The best club wet spas in the UK and Europe, ranked

Which health clubs have a thermal suite worth joining for. We rate heat (is the sauna hot), cold (is there a real plunge), space (can you actually rest) and quiet, then check what is included in membership and what costs extra.

Updated September 2026 · Facilities and prices are illustrative and need verification

Our shortlist

Club	Where	Wet spa	Cold option	Included?	Our verdict
David Lloyd Spa Retreat	Selected UK clubs (verify list)	Outdoor hydro pool, sauna, steam, heated loungers, fire pit	Experience showers; plunge at some	Spa Retreat upgrade or Platinum tier	The best mass-premium thermal offer in the UK; quality varies by club
Third Space Canary Wharf	London	Hydro pool, sauna, steam, relaxation area	Ice fountain	Included	Compact but hot and well-run; busy at peak
Harbour Club Chelsea	London	Indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, steam, jacuzzi	Plunge pool	Included	Old-money calm; the outdoor pool is the draw
Aspria Hamburg Alstertal	Hamburg	Full Nordic spa: multiple saunas, outdoor pool, salt room, plunge	Cold plunge and outdoor pool	Included	The benchmark for a club wet spa in Europe
Aspria Brussels Royal La Rasante	Brussels	Saunas, hammam, outdoor pool, relaxation gardens	Cold plunge	Included	Gardens make it; textbook heat-cool-rest layout
Holmes Place Lisbon (selected)	Lisbon	Sauna, steam, jacuzzi, pool	Cold shower	Included	Solid, not spectacular; check the specific club
Nuffield Health (flagship clubs)	UK	Sauna, steam, spa pool	Cold shower	Included	Reliable basics; not a destination
Virgin Active Collection	London and selected UK	Sauna, steam, hydro pool, relaxation lounge	Ice fountain at some	Included on Collection tier	Stylish; heat discipline inconsistent across sites
Bannatyne Spa clubs	UK	Sauna, steam, spa pool; Elemis spa alongside	Cold shower	Wet spa included; treatments extra	Good regional option where the premium chains are absent

Facilities from club websites and member reports, September 2026. Wet spa provision varies club by club within a chain; confirm before joining. All rows flagged verify.

How we rate a wet spa

Four things, in order. Heat: a sauna should sit above 80°C; anything under 70 is a warm cupboard. Cold: a plunge pool, ice fountain or genuinely cold shower, not a tepid one. Rest: enough loungers, ideally with a view or outdoors, that you are not hovering. Quiet: a policy that exists and staff who apply it. Treatment menus, brand partnerships and towel quality come after.

Why Europe is ahead

Sauna culture in Germany, the Nordics and the Low Countries means members expect proper heat, real cold and textile-free areas, and clubs build accordingly. Aspria’s Hamburg and Brussels clubs would be destination spas in the UK; there, they are the standard. If you use your UK membership abroad, this is where the gap shows most; see using your UK gym membership abroad.

The upgrade question

David Lloyd’s Spa Retreat is the clearest example of a chain putting its best wet spa behind a paywall. If the thermal suite is your reason for joining, price the upgrade in from day one and compare it against a club where it is simply included. Our spa day pass guide (not yet available) covers trying before you commit.

FAQs

Common questions

Which UK gym has the best spa?

For breadth, David Lloyd clubs with Spa Retreat. For quality in London, Third Space Canary Wharf and Harbour Club Chelsea. Regionally, Bannatyne’s spa clubs are often the only premium thermal offer in town.

Is a spa included in David Lloyd membership?

Pools, sauna and steam are included at most clubs. The Spa Retreat outdoor thermal areas are typically a paid upgrade or part of the top tier. Check your specific club.

Do I need to be a member to use a club spa?

Usually yes for the wet spa. Many clubs sell spa day passes or open treatment bookings to non-members, which sometimes include wet spa access for the day.

Filter clubs by sauna, plunge and hydro pool.

Guide not yet available