Are you planning a family trip to the UK this summer and looking for great lodging options? Not sure about you and your kids, but our kids LOVE when we go to a hotel and there’s a pool. They are so happy and they usually sleep really well after swimming. For this reason, today, we’ve listed great family-friendly hotels with swimming pools across the UK.
Whether it’s an indoor heated swimming pool or an outdoor swimming pool, the kids (and the adults) will have plenty of fun. And, travelling is also about enjoying some of the great amenities the hotel offers after a long day of sightseeing.
In addition to fun swimming pools, some hotels also offer:
- Outdoor play areas,
- Spa treatments (for the parents to relax a little),
- Indoor and outdoor hot tub
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A few things to know when planning a trip to the UK with your kids
Here are a few things to know when planning a trip to the UK with your kids.
✈️ Book your flight to the UK
Find cheap flights to the UK using Google Flights or Skyscanner where you’ll be able to compare different airlines’ tickets, including some low-cost ones. Just choose the city where you want to arrive to!
🚗 Rent your car
You can rent a car directly from the airport where you arrive or wait until you are in town. I recommend you compare pricing on DiscoverCars.
🎟️ Book your UK tours
Viator and Get Your Guide are two great websites for finding fun tours in and around the UK.
📱 Download a few apps to help you plan your UK trip with your kids
The GoWhee app is the perfect app for finding fun kid-friendly activities in the UK. Roadtripppers will help you plan any road trips. It helps you add stops along the way. AllTrails is our go-to app to look at trails’ reports and see if the trail is kid-friendly. You’ll also find recent information about the status of the trail.
🩹 Don’t forget a First Aid Kit
It is always a great idea to take a travel first aid kit with you when travelling with toddlers. Make sure it is well-stocked, especially with bite/sting cream and band-aids – you never know when unsteady little legs might take a tumble. Keep your travel first aid kit somewhere accessible.
Family-Friendly Hotels with Swimming Pools in the U.K
We selected a few different hotel options with swimming pools all across the UK. You can scroll down for all the details, or have a quick glance at our suggestions in the table below:
Hotel Name | Location | Stars Rating | Pricing |
York, North England | around USD $250-260 | ||
Lake District, North England | around USD $180 | ||
Cornwall, Southern England | around USD $180 | ||
Devon, Southern England | around USD $200 | ||
Bath, Southern England | around USD $250 | ||
Windsor, Southern England | around USD $450 | ||
Oxford, Southern England | around USD $200 | ||
Avon, Southern England | included in Home Exchange membership | ||
Cardiff, Wales | around USD $150 | ||
Pembrokeshire, Wales | around USD $200-225 | ||
Edinburgh, Scotland | around USD $150 | ||
Glencoe, Scotland | around USD $570 | ||
Belfast, Northern Ireland | around USD $150 |
Family-Friendly Hotels in England
1. Novotel York Center, York
The northern city of York is a fantastic destination to visit with kids as it is a compact city that can be explored by foot. Furthermore, you can discover York’s Viking history at the Jorvik Viking center, walk the city’s medieval walls, tour York Minster or visit the fun National Railway Museum.
The Novotel York Centre is a short ten-minute walk from the city center. Highly rated by families, family rooms include a double bed, a sofa bed, WiFi and air conditioning.
Don’t miss the Hop On Hop Off bus tour and the Donjon Tour during your visit to York.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Novotel York Center, York
2. Castle Green Hotel, Lake District
Escape the city and urban England by heading to the mountains and lakes of The Lake District in Cumbria.
The Castle Green Hotel, part of the Best Western Premier Collection is ideally located a short ten-minute walk from Kendal town center. The hotel has a spa and fitness center or you can also exercise on the hotel’s 14-acre grounds.
In Lake District, particularly, you’ll want to do a full-day tour of the Western Lakes.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Castle Green Hotel, Lake District
3. Tregenna Castle Resort, Cornwall
Cornwall is popular with domestic tourists and is famous for its glorious sandy beaches, surfing and fishing villages. You could even take some surf classes for all the family (as long as your kids can swim).
Moreover, for a unique and memorable family-friendly hotel with a swimming pool in the U.K, choose the Tregenna Castle Resort in St Ives. It is – as the name suggests – a castle. The 72-acre estate will keep the kids busy as will the indoor and seasonal outdoor pool and a sandy beach is a six-minute walk away. Family rooms include a double bed and bunk beds.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Tregenna Castle Resort, Cornwall
4. The Mole Resort at Highbullen Hotel in Devon
Cornwall’s neighboring county, Devon, offers visitors a tranquil getaway, rural villages and hiking in Dartmoor National Park.
The Mole Resort at Highbullen Hotel in Devon is a great family-friendly hotel with a swimming pool that is great for kids! They have so many amenities that, as a result, everyone in the family will be happy to be there.
From having a relaxing day at the spa and wellness centre to playing golf at their golf course and admiring the views of Dartmoor and Exmoor to playing tennis or hiking, everyone will find something to do.
»» Check prices and availabilities at The Mole Resort at Highbullen Hotel
5. Apex City of Bath Hotel, Bath
Historic Bath is one of the most popular locations to visit outside London.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is known for its Roman baths and Georgian architecture. Iconic Stonehenge is a short one-hour drive from Bath city center. Make sure to do the guided tour of the city and the Roman baths for the full experience.
Moreover, the Apex City of Bath Hotel offers spacious family rooms with a bed for each member of the family, an on-site restaurant and a fitness room. It has a perfect location just 400 yards from the Roman Baths.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Apex City of Bath Hotel, Bath
6. Crowne Plaza Gerrards Cross, Windsor
Windsor and its most famous attraction, Windsor Castle, is a central location and a good alternative to staying in London which is only 45 minutes away by train. Windsor is close to Heathrow airport, it is a 2-hour drive to Wales and kids will love a trip to nearby Legoland. There is a beautiful castle, Windsor Castle, to visit.
In addition, the Crowne Plaza Gerrards Cross is an IHG hotel, that’s 7 miles from Windsor. Family rooms include two double beds, free WiFi and an on-site spa and restaurant. Also, this hotel is also a good option if you wish to visit the nearby Warner Bros Studios.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Crowne Plaza Gerrards Cross, Windsor
7. Jurys Inn Oxford, Oxford
Oxford, ‘the city of dreaming spires’ is a city made for wandering. You can explore the Bodleian Library, the Ashmolean Museum or the Museum of Natural History coupled with a guided tour of the University and the town.
The elegant Jurys Inn Oxford is a five-minute drive from Oxford city center with family rooms offering two double beds.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Jurys Inn Oxford, Oxford
8. Home Exchange in Stratford Upon Avon
Shakespeare fans must visit Stratford Upon Avon. Visit Shakespeare’s birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s cottage or if you’d like to do something different, tour Europe’s largest butterfly farm.
This 4 bed Stratford Upon Avon home exchange offers 15 acres of land, an above-ground swimming pool and sleeps 8 people.
🏠 Try HomeExchange. Pay only when you find the perfect exchange.
Family-Friendly Hotels in Wales
Wales is often looked in favor of Scotland on a U.K trip but it is a country offering incredible landscapes, miles of sandy beaches as well as a rich cultural and linguistic heritage. Furthermore, it has some of the best family-friendly hotels with a swimming pool in the U.K.
9. Hilton Cardiff, Cardiff
The capital of Wales, Cardiff, is a lively, cosmopolitan city. Kids will enjoy exploring Cardiff Castle and learning about Welsh history and culture at the National History Museum.
The centrally located Hilton Cardiff is a luxury hotel with two double beds in family rooms. Its reasonably priced breakfast is highly recommended.
Finally, don’t forget to get a Hop On-Hop Off bus ticket to explore the city.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Hilton Cardiff, Cardiff
10. Best Western Lamphey Court Hotel and Spa, Pembrokeshire
If you would like to experience rural Welsh life, head to Pembrokeshire in the southwest of Wales. This region is known for its miles of sandy beaches, nature, and stunning hikes along the Pembrokeshire coastal path.
The Best Western Lamphey Court Hotel and Spa is a 19th-century Georgian mansion with a spa, restaurant and tennis courts. Additionally, it is a short drive to Pembroke Castle and local beaches and the nearby Oakwood Theme Park offers a fun day out for all the family.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Best Western Lamphey Court Hotel and Spa, Pembrokeshire
11. Trearddur Bay Hotel, Snowdonia National Park
In North Wales, you can visit Snowdonia National Park which offers several family-friendly activities such as climbing, hiking, caving and mountain biking. Further, adrenaline junkies should try the fastest zipline in the world, 500 meters above Penryhn Quarry. If you are an adventure and active family, you can even reach the summit of Snowdon.
Trearddur Bay Hotel on Anglesey has huge family rooms offering an extra-large double bed, a single bed plus two sofa beds. Additionally, breakfast is included in the price and the hotel is a two-minute walk from a Blue Flag beach.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Trearddur Bay Hotel, Snowdonia National Park
Family-Friendly Hotels in Scotland
12. Apex Grassmarket Hotel, Edinburgh
The Scottish capital Edinburgh is five hours by train from London. Visitors can also fly directly into Edinburgh International Airport. It is a fascinating and vibrant city packed with great architecture. Kids will love Edinburgh Castle and can stretch their legs climbing Arthur’s Seat for a fantastic view over the city. Moreover, kids will also love the Harry Potter guided tour or the underground vaults tour.
The Apex Grassmarket Hotel features an award-winning restaurant and is a fifteen-minute walk to Edinburgh Castle. The National Museum of Scotland is a few minutes’ walk away.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Apex Grassmarket Hotel, Edinburgh
13. Loch Linnhe Waterfront Lodges, Glencoe
A visit to Scotland would not be complete without a trip to the Scottish Highlands. In fact, Glencoe is one of the most beautiful locations in Scotland and has been featured in many Hollywood movies. Families can enjoy incredible hikes, do some kayaking on Loch Leven or go skiing in winter.
Loch Linnhe Waterfront Lodges are self-contained wooden lodges offering two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchenette. Each lodge has its own tub in addition to the on-site swimming pool.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Loch Linnhe Waterfront Lodges, Glencoe
Northern Ireland
14. Crowne Plaza Belfast, Belfast
Belfast is a fun city to visit and is a great base for trips to the north (for the Giant’s Causeway) or south to the Republic of Ireland.
You can browse the stalls of the centuries-old St. George’s Market, take a street art tour, or learn about the building of the Titanic at Titanic Belfast.
The Crowne Plaza Belfast is a 4-star hotel located three miles from Belfast city center. The extra distance is worth it for the fantastic facilities. Family rooms have a double bed and a sofa bed, there is a fitness room, sauna and on-site restaurant serving a traditional Irish breakfast. The hotel has also created a soft playroom for younger children.
»» Check prices and availabilities at Crowne Plaza Belfast, Belfast
F.AQ. Family Friendly Hotels With Swimming Pools in the UK You Need to Check
How many days should I spend in the UK?
The UK offers a lot of places to visit. It is rich in history, and it is a great idea to spend several days visiting. You can visit several cities while on your trip or choose just one and spend as long as a week discovering that specific city’s museums, castles or National Parks. Also, if you are going to be jet-lagged, you may want to stay longer so you do not feel too tired to enjoy being outside discovering the city!
What is the weather like in the UK?
The weather will probably vary depending on the region you are at and the time of the year you visit. However, you can expect warm summer months, cold winters and some rainy days. So, pack your bags accordingly!
Do all hotels have swimming pools in the UK?
Most of them do! This is only a “short” list of options I gathered to share with you but there are many more hotels offering this amenity. There are probably though a few smaller hotels that do not offer a swimming pool for lack of space.
What other activities can I do in the UK?
Under each hotel option, I list a few activities or places to visit in the UK. There are many castles you can visit depending on the are you are staying. Some of the most popular places to visit are The British Museum, the London Eye, the Tower Bridge, the famous Stonehenge and Hyde Park. Most hotels have a restaurant or dining area in the same building, which is a convenience if you are tired; but pubs are very popular in the UK and you can enjoy meeting new people if you step into one.
What is the most popular dish to try in the UK?
The UK is known as a multicultural country, and this makes it a rich country when it comes to food! Make sure to try some fish and chips, chicken tikka masala, Cornish pasties and an afternoon tea or beer to finish your day!
Final Thoughts: Family Friendly Hotels With Swimming Pools in the UK
As you can see, there are many options all around the UK for family-friendly hotels with swimming pools. Some offer indoor pools while others have beautiful outdoor swimming pools. There is an option for most budgets.
Which hotel will you try? We are fans of Home Exchange stays, and I’m sure you’ll definitely vote for the beautiful house in Avon.
Emilie is the founder of Love Life Abroad. She helps moms plan epic road trips and outdoor adventures with their families. Because who said adventuring had to stop once we have kids? She’s based in the Canadian Rockies and shares her love for the region as well as other unique places in Canada & USA. She works with tourism boards and outdoor brands to inspire families to experience new unique destinations and outdoor activities.