Features

Our Favourite Holiday Retreats with Al Fresco Bathtubs

20 July 2022

“Splish, splash, I was taking a bath…” in the Great Outdoors!
 
Let’s be clear: when we say “al fresco bathtubs”, we aren’t referring to wood-fired hot tubs. We don’t even mean luxury hot tubs with ambient lighting, mood music, and massage jets, lovely as they may be.

We’re simply talking about good old-fashioned freestanding bathtubs, gleaming taps and all, peacefully secluded in the magical Great Outdoors.

We aren’t saying that traditional indoor baths and showers don’t have their place, of course. But what could possibly be more indulgent than running a warm bath, filling it with sumptuous clouds of scented bubbles, then relaxing to a sensuous, ever-changing backdrop of nature?
 
Just add a glass of wine and a good book, and you’re in actual holiday heaven… where the lines between indoor and outdoor living become deliciously blurred. Surrounded by lush, rolling green views and an uplifting chorus of birdsong, your cares will float away as if by actual magic.

(Plus, let’s face it, when you’re recounting tales of your break later on, taking a stargazing bath outdoors has serious potential to make your friends and family green with envy!)

All of this is why we’re confident that this incredible selection of retreats – all of which feature dreamy outdoor bathtubs – will w(h)et the appetite of even the most stubborn shower-lover.
Author: Nina Jervis
Main image: The Nest | Powys, Wales

A Little Bit of Rough

Nr Uppingham, Rutland
Luxury, eco-friendly camping experience set in 20 acres of private woodland in a secret location in Rutland.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 6 per lodge
From
£705 (midweek low season)

The Orchard Retreat

Cheriton Fitzpaine, Devon
Experience a refreshingly rural Devon hideaway that's uncommonly good for mind, body and soul.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 4
From
£390 /3 nts

novanta

Bibbiena, Tuscany
It's probably easier to think of your stay at novanta as a relaxed gathering amongst friends, rather than a traditional Tuscan holiday - yet even this description doesn't go quite far enough! 
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: Varies
From
£105 / night

DDG Retreat

Casares, Andalucia
The ultimate in unique Andalusian luxury; a peacefully private glamping haven featuring the world's most opulent tents.
Bedrooms: 1 per unit
Sleeps: 2 per unit
From
£149 pp

Hinton Hideaways Roundhouses

Crewkerne, Somerset
Adults-only roundhouse glamping on a lush organic farm, for unrivalled luxury amongst nature.
Bedrooms: 1 per roundhouse
Sleeps: 2 per roundhouse
From
£197 / night

Wolf Wood Treehouses

Bratton Clovelly, Devon
Come and live the high life, in a luxury hand-built treehouse, beautifully nestled amongst soothing Devon woodland.
Bedrooms: 1 per treehouse
Sleeps: 2 per treehouse
From
£285 / night

Qii House

Lorne, Victoria
A bold and quirky architectural gem, superbly nestled within the lush rainforest ferns of Australia's Great Otway National Park.
Bedrooms: 4
Sleeps: 8
From
£300 / night

Cerchio Del Desiderio

Pianella, Abruzzo
Italy's very first geodomes, luxuriously positioned amongst the olive trees and rolling green hills of Abruzzo.
Bedrooms: Open plan
Sleeps: 2-4 per unit
From
£70 / night (yurt, low season)

Albion Nights

Bungay, Norfolk
Escape with your loved one to a hand-crafted, off-grid retreat with a sumptuous outdoor bath, peacefully secluded in a Norfolk wildflower meadow.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£165 / night

The Treehouses at Lanrick

Doune, Perthshire
Five sumptuous, eco-friendly tree-treats with idyllic riverside views, magically nestled on the borders of the Trossachs National Park.
Bedrooms: Open plan
Sleeps: 2 (+2) per treehouse
From
£200 / night

Arcadia Glamping

Drymen, Stirling
Two sumptuous, sustainably crafted cabins, packed with romantic luxuries and nestled amongst magical woodland near Loch Lomond.
Bedrooms: 1 per cabin
Sleeps: 2 per cabin
From
£168 / night

Trelan Farm Wonder Wagon

Cilcain, Flintshire
A creatively upcycled boutique retreat with a scenery-showcasing outdoor bath, surrounded by idyllic North Wales countryside that's perfect for bracing walks.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£125 / night

Pheasant's Roost

Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire
An absurdly romantic treetop hideaway with huge windows, luxurious facilities, and an al fresco bathtub, dreamily secluded on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£230 / night

Beneath the Branches

Ashurst, West Sussex
A lovingly handcrafted treehouse and luxurious meadow cabin for romantic couples, dog-friendly and blissfully secluded in a private and peaceful West Sussex farm meadow.
Bedrooms: 1 per unit
Sleeps: 2 per unit
From
£175 / night

Bancran School

Draperstown, County Derry
Unique Tiny House, loft and pod retreats with hot tubs and a communal bbq area, set on a friendly family-run site in the Sperrin Mountains, perfectly positioned for exploring the very best of Northern Ireland.
Bedrooms: 1 per unit
Sleeps: 2 or 2 (+2) per unit
From
£90 / night

The Nest

Dolassey, Powys
A sumptuous, secluded retreat with a green roof, a wildflower garden, and double al fresco bathtubs, completely surrounded by idyllic views on a working family farm in Powys.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
From
£185 / night

Burrenmore Nest

Castlerock, County Londonderry
Gleaming glass-fronted treetop lodges with al fresco whirlpool baths, sumptuously nestled amongst scenic forestland on Ireland's sweeping north coast.
Bedrooms: 1 per lodge
Sleeps: 2-3
From
£255 / night (weekday)

Nymetwood Treehouses

Crediton, Devon
Sumptuous Scandi-inspired hideaways with al fresco copper bathtubs, secluded amongst acres of Devon woodland, meadow, and apple orchard, with idyllic views over Dartmoor.
Bedrooms: 1 per treehouse
Sleeps: 2 per treehouse
From
£250 / night

Ty'r Derw Treehouse

Talybont, Ceredigion
A treetop sanctuary, complete with an al fresco copper bath and an indulgent hot tub, blissfully secluded deep in the Cambrian mountains, close to the Ceredigion coast.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 5
From
£309 / night

Back Track Bothies

Glenfinnan, The Highlands
A trio of bespoke-designed, lovingly hand-crafted eco-retreats with a wood-fired Swedish bath for stargazing, nestled in the wild and scenic heart of the historic west Highlands.
Bedrooms: 1 per bothy
Sleeps: 4
From
£132 / night

Tiny House Ballater

Ballater, Aberdeenshire
A small, perfectly-formed retreat with big mountain views - and a wood-fired outdoor bathtub to enjoy them from! - gloriously positioned in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2-4
From
£90 / night

Dol Swynol Glamping

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
Detox from digital life in a bespoke, lovingly hand-built cabin with a dreamy outdoor bath, set within an enchanting Welsh meadow close to Aberystwyth.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£110 / night

Rustic Hollow

Gamrie, Aberdeenshire
A stylish cabin with an enormous picture window and an al fresco copper bathtub, perfectly positioned amongst nature on the sweeping North East coast of Scotland.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£130 / night

West Cawthorne

Cawthorne, North Yorkshire
Lovingly hand-built cabins and a historic barn filled with luxury, all beautifully nestled on a lush, wildlife-steeped hilltop on the edge of the North York Moors National Park.
Bedrooms: 1 (cabins) or 3 (barn)
Sleeps: 2 (cabins) or 6 (barn)
From
£120 / night (cabins)

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