Half a day for a spa package with treatment and lunch; an hour or two for a pool and thermal sessionHow long
PaidEntry
16+ for spaBest for
Pre-bookBooking
FreeParking
The Spa at Slieve Donard — a two-floor spa in a grand Victorian seaside hotel, with a 20-metre pool and thermal suite looking straight out at the Mourne Mountains.
What you'll enjoy: a 20-metre indoor pool, a vitality/hydrotherapy pool, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs and drench showers, plus relaxation lounges and eleven treatment rooms for massages, facials and body treatments. A relaxed lunch in the Lighthouse Lounge rounds off most spa packages.
How long: an hour or two is plenty for a pool and thermal session; a full spa package with a treatment and lunch runs to roughly half a day.
Book ahead: treatments and spa packages should be pre-booked — packages usually a minimum of 7 days in advance. Arrive about 15 minutes early to change and fill in a consultation card. Cancel at least 24 hours before, or the full charge applies.
Who it's for: the thermal suite, gym and spa treatments are for ages 16 and over — so this is largely an adults' treat, not a day out for younger children. Under-16s can use the leisure pool at set family swim times (daily, generally 9:30am–5:30pm) and must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: paid. Spa breaks are advertised from around £124.50 per person per night including a 25-minute treatment; day treatments and packages are priced separately. Check the spa's own site for current rates, as prices change.
When: the thermal suite and leisure facilities are open daily, typically 8am to 8:30pm. Confirm times and any closures when you book.
Plan your visit
What a visit looks like
The setting does a lot of the work here — the pool and thermal rooms run along a wall of glass, so you swim and relax with the Mourne Mountains and the County Down coast in front of you. A typical spa day starts with a swim and a slow round of the thermal suite: saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs and drench showers, with quiet relaxation lounges to settle in between. Treatments are booked separately in one of the eleven rooms — massages, facials, scrubs and the like — and most packages finish with a light lunch in the Lighthouse Lounge. It's an unhurried, grown-up sort of day rather than a busy one; reviewers generally rate the facilities and the views highly, though it can get busy at weekends and on package days, so a weekday visit tends to be the more peaceful one.
20-metre indoor pool with Mourne and sea viewsThermal suite — saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, drench showersVitality / hydrotherapy pool and relaxation loungesEleven treatment rooms — massage, facials, body treatmentsRobes, towels, slippers and lockers providedLight lunch in the Lighthouse Lounge with most packages
A grown-up day out:
The spa side is aimed at ages 16 and over, so it isn't a day for younger children — though families can use the leisure pool together at set swim times. If you're travelling with little ones, plan the spa as a treat for the grown-ups and pair it with the beach and Newcastle promenade next door.
Before you set off
What to bring
🩱SwimwearYou'll need it for the pool and thermal suite — it must be worn in the water at all times.
👕Loose, comfy clothesSomething soft and easy to change back into after a treatment.
📅Your booking detailsHave your confirmation to hand — treatments and packages need pre-booking.
🎁Any gift voucherSpa gift vouchers are available and can be redeemed against treatments and days.
Provided for you:
Robes, towels, slippers and lockers are supplied, so you don't need to pack them. It's worth changing into your robe before a treatment to settle in.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Paid. Spa breaks are advertised from around £124.50 per person per night, including a 25-minute treatment; day treatments and spa packages are priced separately. Prices change, so check the spa's own site for current rates.
Opening / hours
Thermal suite and leisure facilities open daily, typically 8am to 8:30pm. Treatment times run through the day. Confirm hours and any closures when you book.
Best for ages
The thermal suite, gym and spa treatments are for ages 16 and over — largely an adults' treat. Under-16s may use the leisure pool at set family swim times (generally daily, around 9:30am–5:30pm) and must be accompanied by an adult.
What's here
A two-floor spa with a 20-metre indoor pool, a vitality/hydrotherapy pool, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, drench showers, relaxation lounges and eleven treatment rooms, plus the Lighthouse Lounge for lunch.
Booking
Treatments and packages should be pre-booked — packages usually a minimum of 7 days ahead. Book online, by phone, by email or at the spa reception. Arrive about 15 minutes early to change and complete a consultation card.
Cancellations
Cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment. A late cancellation or no-show is charged in full.
What to bring
Swimwear (required in the pool) and loose comfortable clothes for after a treatment. Robes, towels, slippers and lockers are provided.
Gift vouchers
Spa gift vouchers are available and can be put towards treatments and spa days.
Parking
Free open-air self-parking on site.
Accessibility
Ground-level access with lift service between the spa's two floors. Contact the spa in advance to discuss specific needs and pool access.
How long to allow
An hour or two for a pool and thermal session; roughly half a day for a spa package with a treatment and lunch.
Address
Slieve Donard, Downs Road, Newcastle, County Down, BT33 0AH
Phone
028 4372 1066
Questions
Before you go
Can I bring children?
The thermal suite, gym and spa treatments are for ages 16 and over, so the spa itself isn't for younger children. Under-16s can use the leisure pool at set family swim times (generally daily, around 9:30am–5:30pm) and must be accompanied by an adult. If you're with little ones, treat the spa as a grown-ups' visit and enjoy the beach and promenade alongside.
Do I need to book?
Yes — treatments and spa packages should be pre-booked, with packages usually needing a minimum of 7 days' notice. Book online, by phone, by email or at the spa reception, and arrive about 15 minutes early to change and complete a consultation card.
What's included, and what should I bring?
Robes, towels, slippers and lockers are provided. Bring your own swimwear (it must be worn in the pool and thermal suite) and something loose and comfortable to change into afterwards.
What does it cost?
It's a paid spa. Spa breaks are advertised from around £124.50 per person per night including a 25-minute treatment; day treatments and packages are priced separately. Prices change, so check the spa's own site for current rates.
When is it quietest?
Weekdays are generally calmer. Weekends and package days can be busy, so if you're after a peaceful session a midweek visit tends to suit best.
Getting there
The Spa at Slieve Donard is at Downs Road, Newcastle, County Down, BT33 0AH, right on the seafront beneath the Mourne Mountains and a short walk from the town's promenade and beach. There's free open-air self-parking on site. Tap below for directions.
The Slieve Donard opened in 1898, built by the Belfast and County Down Railway to draw visitors to Newcastle at the height of the Victorian craze for seaside resorts. Its red-brick bulk, gabled roofline and clock tower were designed to impress arriving passengers, and the hotel took its name from Slieve Donard, the highest of the Mourne Mountains that rise behind the town.
For more than a century it has stood on the same spot between the beach and the mountains, on the edge of the Royal County Down golf links — a stretch of coast reckoned by many to be among the finest anywhere. The hotel has been extended and refurbished several times, and the modern spa and leisure wing was added to make the most of that view, its pool and thermal rooms turned outward to the sea and the peaks.
Today the building trades under the name Slieve Donard, part of the Marine & Lawn group of grand seaside and golf hotels. The spa is one of the larger ones in Northern Ireland, and much of its appeal comes down to where it sits: a calm, warm room to unwind in, with the Mournes on one side and the Irish Sea on the other.