Hot tubs are enduringly popular across the UK, not least because they create an alfresco environment impervious to wind and cold. Hop into a deliciously toasty tub on a chilly evening, watching the steam rise as you soak under the stars, and you may even be glad of the evening’s slightly inclement conditions. And yet the experience is equally glorious, enjoyed under a hot summer sun, with a freshly shaken cocktail in hand.
Booking a cottage with a hot tub essentially weatherproofs your break. But it also provides an outdoor social hub for larger gatherings, a place for guests to completely unwind and adds an air of romantic escapism to any couple’s getaway. Turn on the jets and the world’s worries quickly drift away. A little hydrotherapy is also a heavenly way to soothe any aching muscles after an invigorating day’s hiking the Moors or Dales.
We’re excited to reunite with friends and family members later this year and into next. And this long-overdue together time deserves a suitably impressive venue. Large holiday homes, such as Willow Garth House in North Yorkshire, can cater for up to 12 guests (along with stabling for a horse on-site). Its outdoor areas comprise an extensive lawn, pond, summer house, BBQ area, external dining terrace and plenty of bubbles, courtesy of its large hot tub. While inside, a games room with a ping-pong table, kitchen with four oven aga, open-fired sitting room and six bedrooms (one accessed via a secret door) provide ample space for everyone to do their thing both together and separately. The layout and amenities at Willow Garth make it ideal for families and friends to revel in some quality time together.
What could be more romantic than your own private hot tub, nestled in a secluded corner on the edge of an extensive area of woodland? The Tack Room’s wooden tub is undercover, housed in a timber barn-style build complete with towel and gown hooks. Protected from any rain or gales, you can cosy up and pop open the champagne in rustic luxury, flanked by rolling fields and Dales. The Tack Room’s vintage equestrian theme makes it a really unique property; couples also love the king-sized canopied bed and in-bedroom log burner found in the former stable block.
Head Lad cottage is one of a beautiful collection of four holiday properties set on a private country estate in lower Wensleydale on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. The main Hall is an historic house, built in 1703 in the Queen Anne style and is home to Emma and Charles, it sits majestically in an idyllic setting of 25 acres of woodland and private gardens.
We know that the great British weather may not always be, well, ideal. Yet this needn’t preclude the enjoyment that comes with basking in the sights and sounds of nature. A cottage with a high-end hot tub makes for a truly idyllic holiday setting – and ignites a sense of fun.