16 Jul 2026
Hillary Childs returns to the Westminster Lodge facility for the first time in six years – but how much has changed?
The last time I enjoyed a relaxing afternoon in the oasis of calm that is Westminster Lodge’s Verulamium Spa, I was heavily pregnant with my second daughter, and took full advantage of their pre-natal massage treatment.
Said daughter is now finishing Year 1 at primary school, which means a return visit was long overdue, and so I was happy to take advantage of its recent £400,000 refurbishment to enjoy a child-free session of pampering.
There have been various improvements at the Verulamium Spa Retreat – to give it its full swanky title – including a fully refitted sauna and steam room, upgraded hydrospa, enhanced monsoon showers, and new tiling and lighting throughout.
There are plenty of new features as well, such as an ice cave with cold plunge baths, a salt room and infrared seating, and upgraded heated loungers, all of which have combined to really up the standards of the overall offering.
I headed down to the refurbished changing rooms, which feature new showers, vanity areas and lockers where you make up your own code so you don’t have to faff around with keys, and slipped into a swimsuit before heading into the first of the various areas.
The steam room has been decorated with tiny mother of pearl tiles which give the impression of sitting on a mermaid’s tail, shimmering in the mists and taking on an otherworldly feel. There was lots and lots of hot steam being pumped out all of the time, but I could have spent all day in there, basking in the heat like a cat in the sun.
Although I’m used to salt rooms caked with thick salt all over the walls, this one is a simple space where salt is puffed out through vents into the air. It’s got plenty of respiratory benefits, and can also help with conditions like eczema, and no the air doesn’t taste like you’ve been licking the inside of a crisp packet.
Whilst in the salt room, I got talking to a member who said he was blown away with what they’ve done to the spa. He stressed that it’s never too crowded and everyone’s just super-friendly all of the time, with a really good vibe throughout the whole place. The number of people allowed in at any one time is capped at 14, but you can keep booking hour after hour after hour if there is capacity to do so.
He said he’s been a member of various spas and gyms around the district, but he really cannot fault the facilities at Westminster Lodge, even when you compare it to local private health centres where the membership fee is a lot higher. High praise indeed!
Next door to the salt room is the ice cave. The room itself is not cold, and is actually quite a nice normal temperature, but the water baths themselves are absolutely freezing and refrigerated with ice. You have the option of actually fully submerging yourself in bone-chilling cold water, which as I love a cold-water swim, I braved, but there was no way I was putting my head under! Oh my God it was cold, but I did receive a round of applause from another woman who was there at the same time, which made it all worthwhile! The guy I had been talking to came in, stood there, put his hand in the water and then walked out – and I can’t say I blamed him!
They’ve retained the hydro pool – a big pool with lots of bubbles which is really good for you – and that’s just lovely, but my favourite area was the steam room, so I went back in there for another go, although the sauna is also awesome and really nicely done.
The layout didn’t really seem to have changed too much since my last visit, although reducing the sauna facilities and introducing the salt room and ice cave was an excellent move.
There has been a lot of thought – as well as money – put into the refurbishment and they’ve made sure that it’s on all the right things, rather than a superficial glow-up. I can’t imagine all those pools and spas are cheap to run anyway, but that’s where they put the money in, and it’s really amazing to see the result.
I finished my carousel of halotherapy on one of the new spa loungers – where I discovered why my cats love a warm windowsill so much! But there is also the infrared benches which are really good for relaxing your muscles after a workout (so I’m told).
I could have stayed there for ages and would have probably had a nap as well, but unfortunately the demands of the real world meant I needed to get home to help with bath-time and dinner, so reluctantly cut short my session on the sun terrace in order to have a manicure.
They have plenty of treatments, which are all very reasonably priced, and they also offered me a scalp massage, but with my newly dyed pink hair, I declined. If I’d had more time I would have loved one of their hot stone sessions and the Ice Globe facial sounded amazing.
The manicurist was just so careful, and while she worked we chatted away for ages about our kids, the fact that she’s been there since it opened, and how she’d give me a note afterwards to say that I couldn’t do any washing up for 24 hours!
She was telling me that they have regulars in the morning and evening who meet up via a little WhatsApp group in the spa as it’s such a lovely atmosphere.
There really isn’t anywhere comparable to Verulamium Spa in the local area, especially within walking distance of the city centre, and it’s well worth remembering how lucky we are to have somewhere which offers a little bit of luxury to everyone right on our doorsteps.
