A half-day spa; packages typically run either a morning session or an evening oneHow long
Spa days from £75ppCost
Adults 16+Best for
Pre-bookedEntry
On siteParking
The Treetop Spa at The Old Inn is built around one lovely idea: bathe outdoors, in warm water, with the treetops of Crawfordsburn's glen all around you.
What you'll enjoy: a heated outdoor pool and a bubbling hot tub set among the trees, plus a salt sauna, steam room, an experience shower, and warm relaxation spaces — a covered cabana with heated waterbeds and a conservatory with marble loungers and a woodburning stove. Treatments are booked separately.
How long: the day packages are half-day sessions — most run a morning slot (roughly 8am to 2pm) or a relaxed evening one from about 6:30pm. Allow time to slow down; it's not a rush-round sort of place.
Book ahead: the spa is pre-booked only, not a turn-up-and-pay leisure pool. Reserve your day or treatment in advance, and note they ask for five days' notice on cancellations.
Who it's for: this is an adult, calm-and-quiet environment — guests must be 16 or over, and 16- and 17-year-olds need an adult with them throughout. It isn't set up for younger children.
Cost: day spa packages start from around £75 per person (evening) or £125 (daytime with lunch); individual treatments from about £95. Confirm current prices when you book.
When: open all year; facilities run 8am–9pm daily, treatment appointments roughly 10am–6:30pm.
What to expect
The outdoor bathing is the point
The signature here is the open-air pool and hot tub, perched on the wooded slope above Crawfordsburn Country Park. You lower yourself into warm water with real trees overhead — bare and sculptural in winter, gold in autumn, green in summer — festoon lights strung across a timber pergola and the sound of the glen around you. Visitors who've been consistently single that out as the moment that makes the visit. Indoors, the salt sauna, steam room and experience shower give you the hot-and-cold rhythm, and there are two warm places to lie down between dips: a covered cabana with heated waterbeds and a conservatory with heated marble loungers and a woodburning stove. Four treatment rooms sit alongside for massages and facials, booked as an add-on. It's a small, unhurried spa rather than a vast leisure complex — that's part of the appeal, but it does mean you'll want to book early, especially for weekends.
Heated outdoor pool with treetop viewsBubbling outdoor hot tub in the treesSalt sauna, steam room & experience showerCabana with heated waterbedsConservatory with marble loungers & a woodburning stoveFour treatment rooms (booked separately)
Adults only, and booked in advance:
The spa is a quiet, adults-only space for ages 16 and over, and everything runs on pre-booked slots. If you're travelling as a family, this is the grown-ups' treat — pair it with a walk in Crawfordsburn Country Park, which the kids can enjoy for free just below.
Before you set off
What to bring
👙SwimwearYou'll want it for the outdoor pool and hot tub — pack it, and something to travel home in afterwards.
🩴Flip-flops or slidersHandy for padding between the pool, sauna and loungers. Robes and towels are provided at the spa.
📄Your booking detailsSlots are reserved in advance; a medical form is asked for beforehand if you have any health conditions.
🧴A hair tie and toiletriesThe usual bits for after a soak — bring what makes you comfortable heading home relaxed.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Day spa packages from around £75 per person (an evening session with a course of dinner) up to about £125–£165 for daytime packages that include lunch and, on some, a treatment. Individual treatments from roughly £95. Gift vouchers are available and valid for five years. Confirm current prices when booking.
Booking
Pre-booked only — reserve your spa day or treatment in advance rather than turning up. Five days' notice is asked for any cancellation or change; a medical form is required beforehand if you have relevant health conditions, allergies or recent surgery.
Age policy
Adults only. Guests must be aged 16 or over, and 16- and 17-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult throughout. Not suitable for younger children.
Opening / season
Open all year. Spa facilities 8am–9pm daily; treatment appointments run roughly 10am–6:30pm. Hours can vary around events and holidays — confirm when you book.
Facilities
Heated outdoor pool and hot tub, salt sauna, steam room, experience shower, a covered cabana with heated waterbeds, a conservatory with heated marble loungers and a woodburning stove, and four treatment rooms.
What's included
Use of the spa facilities during your session, with robes and towels provided. Bring your own swimwear and flip-flops or sliders. Lunch, dinner or a treatment are included on certain packages — check what your chosen package covers.
Parking
On-site parking at the inn, free for guests.
Accessibility
The building is a historic 17th-century inn with the spa on the wooded slope behind, so there are some level changes and steps around the outdoor areas. If you have specific access needs, it's worth calling ahead to talk through your visit.
How long to allow
Plan for a half-day — packages typically run either a morning-to-early-afternoon session or a relaxed evening one. Give yourself time to switch off.
Address
The Old Inn, 15 Main Street, Crawfordsburn, Co Down, BT19 1JH
Yes. The Treetop Spa is pre-booked only — reserve your spa day or treatment ahead of time rather than turning up. They ask for five days' notice on any cancellation, and a medical form beforehand if you have relevant health conditions.
Is there an age limit?
Yes — this is an adults-only spa for ages 16 and over, and 16- and 17-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult throughout. It's a calm, quiet environment and isn't set up for younger children.
What makes it different from other spas?
The outdoor bathing. The heated pool and hot tub sit out among the trees on the slope above Crawfordsburn's glen, so you soak in warm water with real treetops overhead — the moment most visitors single out. Indoors there's a salt sauna, steam room, experience shower and warm relaxation spaces.
How much does a spa day cost?
Day packages start from around £75 per person for an evening session, rising to roughly £125–£165 for daytime packages that include lunch and sometimes a treatment. Individual treatments start from about £95. Confirm current prices when you book.
What should I bring?
Swimwear for the outdoor pool and hot tub, plus flip-flops or sliders. Robes and towels are provided at the spa. Bring your booking details and a hair tie, and take it slow — the whole idea is to unwind.
Getting there
The Treetop Spa is at The Old Inn, 15 Main Street, Crawfordsburn, Co Down, BT19 1JH — in the village, just above Crawfordsburn Country Park. There's on-site parking at the inn. Book your spa day or treatment before you set off; call 028 9185 3255 or book through the spa website. Tap below for directions.
The building the spa belongs to has been standing in Crawfordsburn since 1614, and its oldest thatched section is older still. It began life as a coaching inn on the road between Belfast and the ports of the Ards Peninsula — mail coaches changed horses here on their way to and from the cross-channel packet boats at Donaghadee, and the inn is said to be one of the oldest in continuous use in all of Ireland.
Over four centuries it has gathered a good deal of story. Substantial additions came in the middle of the 18th century, and among its later guests was the writer C.S. Lewis, who knew this corner of County Down well. The weathered thatch, the small-paned windows and the black-and-white timbered front you see today are the same picture-postcard face travellers would have recognised generations ago.
The Treetop Spa is the newest chapter — a modern wellness space built into the wooded slope behind the inn, above Crawfordsburn Country Park's glen. The idea was to make the most of that setting: to let you bathe in the open air among the trees rather than under a roof. Old inn below, treetops above, warm water in between.