Kings Oak Hotel Beach Club And Pool
Considering this is a swimming pool that’s literally been featured on The Only Way Is Essex, it’s fair to say I was slightly reticent to make a phone call reservation under my actual name, Jemma Collins. No, not that one, there have been confusions before. Thankfully, if the receptionist noticed, they didn’t let on.
There are no two ways about this — this is a pricey pool. For the 2024 season, tickets were £25 for adults of £15 for children, which includes access for a single afternoon, from 12pm to 6pm. But, in the interests of fairness, I should also immediately point out this isn’t being sold as your standard pool; the hotel itself describes it as “Marbella-inspired poolside chilling”.
The 1930s pool, complete with an iconic three-tier water foundation, is surrounded by loungers, beds, and ice buckets. When you sign in, you’re given allocated loungers for the day and no sooner had I sat down, serving staff appeared with a complimentary jug of iced lemon water and menus for further food and drinks. In other words, this is a place for whiling the day away, not smashing out a 5k.
So, this was exactly how I found myself the only person actually in the pool on a 28-degree Sunday, determined to make the most out of my entrance fee. In a funny kind of way, it was quite the treat — I can’t think of any other publically accessible pools that would offer me such an honour on such a warm day. The water was clear and cold and the gurgle of the fountain added a peaceful calm.
While this beauty of a lido could certainly do with a lick of paint and DIY around the edges (I exited through the concrete steps after entering through some rather wobbly ladders), it’s absolutely an experience to add to your lido list. What you’re paying for here isn’t just a swim, it’s an exclusive tranquillity away from it all and I’m already saving their number for the next time the thermometer rises.
The Key Details
How Big Is Kings Oak Hotel Beach Club And Pool?
The pool is 33 metres by 10 metres.
Is The Kings Oak Hotel Beach Club And Pool Heated?
No, this is an unheated pool.
How Do I Get To The Kings Oak Hotel Beach Club And Pool?
This pool isn’t the easiest to get to via public transport; a journey to the nearest tube station involves a bus and a further walk of up to 45 minutes. So, all in all, we’d advise either grabbing a cab from the station or taking the car to begin with. The hotel has its own modest car park and there’s also public parking available as part of Epping Forest on the other side of the road. It can be busy, so make sure to leave plenty of time to park.
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