Nordic Spa House — Hot Tub, Cold Plunge & Spa Room | Sleeps 10 Near Durham

Hot tub, cold plunge & skylit meditation room.

A little Nordic retreat for up to 10, three miles from Durham (yes, your dog's welcome). From the front it's a quiet family home; round the back, the garden opens up around the Nordic ritual of hot, cold, fresh air and stillness. Sink into the hot tub, brave the cold plunge, or have a therapist come to you. Bring family, your partner, or your favourite people. Whatever you arrive carrying, leave it at the door. Slow down. Switch off. Reset.

~ THE NORDIC SPA HOUSE ~
Six ways to sleep. Space to soak. Somewhere to gather.

THE IDEA

Everything here is built around one simple ritual the Nordics have practised for centuries: heat, cold, fresh air and stillness. Warm through in the hot tub. Step under the cold plunge and feel everything sharpen. Breathe the fresh Durham air by the fire. Then find a quiet corner and simply be still. Guests arrive frazzled and leave lighter — that's the whole point of the place.

🛏️ SLEEPING — UP TO 10 GUESTS

Four bedrooms upstairs off a single landing, plus two extra nooks downstairs.

🌿 Sol & Måne (Sun & Moon · Master) — a spacious retreat with en-suite rainfall shower and a hidden dressing room. Sleeps 2.

🌿 Fjell & Fjord (Mountain & Fjord · Double) — a calm, grounded double with generous integrated storage. Sleeps 2.

🌿 Bjørk & Furu (Birch & Pine · Double) — a cosy double wrapped in warm, natural tones. Sleeps 2.

🌿 Nordlys (Northern Lights · Twin) — a snug room with two single beds, ideal for the younger ones. Sleeps 2.

🌿 The Lun (Conservatory nook) — a curl-up space with a comfortable sofa bed and full blackout blinds. Sleeps 2.

🌿 The Hiet (The Den · Dog nook) — your dog's own sleeping nook with bed, blankets and fairy lights; water bowls and waste bags ready on arrival.

The master has its own en-suite, with a family bathroom just across the landing. All beds are dressed in quality linens in calming Scandi tones, and the whole house follows the same pared-back, natural palette — light wood, soft textures, nothing shouting for attention.

🧖 WELLNESS — THE SPA CIRCUIT

Space to soak, stretch, and be still.

🌿 Hot Tub (Wellis Everest, seats five) — 68 jets, microbubble oxygen therapy and a 65-inch screen under the stars. Sanitised with bromine salt rather than chlorine, so there's no sting, no harsh smell — just soft water and steam rising into the night air.

🌿 Cold Plunge — step beneath the 30-litre overhead bucket, pull the chain, brace. A rush of cold that clears the mind and wakes every nerve. The brave go straight from the hot tub; the sensible work up to it over the weekend.

🌿 Outdoor Shower — thermostatic, so it holds its temperature; the grounding pause between heat and cold.

🌿 The Himmel (spa room) — a skylit room with yoga mats, meditation cushions and warm, low lighting. Glass ceiling, exposed brick, and space to be completely still. Morning stretches with the sky above you, or an evening wind-down while the rain does its thing overhead.

Fancy taking it further? Local mobile therapists can come to the house for massages and treatments — ask us and we'll point you in the right direction.

🎬 ENTERTAINMENT — EVENINGS SORTED

🌿 Living Room — a 4K media wall with ceiling-mounted Dolby Atmos surround sound, PlayStation, karaoke and a well-stocked bookshelf for the quieter moments.

🌿 Outdoor Cinema — movie nights from the hot tub on a weatherproof 65-inch screen with surround sound. Bond in the bubbles is something of a house tradition.

🌿 Pool Table — full-size, sheltered beneath the cedar pergola with festoon lights overhead. Winner stays on.

🌿 Arcade Corner — arcade classics, PlayStation and karaoke to keep the kids happily occupied while the adults soak.

🌿 The Patio — a sheltered outdoor living space with festoon lighting, comfortable seating and an outdoor log fire. Blankets on, marshmallows out, phones away.

🍽️ COOK, GATHER, LINGER

A fully equipped kitchen with everything a group of ten needs — oven, hob, dishwasher, fridge-freezer, and all the pots, pans and utensils for a proper family cook-up. There's space for everyone to eat together, because the best conversations happen around the table. Prefer a night off? Durham's restaurants are ten minutes away, and takeaways deliver to the door.

🏋️ THE STÅL (GYM) — CURRENTLY CLOSED

Our private gym is closed for refurbishment and reopening soon. When open: air-conditioned and underfloor-heated, with a full squat rack, Olympic weights, spinning bike, boxing bag and a climbing wall for the kids.

🏡 THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE

Smart-home comfort hums quietly in the background — voice control for lighting, heating and sound, with an Echo Hub by the door so nobody needs to download anything. Fast WiFi throughout for the one person who "just needs to send an email". EV charger on the drive from August 2026. Central heating, quality towels and linens, and a welcome pack waiting when you arrive.

🐾 DOGS ARE FAMILY TOO

Well-behaved dogs are warmly welcomed throughout the downstairs, with their own den (The Hiet), water bowls and waste bags provided. The garden is enclosed, and County Durham is glorious walking country — riverside trails, woodland paths and open fells all within easy reach. Your dog will have as good a break as you do.

📍 THE LOCATION

You're three miles from Durham — close enough that the city's UNESCO World Heritage cathedral and castle, cobbled lanes, riverside walks and restaurants are a ten-minute drive, far enough that the evenings are properly quiet.

Within easy reach:
🌿 Durham City — cathedral, castle, river walks and independent shops (10 minutes)
🌿 Beamish, The Living Museum of the North — a full family day out (25 minutes)
🌿 The Durham Dales & North Pennines — big skies, waterfalls and walking for days (30–45 minutes)
🌿 High Force Waterfall — one of England's most dramatic (45 minutes)
🌿 Newcastle — city buzz, culture and nightlife (30 minutes)
🌿 The Northumberland coast — castles and enormous empty beaches (about an hour)

Or do what most of our guests do: stay put. The house is the destination.

🗓️ WHO IT SUITS

🌿 Multi-generation family gatherings — space to be together and rooms to escape to
🌿 Special birthdays and celebrations — the hot tub cinema was made for it
🌿 Couples travelling with friends — four proper doubles, no arguments over rooms
🌿 Wellness weekends — the full circuit, morning yoga in The Himmel, therapist visits
🌿 Winter escapes — honestly, the hot tub is at its best with cold air and dark skies

✔️ THE PRACTICAL BITS

🌿 Sleeps up to 10 across 4 bedrooms + 2 nooks
🌿 Private driveway parking
🌿 Self check-in with smart lock — arrive when it suits you
🌿 Fast WiFi throughout
🌿 Enclosed garden
🌿 Dogs welcome (downstairs)
🌿 Family-friendly — travel cot and highchair available on request

GUEST ACCESS

You'll have the whole house and garden to yourselves. The gym (The Stål) is currently undergoing redecoration and will reopen in August. One storage cupboard in the Fjell & Fjord room is locked for owner use.

Built around one idea: hot, cold, fresh air and stillness. The hot tub's already warming up.