Pool, plunge, or wild ponds? The best UK stays for swimming
Our top spots for those who want their stay to come with a seriously good swim
The OOD House by the Lake, East Sussex
Sitting in a secret vineyard in East Sussex, days at The OOD House revolve around simple pleasures done extremely well. Plunge into the lake for a swim, soak in the wood-fired hot tub, and drink morning coffee or sunset wine with your feet dangling off the jetty – keeping binoculars handy to admire kingfishers, herons, and moorhen.
The mirrored house feels like the future dropped gently into the countryside. Scandi sleek on the outside, it’s beautiful within its glass walls – forest-green velvet chairs, quirky pineapple lamps, gold cups and saucers, and a rain shower that stares out into the trees. If you can tear yourself away during your stay, Pevensey Bay is also just a 15-minute drive away for a dip in the sea.
Stays from £325/night | www.kiphideaways.com/hideaways/the-ood-house-by-the-lake/
Cottage Orné, Cornwall
Surrounded by Cornish coastal walks, clear waters, and foodie favourites, Cottage Orné is made for slow days and good company. Tucked within a private hamlet, guests can drift between pool swims, tennis matches, and relaxing in the Shepherd’s Hut saunas – complete with an ice bucket shower for the brave.
The Shack offers a semi-open kitchen and dining space for long-table feasts, visiting chefs, and pop-up events centred around seriously good food. The Village Green also hosts rotating food trucks throughout summer.
Stay in a charming Shepherd’s Hut, one of the beautifully restored one-to-three-bedroom cottages, or the seven-bedroom manor house – all with interiors by Studio Alexandra.
Stays from £150/night | www.cottageorne.com
The Rectory, The Cotswolds
This charming Georgian manor hotel on the edge of the Cotswolds is a much-loved countryside spot and an especially idyllic choice for a heatwave escape, where guests can make the most of the sprawling English gardens and outdoor swimming pool.
The sun-filled glasshouse restaurant and outdoor terrace are perfect for leisurely lunches, prepared by Head Chef Damian Clisby. The hotel features 15 beautifully designed bedrooms, some complete with stand-alone bathtubs, alongside a separate three-bedroom self-catering cottage ideal for longer stays or group getaways.
Stays from £170/night B&B | www.therectoryhotel.com
Huts at The Lodge, Essex
These two hand-built huts in Essex’s countryside-on-the-coast are totally on-point for those who want a proper pause. In a true labour of love, the owners designed and created both huts from scratch, hand-sewing textiles, digging out the pond, and sourcing preloved antiques from vintage fairs.
Mesmerising views set the scene for slow mornings with breakfast in bed, a Swedish-style wood-fired bath looks out over yellow rapeseed fields, and the swimming pond beckons the brave for a revitalising dip. Come alone or as a couple, or get some friends together and book both huts for a weekend of beach walks, camp fires, and wild swimming.
Stays from £195/night | www.kiphideaways.com/hideaways/hut-at-the-lodge/
The Owlets at The Tawny, Staffordshire
The Tawny has its own iconic swimming pool, but so does The Owlets – the hotel’s new collection of historic farm buildings, thoughtfully reimagined as five distinctive countryside hideaways. Designed with families and groups in mind, these retreats feature a shared heated outdoor swimming pool, private alfresco dining areas with BBQs, and plenty of garden games and activities to enjoy together.
Like the hotel’s popular Fledgling self-catering houses, The Owlets combine the freedom and privacy of a self-catering stay with all the benefits of a luxury hotel escape. Guests can enjoy access to The Tawny’s three AA Rosette restaurant and a range of facilities experiences throughout the estate – including the pool.
Tawny stays from £280 B&B / Owlets from £350/night | https://thetawny.co.uk/
Tiny Boat, Somerset
The perfect place for a wild swim and a glide around the lake on an SUP or rowboat (whilst keeping careful watch for the glossy sheen of its resident otters), this romantic wood-panelled boat is part of a rewilded estate. It sits in 173 acres that are all about biodiversity – with 100% renewable energy, vegetable polytunnels, a kilometre of edible hedgerow, and even a micro mushroom farm.
It’s a superbly peaceful place to stay – for diving from the deck, lazing in the sunshine, and picnicking in the adjacent wildflower meadow. The boat’s light, open-plan interior is all calm hues and quirky touches, and you’re rocked gently to sleep by the lake’s ripples. Walks lead out from the front door to the wider estate, where there are plenty of options for self-care – including massage, sauna, yoga, meditation, and wild medicine workshops.
Stays from £190/night | https://www.kiphideaways.com/hideaways/tiny-boat/
Boys Hall, Kent
Owned by husband-and-wife team Brad and Kristie Lomas, Boys Hall is a beautiful 17th Century Jacobean manor house set within three acres in Ashford, Kent. Just a 35-minute train from London, the hotel has nine ensuite bedrooms, a tiny pub, two private dining rooms, and an oak-beamed restaurant headed up by chef Joe Winston, whose menus are all about the seasons and the very best of Kentish produce.
The hotel’s beautifully restored gardens are very much the pride and joy of owner Kristie, who lovingly transformed the once-overgrown grounds into a series of enchanting spaces. In addition to the sunken rose garden and Mediterranean-inspired courtyard, coming soon is a brand-new wild swimming pond – the perfect spot for a refreshing dip in these already peaceful surrounds.
Stays from £180/night | www.boys-hall.com