Eight of the best: hotels with great sporting facilities

Planning a post-Christmas detox? What is a better way than starting a new year with getting loads of essential endorphins pumping round your body? Many of Britain’s hotels boast high-quality sport offerings, from multi-facility all-rounders to single-discipline specialists. Book a stay at one of the following, and get 2018 off to a sporty start.

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire, south-west England

Whereas most hotel stables offer only gentle trots, luxurious Lucknam Park’s Equestrian Centre is far more comprehensive. Some of its 35 horses cater to proficient riders hoping to improve their jumping or dressage amid a full-size arena, while specialist clinics are led by world-leading showjumpers. The Palladian mansion is just as venerable, boasting a Michelin-starred restaurant and gloriously landscaped gardens. Bath’s famously restorative waters are within day-trip reach.

Getting there: Taxis are readily available at Bath and Chippenham’s rail stations, both of which welcome regular, 90-minute services from London Paddington.

Carden Park Hotel, Cheshire, western England

Two professional golf courses stretch away from this 196-room country hotel in western England, with PGA professionals including Garry Houston among the tutors. Carden Park’s 405 beautiful hectares (1,000 acres) also contain an archery area, full-sized football pitch, aerial ropes course and two tennis courts. The award-winning Carden Spa soothes any overused muscles. If you can tear yourself away, nearby Chester has a magnificent cathedral and one of Britain’s best zoos.

Getting there: Manchester’s international airport – to the north – is a 50-minute drive away.

The Vale Resort, Glamorgan, Wales

If it’s good enough for Gareth Bale… Wales’ national footballers trained at The Vale before their semi-final run at 2016’s European Championships, and Bale’s Real Madrid have also used the seven DESSO, 3G indoor and outdoor pitches – just as guests of the on-site four-star hotel can. The same goes for Wales’ largest spa, a gigantic gym geared for professional athletes and two 18-hole championship golf courses, plus academy and pro shop. Cardiff’s castle and filming locations for popular TV drama Sherlock are less than ten miles away.

Getting there: The Vale’s a 20-minute drive from Cardiff, and 25 minutes from Cardiff Airport.

Hilton at St George’s Park, Staffordshire, central England

England’s footballers, meanwhile, train at the National Football Centre in central England before international home games – and stay, just like you can, at the accompanying Hilton at St George’s Park. As state-of-the-art as you’d imagine, facilities include a FIFA-standard pitch and a dedicated area for goalkeepers. The hotel’s Health Club and Spa features a 17-metre (56-foot) pool. Rather less athletically-minded, this part of Britain is famous for its centuries-old beer-brewing.

Getting there: London is a two-hour drive, while Birmingham Airport is just 25 miles south.

Crowne Plaza Belfast, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland

As the only Northern Irish hotel to promise ‘sporting excellence’, no wonder the Crowne Plaza receives so many visiting sports teams. Its on-site health centre stars a large pool and can rent out bikes, while local partners include rugby, cricket, Gaelic football and hockey clubs, with all those sports possible to arrange. Ditto sea-kayaking. Some guests work up an perfectly-adequate sweat merely exploring Belfast, and especially its Titanic Experience.

Getting there: The George Best Belfast City Airport has daily services from London.

Coworth Park, Berkshire, south-east England

Polo is a quintessentially English game, played on horseback. In grounds managed by the prestigious Guards Polo Club, southern England’s Coworth Park can promise two international polo fields, a devoted teaching paddock and a Polo Academy overseen by professional player Ebe Sievwright, open to guests of all levels. Part of the Dorchester Collection, Coworth Park is close to the famous Ascot racecourse.

Getting there: Coworth Park is located just east of London, with regular trains from Waterloo to Sunningdale, five minutes away.

Old Course Hotel, Fife, Scotland

Scotland’s St Andrews is considered the home of golf – and homestays are possible. Situated beside its namesake’s 17th hole, the Old Course Hotel splendidly gazes across the links to West Sands Beach and the North Sea. Awarded five red AA stars, it includes classical suites designed by French maestro Jacques Garcia. As St Andrews is publically-owned land, anyone can play the iconic courses – but reserve ahead, as demand is understandably high. Known for its castle and independent stores, the university town of St Andrews is within strolling distance.

Getting there: From Edinburgh, it’s an hour’s drive north or 55 minutes by train to Leuchars – four miles away.

The Manor House & Ashbury Hotels, Devon, south-west England

Neighbouring properties, the Manor House and Ashbury Hotels combine into a sports behemoth. Seven golf courses, 99 holes and over 400 buggies are the chief brag, but extensive tennis, squash, badminton, bowls and snooker facilities make for excellent support acts, as does a synthetic curling rink. Lessons are possible in all. Leave time to explore your surrounds, though: mysterious Dartmoor begins less than a mile to the west.

Getting there: Devon is in south-west England. Both hotels are a four-hour drive from London.