Flames flicker in the long, low fireplace set into the stone wall beside me. It runs the length of the indoor pool, casting a warm glow across the water. I butterfly back and forth through the shimmer with unhurried strokes. There is no need to rush here: in the tranquil English countryside at Lucknam Park, time seems to slow.
Like many, I was raised on stories of the carefully ordered social worlds of the English gentry found in the novels of Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë. Even more captivating to me were the depictions of grand country houses and sweeping estates.
© Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa
Lucknam Park fulfils those Austen-and-Brontë daydreams. The historic manor, part of the Relais & Châteaux collection, sits at the heart of a 500-acre equestrian and wellness estate in the village of Chippenham, just six miles from the spa city of Bath. It’s under two hours by car from London but feels like another world. Sleek horses doze in the sunshine; the main house stands at the end of a broad avenue lined with some 400 lime and beech trees, many so mature their branches intertwine.
Although Jane Austen spent five years in nearby Bath, she likely never encountered the contemporary wellness facilities available at Lucknam Park. The estate’s modern spa complex occupies restored stable buildings and includes a hydro zone with six thermal cabins. This tranquil area lies behind the main house, reached through a courtyard and along a garden path dotted with sculptures from the property’s collection—many of them celebrating the estate’s equestrian heritage.
The expansive indoor pool has a swim-through door that opens onto outdoor gardens, creating a peaceful sunlit oasis perfect for languid relaxation. I take advantage of the space, easing into the water and enjoying the hydrotherapy facilities before my Bespoke Massage appointment.
After toweling off, I move between the sauna and a cooling shower by the ice fountain. I rest in the Amethyst Room, where light from a large amethyst in the ceiling cycles through soothing colors, then spend time in the Japanese Salt Room before a steam session in the Aromatic Steam bath.
Soon my therapist greets me in the spa’s relaxation area, where I sip herbal tea before being led to a candlelit treatment room with wooden floors. I choose from a selection of scented oils and opt for a calming massage. Over 90 minutes she blends techniques from various bodywork traditions to ease tension from my shoulders and upper back.
Treatments at the spa feature premium body-care brands such as 111SKIN, HydraFacial and KLORIS. KLORIS is known for intelligent CBD wellness products that help with stress and minor aches. The menu includes an hour-long Platinum HydraFacial Experience, a 60-minute Melting Candle Couples Massage by Natural Spa Factory, and a 90-minute KLORIS Sleep Soundly Ritual combining CBD-infused balm with supportive aromatherapy oils.
© Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa
After an indulgent spa afternoon, I set off on foot to explore woodlands and meadows, working up an appetite for dinner. On-site dining includes the Michelin-starred Restaurant Hywel Jones by Lucknam Park, overseen by Executive Chef Hywel Jones. Wandering a trail beside the equestrian center, I pass a tall bay mare near the paddock fence. Horses are central to the estate: guests can book riding lessons or enjoy hacks through the surrounding countryside. There is also a yoga studio with scheduled classes and many winding paths and lawns for walking.
In my luxurious suite, the marble bathroom is stocked with Natural Spa Factory products from Bath—deeply moisturizing, cruelty-free blends. I fall for the Fig & Vanilla Body Lotion and plan to pack some for home.
The next morning, after a long restorative sleep in my canopied bed, I take a brisk pre-breakfast walk across the fields. Looking back at the manor, its peaked silhouette is framed by beech branches. For a moment it’s easy to imagine the house and its walled gardens, lily ponds and horses as my own private retreat. All I need is a carriage to complete the scene and return me to that imagined spa world.