The Best Hotels With Pools to Book in Scotland

Even if you haven’t booked a full-body massage, you can still experience a pummelling, thanks to the two hydrotherapy pools at the five-star Kimpton Blythswood Square (the only hotel in the city with AA accreditation). The set-up is designed for relaxation – but you may need to brace yourself for the hot-and-cold theme, where you hop out of the 36C (97F) pool straight into an ice fountain, rubbing ice flakes over your body to give your circulation a boost.

At the 19th hole of one of the world’s most famous golf courses – the Links at St Andrews’ West Sands Beach – resides this lavish 144-room AA hotel with five red stars. It’s home to the first Kohler bathing experience outside of America, which harnesses the healing properties of mineral-rich waters. Spread across 25,000 square feet (2,323sqm), you’ll find a 66-foot (20m) pool, a hydrotherapy pool, hot-and-cold rooms, a garden hot tub and two ‘wet’ treatment rooms offering Kohler bathing experiences.

If you love being surrounded by water, you are in for a treat at the leisure club here, as the 46-foot (14m) indoor pool and Jacuzzi, as well as the outdoor hot tub, overlook the Moray coastline. Under the drier and sunnier microclimate of the seaside resort Nairn, the hotel is a sanctuary from which to explore the Highlands, from Loch Ness to a clutch of castles.

Having just splashed several million pounds on an upgrade, the Apex City Quay is the perfect destination for a relaxing stay. A Japanese-inspired spa offers around 50 treatments, with Elemis products as standard. Alongside the 39-foot (12m) ozone swimming pool (sanitised with a circulation system rather than chlorine), you’ll find a hydrotherapy spa pool as well as a herbal-infused steam room and sauna. There are dedicated swim times for families, so you can enjoy adults-only serenity for most of the day.

Wrap up in fluffy robes and slippers while clinking glasses of prosecco at this countryside escape, which is geared up for spa-package breaks. Full-length windows fronting the 59-foot (18m) indoor pool create the feeling of bathing in nature, with views of the Trossachs National Park. If you’re inspired to get out and explore the surrounds of Loch Ard and Ben Lomond, a crackling fire will await you when you get back to the base.

Throw open your curtains to a view of the glorious Edinburgh Castle when you wake up at the Sheraton Grand, which is right in the middle of the capital’s UNESCO World Heritage city centre (book a Castle View room or suite). Bathing reaches new heights at the semi-circular rooftop infinity hydro pool, where waterjets target different muscle groups for an underwater massage. If it’s a workout you’re after, the 62-foot (19m) indoor lap pool stays open until late.

Heritage meets 21st-century luxury at the Balmoral, an oasis above the shopping strip of Princes Street. Occupying a landmark Neo-Renaissance building, the bathrooms are marble, and a harpist strums on the balcony. Slink off to the Turkish steam room and Finnish sauna, or, under calming dimmed lights, work up an appetite for a Michelin-starred meal in the 49-foot (15m) lap pool.

An eco-friendly building on the shore of Loch Fyne, this hotel built from glass, steel and stone practically brings nature into the leisure zone with its wide views of the water and Kintyre. Pools are taken seriously here. At 872 square feet (81sqm), it’s laid claim to the biggest heated outdoor infinity pool in Scotland. There are also outdoor spa pools, a 52-foot (16m) indoor swimming pool and a toddlers’ pool with water features.