On the rooftop of Bath, England at Thermae Spa

There aren’t many places in the World, where you can sit on a rooftop, in a natural thermal pool, whilst peering over a historical city, and being just under 2 hours from London, it makes Bath Spa in England a real possibility for travellers to enjoy this experience.

Recently I got to revisit the historical city of Bath, as a treat for my sisters birthday, and we only had one thing in mind to do – relax!

So straight to Britian’s only natural thermal spa, we went.

There are various bathing options under the Thermae Spa branding, but the most popular is the New Royal Bath, which is a complex of several floors, and houses a shop and cafe also.

The cross bath (across the road) is a complex of just one thermal pool (also on a rooftop), and is cheaper, but often sold out of tickets.

Location

The Thermae bath spa is located quite centrally – not far from the old Roman Baths, a short walk from the train station and Bath Abbey. It’ll be marked on every tourist map you can pick up, and signs (or locals) will direct you on where you need to go to.

Note – The entrance is round to the left of the Santander bank (we walked around the building the wrong way initially, and got confused)

Cost

For the spa, we were not aware of any booking ability – unless you wish to pre-book additional treatments. You will just have to show up and hope you get in.

Weekends are usually busier and more expensive. It costs £37 for a 2 hour pass, per person, at the weekend, and £35 during the weekdays

When we arrived, there was quite a queue, and a sign telling us that we would have to wait for 45 minutes. However, the queue went quickly, and we got in, in about 15 minutes.

Experience 

After paying, we got given wristbands, with chips in them for the locker, and were handed over a soft and fluffy white robe, slippers and a towel. It felt oh so decadent already.

The locker rooms are all unisex, but include an individual changing room, for privacy. The lockers take some time to get used to, but are great for storing all your shopping or valuables.

There is a no camera/video policy within the spa. However, I later returned to grab my phone to snap a few pictures on the balcony (where no one else was present).

Pools at Thermae Spa 

Initially, I thought that there were only a few pools, but in fact there are two, plus a huge steam room, filled with wonderful smells such as lotus flower (my personal favourite) and lemongrass and ginger.

Added to this there was a giant waterfall type shower in the middle, which would turn on at different intervals during the session.

During our time, we jumped between the rooftop pool, and the Minerva bath on the ground floor, with its lazy river, and jacuzzi.

Extra time for using the cafe 

If you can’t quite part with the pools, there is a way of getting some extra time, and that is by purchasing something from the cafe. We bought two drinks for £5, and got an extra hour of time in the pools.

You can purchase an extra hour (if they feel there are not many people in there), at the front desk for £10 each! So it makes sense to go with the cafe option.

I had such a wonderful time at the Thermae Bath Spa, and left feeling relaxed, and refreshed.

If you’re planning on heading to England, don’t miss out on getting to Bath – even as a day trip. Switching off is sometimes the best activity when travelling.