The Spa at The Winchester Hotel

Like to crunch before brunch? You’re in for a treat at The Winchester Hotel & Spa. Spa days and residential stays grant you full access to the brand-new fitness studio. Fully upgraded with premium cardio machines and a high-spec selection of free weights and resistance cable machines, it has absolutely everything you need to unleash your inner athlete.

The studio layout is designed for ultimate flexibility, and if you ever need a hand with the equipment, personal trainers are on-hand to help you push your performance to the next level.

Not a gym bunny? Don’t sweat it. Simply step out of the hotel doors for a gentle stroll down to the nearby River Itchen or the peaceful water meadows of Winnall Moors Nature Reserve. You can easily get your steps up in the fresh air as the local trails wind past historic stone walls, hidden chalk streams and the majestic city cathedral.

You’ve worked out, stretched out and chilled out. And now it’s time to eat out! And at The Winchester Hotel & Spa, you won’t go hungry or thirsty for long.

Alfred’s Bar

If you prefer your dining with a side of laid-back style, Alfred’s Bar is the ultimate spot to graze. Serving as a relaxed alternative to the main dining room, it is the perfect destination for family-friendly lunches, light bites and casual evening meals. For a dose of sunshine, you can even take your drinks and bites alfresco onto the beautiful, heated garden terrace.

Alfred’s Restaurant

For a more sophisticated culinary affair, Alfred’s Restaurant offers an intimate and stylish setting for dinner. The kitchen team curates a premium, modern European menu that pairs seasonal British ingredients with creative flair. It is also the home of the hotel’s legendary breakfast buffet, where you can kickstart your morning with freshly baked continental pastries alongside a hot buffet of classic morning favourites.

Afternoon tea

Food tastes nicer when you’re wearing a robe – fact! To experience the ultimate post-treatment indulgence, look no further than the hotel’s signature afternoon tea. It allows you to tuck into tiered towers piled high with freshly prepared cakes, delicate finger sandwiches and warm buttermilk scones served with thick clotted cream and strawberry jam. You can choose to enjoy your spread inside the spa lounge or out on the terrace. You can even add a touch of sparkle to your table by upgrading to a glass of Prosecco.

Yes, it does! But you’ll need to swap any dreams of energetic lengths or aqua aerobics for a much more relaxed frame of mind. Rather than a massive, Olympic-sized fitness pool, the venue features a beautifully heated indoor plunge pool that measures 7m by 5m, along with a bubbling hydro-pool. 

The thermal suite also features a traditional Swedish sauna, an aromatic steam room and a refreshing plunge shower designed to shock the senses between heat sessions. After navigating all of these liquid luxuries, you can dry off at The Spa’s dedicated poolside relaxation area.

You’ll find the hotel and spa on Worthy Lane, a flat ten-minute stroll from Winchester’s city centre. It makes a brilliant base for a city break, sitting just moments from the vibrant High Street lined with independent boutiques, designer shops and artisan cafes. 

If you time your visit right, you can also browse the famous Winchester Farmers’ Market, which is officially the largest in the UK. For a dose of culture, both the evocative ruins of Wolvesey Castle and the magnificent Winchester Cathedral are under two miles away from the hotel’s front door. Alternatively, if you prefer a breath of fresh air after your massage, the hotel is also less than a mile from Winnall Moors Nature Reserve, a beautiful wetland habitat with clear chalk streams, reedbeds and historic water meadows.

It sure does! The hotel features 96 stylish bedrooms and suites, making it an ideal destination for a full overnight spa break. From Classic and Club rooms up to Suites, the design leans into soft lighting and dark, dramatic accent colours, punctuated by high-end touches like complimentary Wi-Fi and flat-screen freeview TV, along with tea and coffee making facilities to kickstart your morning.

Check‑in at The Winchester Hotel is from 3pm, with check‑out at 11am for overnight guests. If you’re joining for a day spa package, arrival times vary depending on the experience you’ve booked.

When you arrive, the team will give you a quick tour of the spa and health club, talk you through your treatments and answer any questions. You’ll also be handed a cosy robe and slippers so you can slip straight into relaxation mode.

While you have to be over 16 to enjoy a spa package, mini hotel guests can enjoy the indoor pool from 9am to 10am each day. There are four family rooms and, when hunger strikes, families can head into the stylish yet casual surroundings of Alfred’s Bar or onto the heated garden terrace. 

While Alfred’s Restaurant has more of an adults-only vibe, Alfred’s Bar welcomes kids at any time with younger-palette-friendly menus. Best of all, the hotel serves as an ideal launchpad for family-friendly sightseeing, sitting less than a mile from the interactive exhibits at Winchester Science Centre and just a short drive from the exotic animal encounters at Marwell Zoo.

While dogs can’t join you for a soak in the hydrotherapy pool, there is plenty of good news for Fido. The hotel itself is remarkably dog-friendly, charging a flat fee of £35 per dog for stays of up to four nights. 

Four-legged guests are booked into the stylish, ground-floor Club Double rooms for easy outdoor access – and they are thoroughly spoiled on arrival with their very own dog bed, water bowl, chew toy and welcome treat. Pooches are warmly welcomed to join you for breakfast, lunch, or dinner while you dine in the chic surroundings of Alfred’s Bar or out on the heated garden terrace.

Yes, both the hotel and spa are accessible, with wheelchair access via a dedicated ramp at the front entrance. This leads into a level ground floor where the reception, Alfred’s Bar and the spa facilities are all located. 

For overnight stays, the hotel has four accessible bedrooms on the ground floor. These rooms are equipped with emergency pull cords, support rails and wet-room bathrooms with seated shower chairs. Arriving by car is equally straightforward, as the hotel has dedicated Blue Badge parking spaces next to the front doors. The adjacent public car park is also free for Blue Badge holders.

Sorry! The hotel doesn’t have its own golf course. But if your idea of relaxation involves trying to avoid sand bunkers, head over to the picturesque Avington Park Golf Course, just a 15-minute drive down the road. Nestled within the tranquil grounds of a historic country estate, this charming, scenic nine-hole parkland course offers a pay and play set-up for visitors of all skill levels.