The Most Luxurious Baths In The World

‘There must be quite a few things a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them,’ wrote Sylvia Plath in her 1963 novel, The Bell Jar. By that logic, there’s no better investment than the perfect bathtub to sink into at the end of the day. From copper tubs to space-saving baths; marble bathtubs to egg-shaped and claw foot – here at C&TH we’ve rounded up the best luxury baths around. Plus, the top UK luxury bathroom designers you need to have on your radar now. Just add water…

Drummonds

Copper bathtub Drummonds

British brand Drummonds was founded in 1988 by Drummond Shaw, and has since become the authority on state-of-the-art bath design. Born from the founder’s passion for classic antique bathrooms, it also crafts head-turning basins and fixtures, attracting customers from all over the world (including Australia, Dubai, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka). But the brand’s real calling card is its exceptional freestanding luxury baths in cast iron and brass.

Known as the Usk, and first appearing at Decorex on a de Gournay stand, this custom-aged brass tub is the consummate showstopper. It also features a lion’s head bath filler and Drummonds’ double hebdern with arabescato marble and aged brass fixtures. (Usk clad in brass with an antique finish, from £3,570).

For a splash of sunshine, we also love the Morar bath painted in sunny-side up yellow. It might be petite: but everyone knows good things come in small packages. Morar small slipper bath, from £3,150. drummonds-uk.com

Painted bath Drummonds

Catchpole & Rye

Silver bathtub

Who would want a shower when you can luxuriate in a Catchpole & Rye tub? Since the 1990s, this Kent-based brand have manufactured the most luxurious, opulent and eye-catching baths, drawing inspiration from elaborate artisanship of the 1800s. Each tub is manufactured in the UK using raw iron, heated to 1100 degrees celcius and poured into sandbox moulds.

The true jewel in the brand’s crown is its Nickel Bateau. Taking luxury to new levels, it come with either enamel or nickel interior, aged or brushed exterior and the option of emblazoning the distinctive Catchpole & Rye wheatsheaf emblem on the front. It would a sin not to get in. (From £5,000, catchpoleandrye.com).

When it comes to the epitome of chateau chic – the Niederbronn is also one of the most beautiful baths we’ve ever seen. 400-litres deep, and an instant uber-luxe update to any bathroom. From £6,000, catchpoleandrye.com

Catchpole & Rye bath

C.P. Hart

C.P. Hart bath

Moving on to C.P. Hart – what sets aside this 1937-founded company is their commitment to sourcing the best-designed and most durable bathroom fittings. They’re also known for their ultra-cool collaborations with leading designers.

This Camden bath, created in collaboration with Kit Kemp is the perfect example. With a modern silhouette and painted in a playful shade of midnight-blue, the aim of the interior design was to create a sense of bathing in moonlight, with stars floating in marble, velvety midnight blue tiles and flashes of bright coral. Kemp used specially-designed Balineum tiles and a hand painted mural based on a Christopher Farr cloth, but this versatile tub could blend into a multitude of different settings. For it’s £4,246 price tag, you get the best of freestanding luxury, and a slice of iconic design. cphart.co.uk

Lapicida

Marble bath

It seems wrong to call Lapicida’s designs mere bathtubs – needing little more than an empty room, mellow stone floors and clever lighting, these tubs are hollowed-out works of art.

As tile and stone experts, the brand also perform all kinds of wizardry with geometric stone floors, fireplaces, statues and more. Marrying state-of-the-art processes with traditional techniques, each product is hand-finished by the brand’s in-house stonemasons. And did we mention the brand is also invested in stone-recycling technology, and taking steps to becoming fully carbon neutral?

Prices for a tub like this egg-shaped arabescato design start at a kingly £19,200 for each bespoke piece. But for those looking to invest in a work of sculptural art for the bathroom, this is the créme-de-la-créme – and a guaranteed conversation piece. lapicida.com

Lapicida marble bath

William Holland

Copper bath

When choosing a specialist in luxury baths that make a splash, look no further William Holland. Over 35 years, the brand has carved out a niche for itself as the masters of the contemporary copper bath. Using traditional artisan techniques, beautifully designed 18th-century inspired bateau baths have become the brand’s signature. Bathing in this Wildwood tub will make you feel just like Louis XIV. POA. williamholland.com

Victoria & Albert

Mini claw foot bath

Looking for a space-saving tub? Perfect for bijou London apartments, this Wessex tub from Victoria & Albert is just the right fit for a pint-sized space.

Minimalist fixtures and light fittings, muted colours and oodles of contemporary cool negate the need for a large space. A glossy black paint finish here also updates the Wessex’s old-school appeal. Starting from £1,196 and just 1,525 mm in length – it’s the perfect entry-level slipper without compromising on style.

If you’re thinking on a grander scale – the brand’s Cheshire freestanding tub, has all of the luxury credentials. Just add gold fittings, hardwood floors and low-slung pendant lights, and a splash of your most expensive bath oil. From £1,380, vandabaths.com

Slipper bath