This month marks the grand reopening of our best luxury homes with private pools for the season. From natural swimming ponds to 17-metre lap pools and plunge baths cradled by secret garden walls, these sparkling vats of water await your arrival this spring and summer. From the secluded backyards of village manors to the sprawling grounds of country estates, these homes become aquatic wonderlands at this time of year, primed for serene solo swims, Gatsby-esque pool parties, and all that’s in between. So come on in, the water’s fine...
The Secret Garden Pools
Go past the tea rooms and boho boutiques of Frome, and enter the gentle hubbub of Beckington village to find Wool Merchant’s House, a Somerset country pile that employs towering brick walls to keep the world at bay. Its heated pool is the envy of the hamlet come spring and summer. Think walled garden meets easy pool day, where swimmers sun-dry on formal lawns and the rest dangle their feet in the water with gin and tonics in hand. Among chai tea spritzers and wedges of sweet guava, for those seeking a backdrop that is more Madhya Pradesh than Cornwall, sitting poolside Castle India will transport you.
Pools in the Cotswolds
The Cotswolds is a county of water oases for those who know where to look. These are places where elders float languidly under hazy skies while young ones splash about playing Atomic Whirlpool, and the grown-ups sip Aperol on loungers, patting themselves on the back for having the wherewithal to book a summer home with a pool. From rustic farmhouses to palatial manors, the best-kept secrets on Gloucestershire's pool scene are The Aviary, The Palladian, The Marlings, Evania, and Gulliver’s Hall.
The Private Spa
If you’re seeking a family-friendly private spa retreat this summer, look no further than Ariabelle, where there are more deep sinking bathtubs, fragrant garden spots, and wellness spaces than you can shake an incense stick at. Think of it as a highfalutin Hamptons retreat, where the days’ activities are picked from a mindfulness menu: a morning walk through wild meadows, a friendly tennis tournament to get the blood circulating, laps of the glamorous indoor pool, and a sauna session before meeting at the bar. This Maximalist country manor is arguably the most meditative home in West Sussex.
The Castle Pool
Welcome to a kingdom all of your own. While the children conjure poolside rules for noodle jousting, the adults stir iced coffees and remember what it’s like to read a book by mid-morning light, uninterrupted. Here in the Yorkshire uplands, a summer of easy entertainment for all is guaranteed. Beyond the heated pool there’s a steam room, wellness space, outdoor hot tub, and a gym, making Castle Trinity something more akin to a private family resort than a holiday home.
Make a Splash in the Woods
Here in the backcountry, there’s a multitude of homes where glittering blue waters await, and none but the soaring swallows know they’re there. It’s time to make a splash in the great outdoors, diving into the depths, wrapped in nothing but wildlife-rich woodland. Nestled in Winnie-the-Pooh's Ashdown Forest (and with a brand new pool), Fawn Wood is the place for small-scale swims on a stately plot. Alternatively, book Forestkeepers if splashing in the New Forest sound like a thing of Frederick Marryat’s dreams. At Morwell, the Tamar Valley provides a dramatic backdrop to the inky natural pool, perfect for getting those lengths in pre-breakfast, while The Art House awaits those who fancy choosing between the 17-metre lap pool or 50-metre swimming lake each morning.
Up on the Coast
Perhaps just a pool isn’t enough? Meet Sugar Ray, the Dorset beach house that feels every bit the Caribbean retreat. Just 20 minutes from the muscovado sands of the Jurassic Coast, it beckons sandcastle builders and swimmers alike. With a south-facing heated pool hemmed in by lavender borders, reams of Mediterranean plant life, and an alfresco dining area designed for balmy eves that continue long after the sun has set, this is truly immersive paradisical escape.
