Thames Lido
Swimming Pool
Napier Rd, Reading RG1 8FR
£20
The Thames Lido is an Urban Retreat located a short walk from Reading station. With an onsite restaurant, bar, heated pool, hot tub and sauna facilities, it makes for a great day out of the smog a mere 30-minute train ride away.
We booked a 2-hour slot for £20 each one chilly but sunny Saturday in December. I was surprised that we were able to book, thinking that a place like this would be incredibly busy in the run up to Christmas. However, when we arrived there were only a few people using the pool, we even had it to ourselves for a good 15 minutes! Despite the preconception that the pool is on the river, it is not – instead, the space is enclosed by 4 walls of the exterior building. Great for privacy and an exclusive feel, but does mean that it is in shade for the majority of the day which would be a shame in summer.
The décor and facilities are very nice – the outdoor changing areas are like a fancier version of Tooting Bec Lido’s coloured doors. They even have outdoor showers if that’s your thing. Indoors, there are more showers and changing rooms complete with toiletries, as well as massage treatment rooms upstairs if you want to go all out and treat yerself proper. The pool is heated to around 25 degrees, so is never too cold despite being outside, and the outdoor hot tub is a great way to relax after a swim. There is a choice of two saunas, varying in heat levels – great to have a cooler option if, like me, you find the average sauna ridiculously hot most of the time.
After our swim, sauna and hot tub session we went to go and get a cocktail and a snack at the bar. The bar was full, so we were shown to the restaurant where we were given a lovely table by the window. The restaurant itself is slick and stylish – overlooking the pool we saw a range of city boys, to yoga mums, to out-of-towners chowing down on their lunch. The food looked great, with a classic, contemporary European menu (think burrata, scallops, arroz negro, lamb chops). Unfortunately, we didn’t have time for a full meal, but got a couple of cocktails and snacks (pan fried squid in a parsley lemon butter and fried fish of the day with aioli), which were both 10/10. If the tapas dishes are anything to go by, then the food here is seriously good.
Although £20 might be seen as pricey to go for a swim (given most leisure centres/gyms are £5 a pop), it is incredibly reasonable for everything that goes with it. The Thames Lido is a lovely and relaxing place to be which feels very far removed from the capital despite being so close. The addition of the hot tub, saunas, tasty food and cocktails, and nice showers make this feel like more of a spa experience than a simple pool – meaning that the £20 suddenly feels like a very cheap spa day, rather than an expensive swim. The staff are welcoming, the facilities never felt too busy and the surroundings are a great way to escape for a couple of hours. Big thumbs up from me.
OVERALL RATING: *****
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