From luxury family hotels to elegant spa breaks

Where swimming pools in other parts of the UK may benefit from the glory of sea views or family friendly fun, in Gloucestershire it is about refinement.

This is of course the part of the world characterised by chocolate box villages, the sandy colour of Cotswold stone, and the home of swimsuit entrepreneur Elizabeth Hurley, so where better to find elegant spas and country house hotels complete with both indoor and outdoor pools for relaxation and exercise at any time of the year.

Take, for example, Cowley Manor, brings guests the best of old school elegance and contemporary  style, offering superbly beautiful interiors as well as a a contemporary spa complete with floor to ceiling windows, a spectacular 15 metre outdoor pool and a 17 metre slate lined indoor pool, both open all year round.  That, alongside a beautiful collection of treatments and therapies that are the cherry on top of a romantic hotel break in the South West.

Alternatively, Calcot Manor is another ultra stylish hotel that also offers family friendly rooms and suites that are also ideal for groups.  The 14th century former farmhouse is well known for its excellent food, and of course, it is situated with views over the Gloucestershire hills and 220 acres of Cotswold fields – perfect for a walking escape.  Again, it is also home to a beautiful spa complete with a 16-metre indoor pool, a children’s pool and a heated outdoor hot tub with an open fire.  It’s the perfect opportunity to put on that fluffy white robe, a pair of slippers, and not step out of them for a whole weekend.

Of course, the beauty of a hotel escape in the Cotswolds is that they are all about the leisure experience – that includes tennis courts aplenty and bicycles for use throughout the grounds.