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Ambleside
Ambleside Salutation Hotel & Spa
Appleby-in-Westmorland
Appleby Manor Hotel & Garden Spa
Backbarrow
Whitewater Hotel & Leisure Club
Bassenthwaite
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa
Borrowdale
Lodore Falls Hotel Spa
Bowness-on-Windermere
Macdonald Old England Hotel & SpaLakes Hotel & Spa
Grange-over-Sands
Netherwood Hotel & SpaGrange Hotel
Grasmere
Daffodil Hotel SpaRothay Garden by Harbour Hotels
Great Langdale
Brimstone Spa
Newby Bridge
Swan Hotel SpaLakeside Hotel & Spa
Penrith
North Lakes Hotel & Spa
Ullswater
Another Place, The Lake
Windermere
Low Wood Bay SpaBeech Hill Hotel & Spa
Aerial view of a tree-covered island surrounded by calm blue water on Lake Windermere near Bowness, with wooded shores and rolling Lakeland fells stretching into the distance on a summer morning
Bowness-on-Windermere Spas

Spas in
Bowness-on-Windermere

The Lake District's beating heart, where lake cruises depart and two very different spas await. Historic lakeside elegance or poolside prosecco - Bowness offers both.

Bowness-on-Windermere sits at the centre of everything. The piers here have launched lake cruises since Victorian times, ferrying visitors to Ambleside, Lakeside and the islands that dot England's largest lake. The village itself bustles with independent shops, restaurants and the World of Beatrix Potter attraction. This is the Lake District at its most accessible. Trains connect to Windermere station a mile uphill, coaches arrive daily, and the A591 brings traffic from every direction.

For couples seeking spa time alongside their Lake District exploration, Bowness delivers genuine choice. Two spa hotels occupy prime positions here, each with its own distinct character and appeal.

The Macdonald Old England Hotel represents the classic Lake District experience. This historic property stands directly on the lake shore, its mature gardens running down to private jetties where guests can moor boats or simply watch the water. The 20-metre indoor pool frames panoramic Windermere views through floor-to-ceiling windows. A traditional thermal suite includes Finnish sauna, aromatherapy steam room, ice room for contrast therapy, and experience showers. Spa access comes complimentary for hotel guests, while day visitors can book packages from £109 including treatments and lunch with lake views.

The Lakes Hotel & Spa takes an entirely different approach. This is spa as theatre - atmospheric mood lighting transforms the pool area after dark, and a poolside bar means you can genuinely sip prosecco while soaking in one of two feature hot tubs. The main pool has a signature "secret button" that makes the entire surface bubble, adding playfulness to proceedings. A cold plunge pool provides the contrast to sauna and steam room sessions. The spa operates extended hours until 10:30pm, making it ideal for evening relaxation. Access is exclusive to hotel guests, ensuring a more intimate atmosphere.

The village location means a trip to the spa slots easily into wider Lake District plans. Walk the shoreline promenade, take a cruise to Ambleside, explore Beatrix Potter's world, then return for thermal relaxation as the sun sets over the fells. Bowness puts you at the heart of the action while offering genuine retreat.

2 Spas in Bowness-on-Windermere

Bowness-on-Windermere Spas

Modern indoor swimming pool at Macdonald Old England Hotel and Spa in Bowness-on-Windermere, featuring deep blue mosaic tiling, contemporary black and white interior design, underwater lighting, and heated pool facilities in a luxurious Lake District spa setting
Free for hotel guests
Day passes

Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa

Day Passes From £70
Treatments From £59

Thermal Facilities

  • Traditional Finnish sauna
  • Aromatherapy steam room
  • Cool down experience
  • Aromatherapy shower

Pool Features

  • 20m lakeside pool with Lake Windermere views
View Spa Details
Atmospheric main swimming pool at Lakes Hotel and Spa in Bowness-on-Windermere at dusk featuring dramatic blue LED mood lighting, contemporary iridescent mosaic architectural columns, signature bubble pool with secret button feature, extended evening hours creating moody Lake District spa experience
Free for hotel guests
No day passes

Lakes Hotel & Spa

Treatments From £60

Thermal Facilities

  • Traditional sauna for deep heat relaxation
  • Steam room for detoxification and respiratory benefits
  • Cold plunge pool for contrast therapy and circulation
  • Refreshing poolside showers

Pool Features

  • Indoor pool with water features and signature bubble function activated by secret button
  • Two feature hot tubs for relaxation with atmospheric mood lighting
View Spa Details

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions about spas in Bowness-on-Windermere.

What happened to the Burnside Hotel in Bowness on Windermere?

The Burnside Hotel has been completely transformed and rebranded as the Lakes Hotel & Spa. The property received significant investment, upgrading it into a modern spa hotel on Lake Road in Bowness, just a five minute walk from the village centre and lake shore piers.

The renovation added a full spa with indoor pool featuring a signature "secret button" that makes the entire surface bubble, two feature hot tubs with atmospheric mood lighting, and 4 thermal facilities including sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool and poolside showers. A poolside bar serves prosecco, cocktails and light bites while you relax. The spa stays open until 10:30pm, making it one of the latest running spa facilities in the Lake District. Treatments use Elemis products, including their advanced BIOTEC facial technology.

The hotel also added Mizumi, an Asian restaurant, and hot tub rooms with private balconies. Spa access is complimentary for all hotel and apartment guests. If you have an old booking reference or are looking for the Burnside by name, it is the same location at the same address on Lake Road.

What spas are in Bowness on Windermere?

Bowness on Windermere has two spa hotels, each with a very different character. Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa is a historic lakeside property with a 20 metre indoor pool framing panoramic Lake Windermere views, 4 thermal facilities including Finnish sauna and ice room, and treatments using ELEMIS and ishga products. It sits directly on the lake shore with private gardens running down to the water.

Lakes Hotel & Spa takes a more modern, theatrical approach. Atmospheric lighting transforms the pool area after dark, two feature hot tubs glow with LED mood lighting, and a poolside bar lets you sip prosecco between dips. The spa stays open until 10:30pm, compared to 6:30pm at the Old England.

The biggest practical difference is access. The Old England welcomes day visitors with spa day packages from £70, while the Lakes Hotel is exclusive to overnight guests. Both are within easy walking distance of Bowness's lakefront piers, restaurants and shops. For more options nearby, see spas in Windermere just a mile up the road.

Can you book a spa day in Bowness on Windermere?

Yes, but only at one of the two Bowness spas. Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa offers spa day packages for day visitors. The most affordable is My Time For Me at £70 per person, which includes a 25 minute ELEMIS and ishga products treatment plus four hours of pool and thermal suite access. For a fuller experience, My Morning Retreat (£109) adds a two course lunch in the Lakeside Restaurant, and My Afternoon Escape (£109) includes afternoon tea. All packages are available seven days a week and must be pre booked.

The Lakes Hotel & Spa does not offer spa days. Access is exclusively for hotel and apartment guests, which keeps the facilities quieter and more relaxed. If you want to experience the Lakes Hotel spa, you will need to book an overnight stay. Spa access is then complimentary from 8am to 10:30pm.

For more spa day options in the area, nearby Windermere and Newby Bridge both have spas offering day visitor packages.

Which Bowness on Windermere spa hotels have hot tubs?

The Lakes Hotel & Spa is the Bowness spa with hot tubs. It has two feature hot tubs with atmospheric LED mood lighting, positioned as a centrepiece of the spa experience. Combined with the poolside bar, they create a social, relaxed atmosphere that works especially well in the evening when the lighting really comes into its own. The spa stays open until 10:30pm, so you can enjoy the hot tubs after dinner. Access is for hotel and apartment guests only.

Macdonald Old England Hotel & Spa does not have hot tubs, but its 4 thermal facilities offer a different kind of heat therapy. The Finnish sauna, aromatherapy steam room, ice room and experience showers provide a full contrast bathing circuit. The 20 metre indoor pool with its panoramic Windermere views is the centrepiece here rather than hot tubs.

If hot tubs are a priority for your trip, the Lakes Hotel delivers on that front. For the widest choice of hot tub experiences in the area, Windermere has additional spa hotels with outdoor hot tubs and lake views just a mile away.
Nearby Areas

Explore More of the Lake District

View All Locations
Spa breaks in Windermere, Lake District

Windermere

1 mile north

Spa breaks in Ambleside, Lake District

Ambleside

5 miles north

Spa breaks in Newby Bridge, Lake District

Newby Bridge

7 miles south