spa

WHEN it comes to seaside resorts, Relais Cooden Beach Hotel is one of the most beautiful along the English coastline.

Here’s everything you need to know from room prices to dining.

What is the Relais Cooden Beach Hotel like?

A recently restored mock-Tudor hotel, the former holiday home of the aristocratic De La Warr family, set right on Cooden Beach.

A lot of hotels claim to be by the sea but this one really is – and with uninterrupted views across the Channel.

It’s friendly, welcoming and perfect for relaxing or for walking the dog.

What are the rooms like?

Take your pick from a range of comfortable and spotless sea-themed rooms and suites, many with sea views and all with wifi, 24-hour room service and tea and coffee-making facilities.

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There are single rooms, family rooms, accessible and dog-friendly ones available.

Rooms from £170 a night with breakfast included.

What is there to eat and drink there?

The Rally Restaurant offers a good range of evening meals, from burgers, steaks and pork belly to fish and chips and catch of the day, much of it locally sourced.

Plenty for veggies too.

If it’s sunny, sit on the terrace and enjoy the view as you eat.

What else is there do to at the hotel?

For a real taste of luxury visit the hotel’s spa.

We had a Deep Sea Soother facial, which was 90 minutes of bliss – but make sure you book treatments when you book the hotel room as it gets very busy.

The Relais is also very handy for Cooden Beach Golf Club and there is free parking.

It’s a great base for a holiday exploring East Sussex, for a long weekend or that special celebration.

It’s also perfect for an overnight stay if you go to a gig at the De La Warr Pavilion in nearby Bexhill.

Is it family friendly?

Yes, there are family rooms that sleep four and have direct access to the shoreline.

The restaurant has a kids menu, along with an ice cream cart and garden games in the summer.

Does it have accessible facilities?

They have accessible rooms which have wide doorways and an adapted bathroom with grab rails and a walk-in shower.

THE PAD

If sleeping in a hut doesn’t sound very luxe, how about one with a Dyson hairdryer, Le Creuset crockery and a dishwasher?

Nestled on the verdant slopes of Stonor Park Estate, Quercus is a whimsical en-suite hideaway – one of two on the Drovers’ Hill site – and is both cosy and elevated.

With shuttered windows, a log burner and four-poster bed, it’s perfect for the ultimate reset.

Wake up to misty views of elegant Stonor House and roaming herds of deer, before firing up the barbecue for an alfresco brekky.

Take the relaxation up a notch by booking the miniature, Scandi-inspired Reset Wild Spa, just a short stroll away.

Dashing between its scenic outdoor sauna and cold-plunge tubs takes willpower, but the endorphin rush is so worth it.

One-hour sessions cost £25 per person (Resetwildspa.co.uk).

EXPLORE

Stonor’s 12th-century manor house is still family owned and is practically in your back garden.

Ogle the lush tapestry and intricate walnut furniture, then take a stroll through the quaint walled garden.

Entry costs £13 per person (Stonor.com).

Exploring is thirsty work, so head to nearby Oaken Grove Vineyard, for a vine-growing masterclass.

You’ll learn everything from planting to harvesting grapes with super- knowledgeable owner, Phil, and there’s plenty of wine to wash it all down with, including a citrusy sparkling pinot noir rosé.

A two-hour tour costs £25 per person (Oakengrovevineyard.co.uk).

If gin’s more your thing, book a tour and tasting at Henley Distillery – another family affair – to sip on locally made classic, spiced, pink and fruit versions, while watching the stills gurgle and boil.

A one-hour tour costs £20 per person (Thehenleydistillery.co.uk).

Picturesque Henley-on-Thames is just down the road – be sure to rummage in Duke Street’s Tudor House Antiques, an Aladdin’s cave stacked ceiling-high with quirky figurines, vases and road signs.

REFUEL

Beat the afternoon slump with velvety Milo & Malteser gelato, £4.45 a scoop, at Gelato Henley (Gelatohenley.co.uk), or tuck into a sticky, fluffy lardy cake, £4.95, at Warings Bakery (Waringsbakery.co.uk).

For the perfect lunch pitstop, head to The Cheese Shed at Nettlebed Creamery, 10 minutes’ drive from your hut.

Order the legendary toastie with organic cheeses and butter made on-site, £6.95 – it has the perfect balance of ooze and crunch (Nettlebed creamery.com).

Nearby Turville, where The Vicar Of Dibley was filmed, is postcard-pretty with chocolate-box cottages and cosy village pub The Bull & Butcher.

Feast on crumbly shortcrust Welsh lamb and mint pie with creamy mash, £19.80, beside the crackling fire.

It pairs perfectly with a pint of local sweet but hoppy Brakspear Gravity ale, £4.90 (Thebullandbutcher.com).

BOOK IT

Stays at Drovers’ Hill at Stonor cost from £150 a night (Stonor.com/drovers-hill).

PACK IT

FORGET everything you thought you knew about spas, this one is unlike any other – it doesn’t have white walls and you don’t have to silently tiptoe from the sauna to the hot tub.

At Ffolkes you can natter as much as you like, indulge in cocktails from the comfort of a giant hot tub all under the glow of neon lights and a disco ball.

Inside the Norfolk spa are 12 thermal spa experiences across four zones called Ibiza, Sauna, Steam and Cold – and Ffolkes suggests visitors start in ‘Ibiza‘.

The party island-themed zone has a giant hot tub with a bar right beside it, so you can order drinks without leaving the water.

It has everything you could want from beer to wine, bubbles, margaritas, mojitos, winter sangria and non-alcoholic options.

On the outskirts of the tub are heated loungers and foot spas.

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For those who want the quieter spa experience – head to Soft Play which has double loungers, bean bags, a swing and infrared heaters.

When you want to heat up, check out the three saunas – each with its own mood and scent.

The Global Sauna is the spa’s biggest and is where visitors can try a ritual and guided sessions.

The Salt Sauna is filled with the scent of sea fennel, lavender and lemon. 

And the Herbal Sauna infuses heat with botanical smells.

There’s one Aroma steam room which is infused with essential oils and the other is Eucalyptus, a calming spot where you can really clear your head.

To cool off, head to the cold plunge pool which sits between 10-12C.

Visitors can then chill off even more in the mist shower and the ice fountain.

A visit to the spa wouldn’t be complete without a treatment and here, there are many options from Indian Head Massage to facials and scrubs.

All that relaxing is hungry work – and Ffolkes offers lots of food from brunch to quirky afternoon tea.

In the mornings, tuck into full English breakfasts, pancakes, fruit salads and cinnamon rolls.

It also offers a unique afternoon tea with chocolate chip scones and homemade chocolate spread, cheeseburger sausage rolls, Korean BBQ bao buns (from £30pp).

There’s a choice of Indian food every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday evening from butter curries to coconut dahl and flatbreads.

If there’s room for dessert, tuck into a s’mores dip sharer, apple pie or even a cookie dough baked cheesecake.

The spa even has a 9-hole crazy golf course with loop-de-loops and a golf ball vortex – all inside shipping containers.

The spa with a difference in King’s Lynn opened in September 2025 and you can book in for a relaxation session.

Spa sessions start from £65 with the three-hour Twilight experience where guests have access to 12 thermal spa experiences.

It includes unlimited tea and coffee and pick ‘n’ Mix nibbles whilst in the spa.

Half-day sessions either in the morning or afternoon start from £95 which has additional post-spa food in the pub.

This is either Afternoon Street Tea (Monday–Saturday) or Pie FEAST (Sundays).

Morning or afternoon half-day spa with treatment start from £150pp which includes a 45-minute treatment.

The spa offers overnight stays for those who want to relax for more than one day which starts from £300 per night.

The brightly decorated rooms have huge beds and some even have outdoor baths in the courtyard.

The most luxe is the Spa Cabin which has a private hot tub, wood burner, sauna and outdoor shower.

For more on spas, this Bridgerton-like countryside hotel has a beautiful spa, gardens and restaurant.

And this dreamy English staycation with infinity pools, pic ‘n’ mix pantries and new spa gardens.