When to Book a Spa Break in Cheltenham
Understand the peak and quiet periods for spa breaks in Cheltenham in order to receive the best value for money for your booked and paid for spa day.
Avoid Festival Race Week in March
The Cheltenham Festival takes place in mid-March and is one of the busiest weeks of the year for hotel prices and spa bookings across the town. Higher priced hotel rooms are expected to cost upwards of £180-£240 per night and even lower priced hotel rooms can almost double in price. Day spa packages also expect to increase in price for weekend bookings as groups of friends come into town for the weekend to celebrate the Festival.
Choose Midweek Over Weekends
Book a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday instead of a Friday to Sunday for up to 30% off your Spa Break in Cheltenham. Although it may mean a early start and late finish, treatments are often booked by less people allowing for more time to enjoy your spa and relax in the treatment rooms without the hustle and bustle of other guests. Also, many places allow for late cancellations on mid-week bookings which can result in further discounts.
Check School Holiday Dates First
School Holidays: These are the busiest times for families to take a break to spas and for prices to rise. Treatments that are designed for couples will often be booked up early by families for children to have a special treat. Be sure to check the current school holiday dates for Gloucestershire and the surrounding counties before booking a Spa Day. Even though schools in neighbouring areas are on different term dates, they can fill up your chosen spa very quickly.
Make the Most of Shoulder Seasons
Many of the spas in Cheltenham have lovely gardens and outdoor hot tubs, and so long as it’s not pouring with rain, April, May, September and October are great months for a spa break as the weather is usually mild and there is less demand than in the summer months. It’s also worth remembering that the UK weather can be unpredictable in the winter months and so even though prices are lower in January for example, the weather may not be as you had hoped.
Consider January and Early February
It’s quiet in the spa after Christmas with many of the spas running offers to fill the rooms in the post-Christmas period. It’s a good time to explore a spa break in the Cotswolds, in many cases you can book a same week booking and get a good deal. January and February are great months for a spa break, yes the weather may not be great but the indoor pool, garden and treatment areas are all unaffected by the weather outside.
Book Four to Six Weeks Ahead for Weekends
For weekend bookings of certain spa days (e.g. hot stone massage) booking 4 – 6 weeks in advance is advisable for couples bookings of spa days, especially for weekend dates. Midweek bookings can be made as late as 2 – 3 weeks in advance and can sometimes even be booked at short notice. We would always recommend checking prices for both weekend and weekday spa days at Spa Breaks Cheltenham to see just how much difference there is.
Watch Cheltenham’s Other Festivals Too
While Race Week is the biggest event in town that impacts hotel prices, there are other festivals in Cheltenham that could affect prices of local hotels and spas. The Literature Festival usually takes place in October, Jazz in late April/early May and Food and Drink in late September. All these events attract tourists to the town and if you are planning a spa break, it is worth checking the town’s festivals calendar to ensure you are booking a day or break outside of busy weeks.
While figures from the tourism department show that the market for short, domestic breaks is increasing, planning a spa break within the Cheltenham calendar of events can result in a very relaxing break at a good price.