Windermere

The 13 Best Spas and Retreats in the United Kingdom

"Best for: splendid isolation When this hotel opened over 30 years ago, it was that rare thing in the Lake District: somewhere to stay that was all about indulgence – sophisticated interiors, big pillowy beds, memorable food. Until then, visitors made do with damp slate cottages and packed lunches because the whole point about the Lake District was that you came to scale its handsome fells and leap from rock to rock across its thundering waterfalls. The Jetty Spa at the Lake House, then, is a rarer thing still: a place that celebrates the great indoors. It is designed, quite beautifully, for two, and the idea is that you disconnect from the world and reconnect with each other. Therapists create a blend of aromatherapy oils to your taste: muse over black pepper and mandarin, frangipani and ylang-ylang. While these are mixed, off you pootle through the gardens to the swimming pool, which is bathtub-hot and yours alone, along with a sauna.  Then to the spa itself, a Scandi-style wooden cabin, cantilevered over the shore of Gilpin Lake. The treatment room doors can be opened out to the water, so you can gaze past your feet at the moorhens flipping bottom-up as an adept therapist works away tension from your head. Afterwards, in the tiny boathouse, there are furry throws to burrow under, more lake views and an afternoon-tea stand piled with sandwiches and cakes. Address: Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, Crook Road, Windermere, the Lake DistrictPrice: Suites at the Lake House cost from £485 per room per night, with breakfast included. The Jetty Spa Trail, exclusive to Lake House guests, costs from £300 per couple. Book your stay: Booking.com Book your stay: Expedia This article originally appeared on Condé Nast Traveller U.K." - Issy von Simson, Becky Lucas, Condé Nast Traveller

"This is outdoor**-** swimming heaven, with invigorating temperatures and stunning views. Windermere is the undisputed king, but the wild swimmer is spoilt for choice in the Lake District - why not also take a dip in Lake Buttermere?"

Where to Eat, Stay, and Visit in England's Lake District

"I watched Lake Windermere at the base of the fells shift quietly in the autumn light, its surface described like molten lava as the last of the evening sun set the sky alight, and later enjoyed the hotel's extraordinary vistas looking out over the lake." - Monisha Rajesh Monisha Rajesh Monisha Rajesh is a London-based travel journalist and author whose work has appeared in publications like Time and Vanity Fair. She’s written three books, "Around India in 80 Trains," "Around the World in 80 Trains," and "Epic Train Journeys." Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines