A luxurious way to spend a few hours at the glorious Thames Lido - which staff all pronounce lee-doe - complete with ice bucket shower, sauna and amazing gadgets to ensure beach changing was truly spectacular.

The furthest trip to date on our Lido journey beckoned as we braved the arduous post-Tube strike journey from London to Reading to visit the newly restored and opened Thames Lido. This most unassuming of buildings has been brought back to life and is now a spa retreat. We were not in Brockwell any more.

The journey was as calm as a non-Tube London can be but once on the train it was quick to Reading and an eight minute walk to the Lido. A small sign reassured us we were in the right place and the Edwardian red brick building door opened onto a whole world of Lido joy.  

The receptionists were enthusiastic and welcoming - ensuring we knew where everything was and that we were to bring our bags back to them once changed. We decided the poolside beach inspired changing pods were the place to be and I truly marvelled at the ingenious (yet obvious) use of a hook to keep the curtain shut. Once all belongings were back at reception we brave the heated pool. 

Do not get me wrong this is a very lovely pool - but this is not wide and is not the place to come to if you want to swim out 2k without getting in anyone's way. Even with few other fellow swimmers it was slow and meandering with much swerving to avoid swimming into each other. So we swam, we chatted and we swam some more - we primarily talked about childbirth (which I'm sure everyone enjoyed) but it was a very relaxing 1k up and down a pool with the most beautiful of surroundings.

A local told us they've experimented with lanes and a one way clockwise around the pool system but nothing has really worked. Early in the day and at lunchtime there are more serious swimmers, but we were mostly with a crew who came to relax. 

Once your swim is done the best is yet to come! The saunas are glorious - heated to just the right temperature and full of very friendly swimmers - and then we wound down a bit more in the hot tub next to the pool as the rain started to fall.  Once we were lovely and warm we headed to the ice bucket shower for that refreshing Brockwell Lido chill and then back to beach change with our colourful stripy curtains and luxury spa showering products. Many swimmers then stayed on for lunch but we working Mums had to return to London to collect children from school and catch up on work.

This is a place to return to with my teenage daughter: it is luxury Lido swimming with some wonderful touches to remind us of this building's past. To see a derelict building brought back to life with such love and attention, and with truly unique architecture, was worth the entrance fee.  

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