Bristol Lido, Clifton, Bristol
From breast-stroke at breakfast, to afternoon tea with a swim and a scone, Bristol Lido will whet your appetite.
Swim at Bristol Lido and enjoy a delicious Afternoon Tea
Visiting Bristol Lido made me want to buy an old-fashioned swimming hat with a big frilly flower on it. If I lived in the city, I’d swim here every morning followed by coffee and breakfast at the poolside café. Rescued from demolition, its very stylish refurbishment combines 1930s nostalgia with modern day comforts. There are colourful old-fashioned changing huts but also spa facilities, a café and tapas bar and a smart restaurant. Personally, I think Bristolians are happy to keep this one to themselves. My top tip – come for Afternoon Tea with the girls and treat yourself to a spa treatment.
- Afternoon Tea and Swim Package
- Poolside Café and Tapas Bar
- Lido restaurant
- Spa treatments
- Victorian Tea Room for private dining
- Open year-round
The Story of Bristol Lido
Bristol Lido is neatly tucked away behind rows of pastel-coloured Georgian terraced houses and a good old-fashioned pub. When you walk in for the first time, it’s an unexpected and rather wonderful sight. Before you is a scene of elegant continental life that beckons you in and takes you back to an altogether gentler era. What’s even more surprising is that, despite the nod to 1930s glamour, it was actually built in 1849 as a public bath. What the Victorians would make of it today with its chilled out vibe, inspiring food and spa facilities, is anyone’s guess.
Enjoy a Spa day at Bristol Lido
Changing rooms
Swim and Eat
Of course, one of the reasons to visit Bristol Lido is to enjoy the seriously good food. It’s open to all so you don’t need to be a member and you don’t have to swim. The Poolside Café serves breakfast (sourdough bacon sandwiches, on-trend Turkish poached eggs and wood-baked kippers). From noon there are tapas dishes and freshly baked cakes. Where else can you nibble on padron peppers, patatas bravas and salt cod croquetas after doing your lengths in a heated open-air pool? For an à la carte menu and dishes with a focus on southern European and Middle Eastern cooking, try the smarter Lido restaurant upstairs with tables overlooking the pool.
The restaurant’s tables overlook the pool at Bristol Lido
Afternoon Tea and Swim
Bristol Lido’s Afternoon Tea is a great excuse to get together with a group of friends for a relaxing afternoon at this city sanctuary. For £40, you can swim and steam and then sit down to smoked salmon on toast, a glass of Prosecco and a cream tea. For an ultimate relaxation experience, there are additional spa treatments available including relaxing massages, facials and hot stone therapy.
Swimming goggles
One of the many amusing Lido signs
Tips
- Bristol Lido is open to non-members between 1-4pm
- The water is heated to 21-25 degrees
- The Victorian Tea Room is gorgeous and can be hired for a private dinner (seats 24)
- If you live in Reading, you’re in luck. Reading Lido is in the process of being saved and refurbished by the same team
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Where to Stay in Bristol
Brooks Guest House – Choose between luxurious bedrooms or vintage caravans up on the roof at this boutique guest house in central Bristol.
Hotel du Vin Bristol – For wining, dining and a boutique stay in Bristol in what was once an old sugar refinery. It’s pet-friendly too.
Dogs
Definitely not one for me.
How to Find Bristol Lido
Bristol Lido and Spa, Oakfield Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2BJ
The Foodie Travel Guide
Sally is the founder and editor of The Foodie Travel Guide. She travels around the UK and beyond in search of the best foodie days out, tasting experiences and delicious places to stay. She loves a glass of English sparkling wine, afternoon tea with friends and escaping London for gastronomic adventures.