016, due to its exceptional levels of service and attention to detail, Hambleton Hall near Oakham has a secluded outdoor pool, sheltered by a wall of pretty wisteria, which is open during the summer months.  The pool has wonderful views across Rutland Water, the largest man-made lake in Western Europe, which is an important wildfowl sanctuary.

In the Garden of England in Kent, Eastwell Manor’s 20 metre outdoor pool overlooks the hotel’s 3,000 acre grounds nestling in a fold of the North Downs.  There is a helipad at the hotel so it’s perfectly possible to fly in for an overnight stay and a swim.

Surrounded by some of the Cotswolds’ finest countryside and a big hit with families, Calcot Manor’s outdoor pool is open daily (8am-8pm) from May until September with no time restrictions for children.

Nearby, Ellenborough Park’s leisure facilities include an outdoor heated swimming pool – open during daylight hours throughout the year – and an impressive spa with a range of holistic treatments using Ishga and Ila products. Cheltenham Racecourse is a stone’s throw from the hotel and a private track leads guests through the grounds to the course entrance.

In West Sussex, Ockenden Manor’s spa was built within a 19^th century walled garden and its adjoining indoor/outdoor pool enables guests to switch from one to the other depending on the weather.  On the coast near Arundel, wallow in Bailiffscourt Hotel’s outdoor pool and smell the salty sea air wafting up from nearby Climping beach. The pool overlooks the property’s wildflower meadows and lavender paths.

BOOKINGS: To book an overnight stay, and for the best available price, call Pride of Britain Hotels on 0800 089 3929 (www.prideofbritainhotels.com). 

The Pride of Britain collection of 48 independent luxury hotels, proudly practising the art of great hospitality on a daily basis, spans the UK. Admission to the group is subject to each hotel successfully passing an anonymous overnight inspection and a ballot of the membership. The collection is limited to a maximum of 50 hotels to guarantee quality and exclusivity.