The Good Hotel Guide is the leading independent guide to hotels in Great Britain & Ireland, and also covers parts of Continental Europe. The Guide was first published in 1978. It is written for the reader seeking impartial advice on finding a good place to stay. Hotels cannot buy their way into the Guide. The editors and inspectors do not accept free hospitality on their anonymous visits to hotels. All hotels in the Guide receive a free basic listing. A fee is charged for a full web entry.
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Hotels with Outdoor Pools
The best hotels with outdoor swimming pools Travelling to hotels across the UK, we're blessed to have experienced the most exquisite infinity pools with sea views as well as outdoor pools that provide endless entertainment for children. In the summer time, few things beat a splash, however old you are.
Chewton Glen, New Milton
Featured Hotels with Special Offers
Bishopstrow
Warminster, Wiltshire
Christmas 2025 Package 10% Discount GHG Reader Special Offer
Rolling countryside surrounds this large Georgian house in extensive grounds of meadows and woodland; a tunnel leads to the river Wylye.
Hambleton Hall
Oakham, Rutland
'Summer Escape' Special Offer
Surrounded by landscaped gardens, Hambleton Hall has an outdoor pool that's nestled in a secluded spot under mature trees with space to relax on a lounger around it.
The Scarlet
Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
'Essence of Scarlet' Special Offer
Best known for being amongst the best of luxury eco spas, The Scarlet is perched on a clifftop and boasts an outdoor hot tub with incredible views and contemporary, glass-dominated architecture that houses a spectacular pool.
The Nare
Veryan-In-Roseland, Cornwall
'Four Day Break' Special Offer
On the Roseland Peninsular in Cornwall, The Nare is all about beautiful leisure activities, from its own yacht to the heated outdoor pool that's open seasonally. There's also an indoor pool with its own jet stream, a hydrotherapy pool and an outdoor hot tub.
Homewood
Bath, Somerset
'Complimentary Night' Special Offer
The yellow submarine in the 'beautiful grounds' and the hedge sculpture of a giraffe set the scene at this 'playful, quirky hotel', in a traditional honey-stone building.
Bedruthan Hotel and Spa
Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
20% Discount Flash Sale Special Offer
An award-winning hotel, Bedruthan Hotel and Spa is an elegant escape for families, offering a spa for mum and dad as well indoor and outdoor swimming pools and surf lessons available.
The Atlantic Hotel
St Brelade, Jersey
Atlantic 'Summer Sunset' Special Offer
Swim in charming landscaped gardens overlooking St Ouen's Bay at The Atlantic Hotel.
Burleigh Court
Stroud, Gloucestershire
Autumn/Winter Special Offer
There are stunning views across the Golden Valley from this Georgian mansion, a smart but friendly hotel with fine-dining restaurant.
Park House, Hotel & Spa
Midhurst, West Sussex
'Cosy Down at the House' Special Offer
With an award-winning spa this hotel has both an indoor pool and a heated outdoor swimming pool.
Askham Hall
Penrith, Cumbria
Luxury Foodie Mid-Week Break Special Offer
With a Michelin-starred restaurant, Grade II listed garden, 17th-century pele tower and French drawing room, Askham Hall sounds as if it might be very formal; not a bit of it. 'The most homely stately hotel we have ever stayed in,' reports one reader.
The Royal Hotel
Ventnor, Isle Of Wight
'Sail, Dine & Stay' Special Offer
Enjoying 'one of the most perfect coastal situations in England', with sweeping sea views over subtropical gardens, the Royal started life as a coaching inn in 1832, and went on growing.
More Hotels with Outdoor Pools
Hell Bay Hotel
Bryher, Isles Of Scilly
With 'nothing in between to Canada', this pretty blue-and-white weatherboarded farmhouse-turned-hotel which sits above a secluded cove on Bryher's rugged west-facing coast is a 'very special and distinctive place', say guests.
Chewton Glen
New Milton, Hampshire
Chewton Glen is known for many wonderful things. Croquet on the lawn, luxurious treehouse suites, exquisite food, and its beautiful spa, but within its tranquil gardens it also has a heated outdoor pool that's open all day until 7pm from June to October.
Lime Wood
Lyndhurst, Hampshire
A New Forest bolt-hole, this country house hotel has an easy glamour, romantic and family-friendly rooms, heart-warming Italian food and top-notch spa.
Watersmeet
Woolacombe, Devon
Watersmeet hotel has a spa as well as a beautiful outdoor pool with views of the sea as you swim.
Polurrian on the Lizard
Mullion, Cornwall
Enjoy the spectacular sea views from the outdoor pool during the summer months from May to September.
Burgh Island Hotel
Bigbury-On-Sea, Devon
Giving new meaning to the concept of an outdoor pool, Burgh Island has an offering as unique as the rest of it. This 1930s hotel on its own private island in Devon has an outdoor 'mermaid pool' - a seawater pool created from the natural rock formation.
The Middleton Lodge Estate
Richmond, Yorkshire
Leave the fuss and fret of the AI(M) at Scotch Corner to reconnect with the land at this idyllic hotel, centred on a Georgian coach house amid gardens, parkland and woodland.
Foresters Hall
Cowes
With their background in TV and film, Sara Curran and Peter Sussman are experts in presentation. Since taking over in April 2022, they have hung artworks collected on their travels, refreshed the beautiful interiors, and added a Michelin-recommended brasserie to their 'exceptional hotel'.
Porth Tocyn Hotel
Abersoch, Gwynedd
A welcoming Welsh retreat on Cardigan Bay, Porth Tocyn Hotel is a family friendly hotel with a joyful eccentricity about it, a heated outdoor pool and superb afternoon teas to tuck into after that dip.
Lulu Boutique Hotel
Zebbug, Malta, Malta
A charming oasis, Clive and Luidmila's lovingly restored 300-year-old house is tucked away in a small town of narrow, winding streets, within easy reach of the cities of Mdina and Valletta.
Gara Rock
Salcombe, Devon
Swim in the outdoor pool at this clifftop retreat with sea views stretching into the distance.
Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa
Helmsley, Yorkshire
There is a clever mix of the traditional and modern at this Victorian coaching inn with contemporary main-house, poolside and spa suites, inventive cooking in the restaurant, and an all-year heated outdoor pool.
The Swan Hotel & Spa
Newby Bridge, Cumbria
A 'sprawling, traditional building in a beautiful setting' at the tip of Windermere, this family and dog-friendly hotel has easy access to lake-based activities as well as a spa.
Haven Hall Hotel
Shanklin, Isle Of Wight
The actor Colin Firth is a fan of 'the hospitality, the food, the comfort of the rooms', not to mention the location at this sprawling, cliff-top Edwardian house.
Ellenborough Park
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
In a Tudor manor house in the Cotswolds just across from Cheltenham Racecourse, this hotel with spa and 90 acres of grounds is both family and dog-friendly.
Swinton Park
Masham, Yorkshire
Much altered since it was begun in 1695, the Cunliffe-Lister family's neo-Gothic, castellated fantasy castle is 'a very special place, grand and imposing', in 'simply glorious' pleasure grounds and parkland.
La Collinette Hotel
St Peter Port, Guernsey
The Chambers family run their unpretentious, family-friendly hotel in a 19th-century house set in expansive grounds a short stroll uphill from the boats in the harbour.
Sopwell House Hotel
St Albans, Hertfordshire
A favourite hangout of the England football team, the former home of Lord Louis Mountbatten is 'well-run', with contemporary bedrooms, cosseting suites, a good choice of eating and drinking spaces, and a magnificent spa.
Ballymaloe House
Shanagarry, Co. Cork
Set on a 300-acre working farm, this legendary Irish country-house hotel has grown from being a restaurant with rooms that is passionate about locally sourced food into a thriving business, with cookery school, café and arts venue.
A'mare Corsica Seaside Small Resort
Propriano, Corsica, France
In sumptuous gardens high above the sea, this small luxury hotel has superb views across the Gulf of Valinco.
St Enodoc
Rock, Cornwall
There are 'great views of the Camel Estuary' from this 1920s, family-friendly hotel that is 'virtually on the famous golf course'.
Whatley Manor
Easton Grey, Wiltshire
Centred on a Georgian farmhouse, with 26 ornamental gardens, a spa, gym, contemporary bedrooms, Michelin-starred dining-room, brasserie and kitchen garden terrace, this hotel has 'luxury' written all over it.
Woolley Grange
Bradford-On-Avon, Wiltshire
Part of the Luxury Family Hotels group, Woolley Grange is a Jacobean manor house surrounded by countryside and with plenty to do from the spa to the outdoor pool with a view of the walled garden.
The Retreat at Elcot Park
Newbury, Berkshire
A Regency mansion in parkland, once home to Percy Shelley's mother, has been reimagined as a contemporary country house hotel infused with a blithe spirit.
Longueville Manor
St Saviour, Jersey
Take a dip under the wisteria festooned stone facade of a 16th century mansion, in the outdoor pool surrounded by a sophisticated alfresco terrace.
Lympstone Manor
Exmouth, Devon
Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines has created a country house hotel for the 21st century, a foodie destination and place of soft-spoken luxury, in a Georgian mansion overlooking the Exe estuary.
Talbooth House & Spa
Dedham, Essex
The Milsom family's Victorian country house hotel in Dedham Vale, in the heart of Constable country, has been subtly rebranded with the addition of a spa by the pool house.
Greenhills Country House Hotel
St Peter, Jersey
Centred on a 17th-century granite house in flower-filled gardens, this well-run hotel offers a good choice of immaculate, individually styled bedrooms, casual and formal dining in bar and restaurant.
Beaverbrook
Leatherhead, Surrey
Once a retreat for Lord Beaverbrook, this Victorian mansion, filled with fascinating memorabilia, is home to chic contemporary bedrooms, a fine-dining restaurant, Japanese grill, library, cinema and spa.
Seaham Hall
Seaham, Co. Durham
Garden suites with hot tubs, a state-of-the-art spa, brightly coloured sofas under gleaming chandeliers . . . this country house hotel offers luxury with a contemporary edge.
The best hotels with outdoor swimming pools Travelling to hotels across the UK, we're blessed to have experienced the most exquisite infinity pools with sea views as well as outdoor pools that provide endless entertainment for children. In the summer time, few things beat a splash, however old you are. Whether you're looking for a family friendly hotel, a romantic one, or a spa hotel for health and wellbeing, a swimming pool always adds a new dimension to the leisure experience. Perhaps the most spectacular of pools are at some of the UK's most luxurious hotel spas. Chewton Glen is always at the top of the list for any spa destinations, not to mention also being a haven for those looking for superb fine dining and a beautiful country house hotel location. Here's amidst all their indoor pool and thermal facilities, they offer a secluded outdoor pool as well as other facilities in the grounds such as golf, tennis and picturesque walking trails. Of course some hotels have the added luxury of a superbly interesting history to go with their hospitality. Such is the case with Cliveden House - amongst Berkshire's finest hotels. The Italianate mansion's pool in the walled garden is best known for its role in the Profumo affair, but it is also home to bubbling outdoor hot tubs, while treatments use the estate's own product line and have their own story, named for prominent women of its history including Anna-Maria, for whom Cliveden was originally built as well as perhaps the House's most famous resident, Nancy Astor. While adults can indulge in the peace and tranquility of an outdoor pool, children of course find them to be an endless source of summery entertainment, and the likes of Woolley Grange, part of the Luxury Family Hotel Collection, is a marvellous example of luxury meets family friendly. Amongst a cavalcade of experiences and activities for every member of the family in their 14 acres of grounds, there is also a charming summer outdoor pool. And if the weather isn't so great, you can always see our selection of the best hotels with indoor swimming pools.
