Thermae Bath Spa review - serenity, scenery, and er, sick (not literally though)

Have you ever wanted to stand, dripping wet, on a rooftop in the rain, in the middle of March? For reasons unfathomable, I did. My girlfriends and I trotted off to Bath for the day to seek out solace and the healing properties of spring water.

According to their website,  the spa sits on a natural spring which was used by local people thousands of years ago for healing properties, and just for a bit of fun and relaxation. In fact, in the 1500s Queen Elizabeth I made Bath a city, and declared that the public must always have access to the springs. Popular with socialites of the day, it became a go-to place for the rich and famous, drawing in crowds from overseas. The spa was even used on prescription from the NHS until 1976. The spa is full of history, and today is a top tourist hot spot (sorry). So what did we think?

We arrived at the Bath Thermae Spa around 3pm, and had to queue for 45 minutes to get in. Which would have been annoying, had we not just eaten lunch, during which too many burgers and cinnamon doughnuts dipped in hot chocolate sauce were consumed. I was responsible for only one burger, but six doughnuts.
They were mini, so it doesn’t count.

Needless to say, I wasn’t ecstatic about stripping off in front of my much fitter friends. And the £42 charge, for four hours in the spa, towel, robe and slippers, wasn’t much of a treat for my ever-depleting bank balance either. However, once reluctantly changed, I slipped on a warm robe and padded off to the roof to see what all the fuss is about.

Firstly, the views - which is what most people seem to come for. There are spectacular views over the city, and there's something incredibly relaxing about floating in warm water while the cool rain hits your face.

The spa has two pools, one inside and one outside. I tried the inside one for a while, but it was full of vom-inducing couples, and this didn’t entertain me much, really. There are also four steam rooms, declared blissful by my heat-seeking companions. I’m not a good steamer, being of the easily bored and sensitive-skinned variety. But I was very happy sitting in the Jacuzzi bubbles on the roof, and spent most of my time waiting for a miraculous sunset. It never came, but I won’t hold that against them.

All in all, I did enjoy myself but I’m not convinced it was worth the money for me. I’m not a very good relaxer, and at 7.30 when stood on a roof, in the dark, almost naked, I thought I was going to freeze to death. I may be inclined to being overly dramatic, but the shock of getting out of the pool did damper my spirits considerably.

Also, it was very, very busy - so if you're seeking something a bit more private it's probably not for you. We went on a Saturday, so we expected as much, and as you can’t book in advance to use the pools, you'll be in the queue for at least 30 minutes. Which isn't what I'd call relaxing.

But if you need quiet time to relax, I’d look elsewhere or go midweek very early in the morning. If you’re a couple, you’ll be in good company. But promise me you won’t go overboard on the PDA?




Bess is addicted to Earl Grey tea and Classic FM. An amateur baker, she often has too many opinions and not enough tact. Her one great idea is to found a ‘breakfast and dessert’ delivery company, for all your sugar coma needs. When not exercising her right to point out bad manners, you can find her pursuing one degree too many.