It is the first question almost everyone asks us, usually at the very end of a conversation: "But is it actually private?"
The answer is a simple, wholehearted yes. When you book at The Willows Spa, you are not renting a lane, a slot or a corner of a public pool. You are hiring the entire venue. The heated pool, the sauna, the Jacuzzi, the showers, the changing room, the loungers - all of it is yours, and only yours, for the duration of your session.
What that actually feels like
Most of us learned to swim in busy pools: lanes divided by rope, timers ticking, the echoing chatter of strangers. A private hire is the opposite of every one of those experiences.
- No waiting. The water is yours the moment you walk in. You decide when to dip, when to float, when to simply sit on the pool edge with your feet in.
- No audience. No other guests, and no staff present during your session. The photos you take are your own.
- Complete calm. For children with anxiety or sensory needs, a quiet pool with familiar faces is a completely different world.
- Your pace. Some people swim laps. Some people talk. Some people just exist in warm water for an hour and call it a win. All of those are valid here.
Swimming caps and safety notes
Because the pool is unsupervised - there is no lifeguard on duty - you are responsible for the safety of your group. We ask that children under 18 are accompanied by a responsible adult, you bring your own towel and toiletries, and that you leave promptly at the end of your session so we can prepare the venue for its next (also-private) booking.
The next time you catch yourself wondering whether it's worth it to have a space to yourselves, remember this: every guest who has booked one has left recommending it. There's a reason for that.