Why a Spa Day Is One of the Best Things You Can Do With Friends
There is a particular kind of conversation that only happens when you are genuinely relaxed. Not the half-distracted chatter you manage over a quick coffee between errands, or the shouted exchanges in a noisy pub. The kind where the pace slows down, where you actually listen, where someone says something honest and nobody rushes past it. A spa day — done properly, with people you care about — creates exactly the conditions for that.
Devon happens to be exceptionally well suited to this. The county is home to some of the most beautiful spa settings in England, from Dartmoor manor houses to clifftop retreats overlooking the Jurassic Coast. And unlike the anonymous city day spas where you are shuffled through treatments on a production line, many of Devon's best wellness venues are set in the kind of landscapes that do half the therapeutic work before you have even put on a robe.
If you have been meaning to organise something with your group — something beyond another dinner or another drink — a spa day is worth considering. It is one of those rare activities that works for almost everyone: the friend who is stressed, the friend who is exhausted, the friend who just wants to be somewhere beautiful for a few hours. And if you pair it with a good lunch, you have got yourself a proper day out.
Here is where to go in Devon in 2026.
The Luxury Retreats
Bovey Castle, North Bovey
If you are going to do a spa day properly, Bovey Castle is the place to do it. Set on 275 acres of Dartmoor parkland near the village of North Bovey, this grand Edwardian manor house operates the Elan Spa — a facility that has won multiple awards and uses products from TEMPLESPA, BeautyLab, and Jessica Nails across its treatment menu.
The facilities are substantial. You get a family leisure pool, a whirlpool, a sauna, a steam room, and a gym, all set within grounds that include an 18-hole championship golf course, tennis courts, and miles of walking trails through the national park. The spa day packages typically include a treatment of your choice and full use of the hotel's leisure facilities, which means you can spend the morning in the pool and the afternoon walking through ancient woodland if the mood takes you.
Treatment prices vary, but to give you a sense: a 70-minute Black Diamond Facial runs at around £130 (sometimes discounted to £100), and a 2.5-hour Serious Detox Spa Ritual is priced at approximately £350. Spa day packages that include a 55-minute treatment, leisure access, and a two-course lunch offer good value for a group outing. Two-night spa breaks start from around £414 per room per night.
The food here is excellent too. Smith's Brasserie serves modern British cooking, and the setting — all wood panelling and Dartmoor views — means you can turn a spa day into a proper occasion without it feeling forced.
Bovey Castle runs Mindfulness Mondays with 15% off spa days, which is worth knowing if your group can manage a weekday. Midweek visits are quieter, easier to book, and the Dartmoor surroundings are arguably at their best when the weekend crowds have gone.
Price range: Spa day packages from approximately £100-150 per person; overnight spa breaks from £414 per room per night. Location: North Bovey, TQ13 8RE — about 25 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Essential, especially weekends. Book via boveycastle.com or call 01647 445007. Best for: Groups who want the full country house spa experience with excellent food and Dartmoor walks.
Lympstone Manor, Exmouth
Lympstone Manor is not a spa hotel in the traditional sense — there is no dedicated on-site spa building — but it deserves a place on this list because the overall experience is so restorative that it functions as a wellness retreat by default. This five-star country house hotel, created by chef Michael Caines MBE, overlooks the Exe Estuary and the Jurassic Coast from its 28 acres of grounds, which include a 10.8-acre vineyard.
The hotel offers in-room spa treatments, which means you can have a massage or facial in complete privacy without leaving your suite. For a more comprehensive spa experience, Darts Farm Wellness Spa is a short drive away and offers Elemis face and body treatments across five boutique treatment rooms.
But the real draw here is the combination of setting, food, and pace. The Michelin-starred restaurant serves some of the finest cooking in the county, the rooms are extraordinarily comfortable, and the estuary views are the kind that make you exhale properly for the first time in weeks. An overnight stay with friends here — dinner, a late breakfast, a walk along the estuary — is as restorative as any spa programme.
Price range: Suites from approximately £600 per night. Location: Courtlands Lane, Exmouth, EX8 3NZ — about 20 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Well in advance. Book via lympstonemanor.co.uk. Best for: A special occasion with a small group — more fine dining retreat than traditional spa, but deeply restorative.
Cary Arms and Spa, Babbacombe
For something more coastal, the Cary Arms and Spa in Babbacombe is hard to beat. Perched above a secluded beach on Babbacombe Bay, this boutique inn combines a proper gastropub with a clifftop spa that has some of the most dramatic views of any wellness venue in the South West.
The Cary Spa sits above the inn and features a glass-fronted hydrotherapy pool that looks out over the Jurassic coastline — the kind of view that makes you wonder why you do not do this more often. There is also a steam room, sauna, an aromatherapy light shower, an experience shower, and a sun-drenched terrace for warmer days. Three treatment rooms, including a couples massage room, offer a range of treatments using Thalgo, the French marine skincare brand. Treatments are available daily from 9.30am to 5pm, with spa access running from 8am to 8pm.
What makes this particularly good for a group is the combination of spa, food, and setting. You can spend the morning in the hydrotherapy pool, have lunch at the inn (which does excellent seafood and has an outdoor barbecue and pizza oven), and then walk along Babbacombe Beach in the afternoon. The whole experience feels like a holiday compressed into a single day.
The Cary Arms also has rooms and self-catering cottages if you want to extend the experience overnight. Combining a spa afternoon with dinner and a coastal stay removes the need for a designated driver and gives you a proper break with friends — the kind where you actually switch off.
Price range: Contact for treatment prices; rooms from approximately £200 per night. Location: Babbacombe Beach, Torquay, TQ1 3LX — about 30 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Book treatments on 01803 327110 or email [email protected]. Best for: Groups who want coastal drama with their relaxation — spa, seafood, and sea views in one package.
The Mid-Range Options
Source Spa and Wellness at Saunton Sands Hotel, Braunton
If you want a spa day with ocean views and serious facilities, Source Spa at Saunton Sands Hotel in North Devon is a strong contender. This AA-award-winning spa spreads over three floors and includes a marine Thermal Suite, a gym, two pools, and treatment rooms with views across Saunton Sands — one of the finest beaches in the country.
The treatment menu uses a mix of their own cruelty-free Source Spa Collection alongside products from Kerstin Florian and iS Clinical. Massages start from around £80 for 45 minutes, and you can upgrade to the double treatment room for an additional £20 if you want to have a treatment alongside a friend. The spa also offers membership packages, which are worth looking into if you live in North Devon and plan to visit regularly.
The location is a genuine draw. Saunton Sands stretches for three miles of golden sand backed by Braunton Burrows, and combining a spa morning with a beach walk in the afternoon makes for the kind of day that actually recharges you rather than just filling time.
Price range: Treatments from approximately £80 for 45 minutes. Location: Saunton, Braunton, EX33 1LQ — about 90 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Book via sauntonsands.co.uk or call the spa directly. Best for: Groups who want serious spa facilities combined with one of Devon's best beaches.
Northcote Manor, Umberleigh
Tucked into the North Devon countryside, Northcote Manor is a small country house hotel with a spa that punches well above its weight. The spa uses Temple Spa products and offers facials, massages, body treatments, and pregnancy-specific options. There is a heated 12.5-metre pool, and the spa serves light lunches and cream teas — which is the kind of detail that turns a treatment into a proper day out.
Spa treatments run from 9am to 5.30pm, with general spa access from 8am to 8pm. Their Pamper Day package includes use of the spa facilities plus 60 minutes of treatments, which works well for a group visit. The hotel restaurant also serves a good four-course dinner, so if you fancy extending into the evening, you are well looked after.
Price range: Contact for current treatment prices; pamper day packages available. Location: Umberleigh, EX37 9LZ — about 50 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Call 01769 560501 or email [email protected]. Best for: A smaller, more intimate spa day with friends in beautiful North Devon countryside.
Hotel du Vin, Exeter
If you want a spa day without leaving the city, Hotel du Vin on Magdalen Street is the most convenient option. Set in a former eye hospital in the heart of Exeter, the hotel has an outdoor heated pool, a small indoor hydra jet pool, a relaxation room, and treatment rooms offering the full TEMPLESPA range of face and body treatments.
Spa packages start from around £115 per person on weekdays and £125 on weekends, and include unlimited use of the pool and relaxation room with towels and robes provided. A 50% non-refundable deposit is required at booking. The packages that combine a facial, back massage, and leg and foot treatment offer good value for a few hours of proper indulgence.
The advantage here is accessibility. No one needs to drive to Dartmoor or the coast, there is no complicated logistics, and you can walk to the spa from anywhere in the city centre. Combine it with lunch at the hotel's bistro or head out to one of Exeter's restaurants afterwards — our guide to the best restaurants in Exeter has plenty of suggestions.
Price range: Spa packages from £115-125 per person. Location: Magdalen Street, Exeter, EX2 4HY. Booking: Via hotelduvin.com or contact the spa team directly. Best for: City-based friends who want a spa day without the drive.
The Coastal and North Devon Spa Escapes
The Alchemist Spa at Woolacombe Bay Hotel
If you want to combine a spa day with one of Devon's most spectacular beaches, The Alchemist Spa at Woolacombe Bay Hotel is a strong contender. Perched above three miles of golden sand that regularly wins Britain's best beach awards, this North Devon spa has been thoughtfully designed around thermal experiences — a heated pool, sauna, steam room, and outdoor hot tub — with treatment rooms that look out over the coastline.
The spa uses TEMPLESPA products and offers a range of treatments including bespoke facials, deep tissue massages, body scrubs, and their signature Rasul treatment — a ritual combining heat, steam, and mineral-rich mud in a beautiful tiled chamber that is particularly good for groups. For something indulgent, try the copper tub ritual with optional face masks and a glass of fizz.
Their Radiance Reset spa day package starts from around £160 per person and includes 80 minutes of relaxation time in the spa, a light lunch and drink, hot drinks and pastries, plus 10% off pre-booked treatments. Overnight spa breaks start from £440 per room per night, with seasonal offers often bringing this down considerably — check their spring and early autumn deals in particular. The spa also offers prenatal experiences for expectant mothers from 12 weeks onwards, which is a thoughtful touch.
What sets this apart is the combination of surf coast atmosphere and serious spa facilities. You could spend the morning on the beach, the afternoon in the thermal suite, and the evening in the hotel restaurant watching the sun set over Woolacombe Bay. For a group of friends, it does not get much better than that.
Price range: Spa day packages from approximately £160 per person; overnight spa breaks from £440 per room per night. Location: Woolacombe Bay Hotel, Woolacombe, EX34 7BN — about 90 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Via woolacombe-bay-hotel.co.uk or call 01271 870388. Best for: Beach-loving groups who want the full North Devon coast-and-spa experience.
Gara Rock, East Portlemouth
For a clifftop spa experience in the South Hams, Gara Rock deserves a place on your shortlist. This award-winning lifestyle resort sits in one of the most dramatic coastal locations in Devon — perched above its own secluded beach near Salcombe, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Wild Rock Spa features indoor and outdoor pools with panoramic sea views, a below-ground spa pool, sauna, steam room, and two treatment rooms. Treatments use Apothespa products, which are organic, natural, vegan, and handmade nearby in Totnes — a properly Devon touch. The menu covers restorative massages, reflexology, body scrubs, and facials.
Non-residents can book spa treatments Monday to Thursday, which makes it accessible as a day spa rather than requiring an overnight stay. The resort also has four food and beverage outlets including a restaurant, lounge bar, and outdoor terrace grill, plus a cinema room — so there is plenty to fill a full day.
If you are exploring day trips to Salcombe, combining a morning walk along the coast path with an afternoon at Gara Rock spa is a genuinely special way to spend a day with friends.
Price range: Contact for treatment prices. Location: East Portlemouth, near Salcombe, TQ8 8FA — about 75 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Via gararock.com — advance booking essential. Best for: Small groups seeking a luxury coastal wellness experience with outstanding food.
If you are planning a spa day in North Devon, consider combining The Alchemist Spa at Woolacombe with a visit to the North Devon coast — the beaches at Woolacombe, Croyde, and Putsborough are some of the finest in England. For South Devon, pair Gara Rock with a day exploring Salcombe's harbour and independent shops.
The Countryside Wellness Escapes
The Arundell Arms, Lifton
The Arundell Arms in Lifton takes a different approach to wellness. This is not a glossy spa hotel with a dozen treatment rooms — it is a traditional country inn with a Wellness Lodge that offers something more personal and grounded. The lodge provides massage and spa treatments in a quiet, relaxing setting next to the hotel, with private treatment rooms, a changing room, and shower facilities.
The treatment menu is focused on therapeutic bodywork: holistic massage, sports deep tissue massage, hot stone massage, Indian head and face massage, lymphatic drainage, and reflexology. Treatments are delivered by qualified therapists including Kirstie Bridgewater, who is a member of the Complementary Therapist Association.
What makes this worth the trip is the combination of treatment and setting. The hotel sits in the heart of Devon countryside surrounded by some of England's best fishing, and the area around Lifton is gorgeous for walking. A massage followed by a long walk and a pub lunch is arguably more restorative than anything involving a hydrotherapy pool.
Price range: Contact for treatment prices. Location: Lifton, PL16 0AA — about 50 minutes from Exeter. Booking: Via thearundell.com. Best for: Friends who prefer therapeutic treatments and countryside walks over plunge pools and steam rooms.
The Social Side: Why Spa Days Work for Groups
There is a reason spa days have become one of the most popular ways for groups of friends to spend time together, and it is not just about the treatments. A spa day creates a structure for the kind of unhurried, distraction-free time that is increasingly hard to find in everyday life.
Think about the last time you spent four or five consecutive hours with a friend without checking your phone, without rushing off to something else, without the ambient noise of a restaurant or pub making it hard to hear each other properly. For most of us, it has been a while. A spa environment strips that away. You are in robes, you are warm, you are not going anywhere for several hours. The conversations that happen in those conditions tend to be different — slower, more honest, more nourishing.
If you are looking for other ways to spend quality time with your group in Devon, our guides to exploring Dartmoor and the best walking routes around Exeter are worth a look. And if the spa day inspires you to make social connection a more regular part of your routine, that is exactly what we are about.
When booking a group spa day, call the venue directly rather than booking online. Most Devon spas can arrange group packages, coordinate treatment times so you finish together, and book you a table for lunch. Some venues offer group discounts that are not advertised on their websites.
Planning Your Devon Spa Day
A few practical notes for getting the most out of a group spa visit:
Timing matters. Midweek visits are cheaper, quieter, and easier to book. If your group can manage a Tuesday or Wednesday, you will have a noticeably better experience than fighting for weekend slots.
Book treatments together. If there are four or more of you, call ahead and ask the spa to schedule your treatments so you finish at the same time. This means you can all sit down for lunch together rather than one person still being on the treatment table while everyone else is on their second glass of wine.
Combine it with food. The best spa days in Devon involve eating well. Whether it is a two-course lunch at Bovey Castle, seafood at the Cary Arms, or cream tea at Northcote Manor, pairing your treatments with a proper meal turns a good day into a great one.
Consider staying over. If budget allows, an overnight stay transforms the experience completely. No rush to drive home, no designated driver, and you get the evening together too — which, as we have found through our dinner events, is often where the best conversations happen.
Seasonal Spa Day Planning
Devon's spa scene works year-round, but each season brings its own appeal — and knowing when to book can make a real difference to both the experience and your wallet.
Spring (March–May): This is arguably the sweet spot. The countryside is waking up, daffodils line the lanes, and many spas launch seasonal offers to fill the gap between winter and the summer rush. Bovey Castle's Dartmoor grounds are particularly beautiful in spring, and the coastal spas like Woolacombe and Cary Arms are uncrowded. If your group enjoys walking routes around Exeter and Devon, combining a spring walk with a spa afternoon is hard to beat.
Summer (June–August): Peak season means higher prices and busier facilities, but the outdoor elements of Devon's spas really come alive. The Cary Arms terrace overlooking Babbacombe Bay, the outdoor pool at Hotel du Vin, Woolacombe's beach-to-spa combination — all of these are at their best when the sun is out. Book well ahead, especially for weekend slots. If you are visiting Devon for a summer holiday or staycation, a spa day makes a wonderful centrepiece.
Autumn (September–November): As the tourist crowds thin and the leaves turn, Devon's countryside spas become magical. The Dartmoor settings around Bovey Castle and the Arundell Arms are at their most atmospheric. Many venues offer autumn wellness packages, and midweek availability improves significantly. Pair a spa visit with an autumn day out exploring Devon's food and drink scene.
Winter (December–February): There is something deeply restorative about stepping out of the cold into a warm hydrotherapy pool. Winter spa days feel like a genuine treat, and many Devon spas run Christmas and New Year packages. The darker evenings mean you can combine a daytime treatment with an early supper, making a full evening of it. For those who find the darker months challenging, a regular spa visit with friends is a powerful way to maintain both wellbeing and connection.
For the best value, look at midweek spa days between October and April, excluding school holidays. Many Devon spas offer discounts of 15–25% during these quieter periods, and you will have the facilities largely to yourselves. Bovey Castle's Mindfulness Mondays and similar weekday offers can save you a significant amount per person.
Devon has enough spa and wellness options to suit every group, every budget, and every mood. Whether you want the full country house experience at Bovey Castle, coastal drama at the Cary Arms, beach vibes at Woolacombe, or a simple therapeutic massage at the Arundell Arms, the important thing is making the time to do it. If you are looking for other ways to spend quality time with friends in Devon, our guides to the best day trips from Exeter and gyms, yoga, and fitness in Exeter have plenty more ideas. Your friendships will thank you.