Lido

Went here for lunch with some friends. I am wheat and dairy intolerant and the waitress spoke to the chef and marked each dish with details of what it contained and whether it could be adapted or not. 7 of us dined and the food was absolutely delicious. The staff were so helpful, we brought with us a cake for a friends birthday, they cut it up for us as well as providing us with individual boxes to take the left over cake home, even though we had not bought it there.
We didn’t use the spa facilities, but a friend had previously and said it is delightful although the outdoor pool, which is heated, is cold.

You really wouldn’t guess (or believe) how great the Lido is if you were to walk passed it. From the outside it doesn’t look like much, in fact, it looks more like a pub than a health spa. But step through the front doors and you’ll find an amazing restaurant, full spa with treatment rooms (massages etc) and as you’d expect, a beautiful outdoor pool. It’s a fantastic place!
We bought a couples package which was £70 each and included a 2 course lunch, a treatment each and full use of the spa facilities. Considering the cost of the food (£12−15 a main) and the fact that treatments are £65 each, it’s a really good offer.
Just a bit of information for the lads, when it says ‘Neck, back, shoulder massage with facial’ — that means that you get a facial (with face masks etc) and a neck back and shoulder massage; not a not a Neck, back, shoulder and ‘face’ massage — which I found out on the day!
The only reason I haven’t given it a 5 star is that I wouldn’t pay full price for what we had. I would definitely do the £70 option again as it was good value, but it seems rather expensive without it.

O. M. Actual G! How have I never been to the Lido before? It’s a little piece of luxury goodness!
I went for a day of relaxation with my fella and we booked a deal that was £70 each for a two course lunch, access to the outdoor pool and hot tub, sauna and steam room all day and an hour treatment of our choice. It’s not a cheap day out because we spent more money on top for drinks but it’s worth it for a nice treat.
We didn’t get there much before lunch so we went straight to the restaurant. I had the scallops and the venison. I expected it to come out as a piece of meat but it was a sort of Eastern European chopped up affair with raisins and pine nuts on top of some hummus with a flat bread. It had a kick of spice which isn’t my thing but my boyfriend assured me it was delicious. We had already had bread and oil and the scallops so I was actually quite full. I still found room for some passion fruit sorbet though! The boy had coffee and vodka ice cream, which are three of his fave things!
We let our food go down and enjoyed the view of pool (it’s like being on holiday, even in winter) and had some banter with the staff, who were great and very attentive and then it was time for our treatment. We got into our complimentary robes and flip flops and waited to be collected. I had a lady called Tammy who was lovely. The tranquil music for these things is sometimes a bit weird but I really liked this stuff — it was Indian inspired and I could hear the sound of the water outside through the window. The hot stone massage was to die for — I’ve never had one before but it beat any kind of treatment I’ve had! I was so relaxed I nearly dribbled through the face hole in the bed! Plus that bit alone was meant to be £60 and our whole day was £70, so technically it was a bargain!
After the amazing massage we were taken to the tea room which was just a quiet place to recover and be served some herbal tea and sit in a lounger with a blanket! Lush!
Then we had free rein to do as we pleased. We sat in the hot tub for a while, which I think is nicer in the cold weather and had five minutes in the sauna and steam room, then a drink. The pool seemed to be for serious swimmers doing lengths so we gave it a miss. It’s easy to forget that some people are members and it’s just their local pool.
I highly recommend this place to anyone for a treat! The perfect day!

Imagine how chuffed I was when my sister asked me if I’d like to go for lunch with her to the lido on her (well not strictly on her but she had some vouchers that needed using)
I have eaten in the lido twice before and always come away feeling very happy, today was no exception.
The restaurant has a great chilled out vibe and overlooks the pool, on this particular day the sun was shining through the big glass windows and I felt like I was on holiday in the Med!
We decided to go with the a la carte menu as opposed to the fixed menu but I must say that the fixed menu looked like excellent value.
I ordered a cucumber, mint and line cooler to drink, it was lovely and tasted like a mohito without the rum!
I had quail to start, served on a Moroccan ragu, it was Devine and the flavours were great.
The I had slow roasted kid, served with mash potato and braised Savoy cabbage, it was unpretentious, delicious, melt in the mouth heaven, there was so much meat I struggled to finish it all but I could bare to leave any cause it was so good.
To finish we sampled 2 of the lidos home made ice creams, they are not cheap at 5.45 a pop but definitely worth it, we had salted butter caramel and mint choc chip and both were amazing.

Nestled away in Clifton is a bit of peace and quiet I first read as ‘lilo’ which aptly enough was incorrect but also appropriate in a way you’d not expect. Lido shares a building with Bristols première outdoor swimming pool dating back to 1849 having been well restored and given a modern twist. The restaurant is on the lst floor with a commanding view of the pool and it’s Victorian style changing rooms, on this occasion however not a lilo in sight ;) When we first arrived people were still swimming which gave the feel of the place a strange energetic quality although you’re sectioned off behind a glass wall and didn’t get any of the sounds of splashing.
Decore has a lot of wood and it’s a good space upstairs, complementing the view of a pool is a window at the end into the kitchen with occational glimpses into it’s going on. On Tuesday night’s it’s bring your own which given the cost of the courses meant overall expenditure was kept under control, you have the option of also buying drinks in there is you wanted. Service was engaging and attentive with the kitchen stating it was OK to order from the lunchtime menu if we saw something that was available (not sure this is always the case but was worth a mention)
We had a good range of starters from scollops and clams to deep fried auberguine and stuffed figs. The course arrived together, hot and in almost all cases delicious, there was an issue with the figs that was dealt with rapidly and to our satisfaction. Mains again had a good choice we had everything from red mullet to chicken /​pork and a stuff artichoke (all of which was agreed to be well favoured and tasty) The only let down from the point of view of choice was the dessert menu which was ice creams and two other items. We actually went for two different ice creams Raspberry and Salted caramel which were sizeable and bursting with flavour.
Overall experience was great, food is on what I’d consider the pricier side of what we normally spend on a meal (around £32 each having brought our own wine) but given the quality of the food, quirky ambiance and great service I’m happy to recommend and return in the future.

Beautiful gem hidden in the heart of Clifton… this restored Victorian Lido is well worth a visit. In fact I’d go as far to say that this is my favourite of all the spa’s I’ve tried.
This time I went on an Amazon deal, £75, including full use of the facilities — pool, hot tub, steam room, and sauna, a treatment, and a 3 course lunch with a glass of Prosecco. A bargain really. Myself and my Mum went, and throughly enjoyed the pampering.
The outdoor pool was pretty fresh, but as the chorine levels are kept low, it’s crystal clear waters make it a joy to swim in. The hot tub is outside too, even with a gentle splash of english summer rain, it was still fantastically warm, and fun.
I had a back, neck, shoulders and facial treatment, which was extremely relaxing, and my skin felt like it was glowing afterwards. They cater for people with different skin conditions and as all the treatments are natural and organic, they didn’t have any adverse reaction on me. I suffer from eczema, so always need to double check this.
The lunch was great, with scallops to start in a herb and garlic butter, followed by a delicious roast chicken skewer (It was probably the tastiest chicken I have tasted) sat on a wheat, yogurt and prawn salad with a roasted pepper. The pepper bound the dish together, although the one criticism I have is that maybe it was bit much yogurt included. Saying that it was still delicious. We followed it up with chocolate pots, strawberries and amaretto cream. I’m not a massive cream fan, so this dish didn’t really work for me, as the cream made up a ¹⁄₃ of the dessert.
Overall a fabulous day and a great treat. Keep an eye out for vouchers and deals on their website too.

What a wonderful secret in the middle of the city.
The place itself is stunning, a lovely dining space overlooking the pool.
The food was stunning. Great lunch offer — 2 courses for £16. The portion sizes were very good and the food was delicious.
I would highly recommend going here to anyone.

Loved the amaretto salted hot chocolate! This was a lovely place to visit and I can imagine I’d love taking my laptop here to sit at the edge of the pool and write. The café is nice and bright and the pool seemed extremely popular even in pretty nasty weather.

What a great place to see the ’ in crowd ’ enjoying swimming, eating in the downstairs with papas type food and also upstairs in the dining room
A great place to meet for a chat and a coffee, would go again

Love the food and ambience here. Very relaxing by the water, but not so sure I’d pay to have a swim with all the yummy mummys watching me!

They say Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth. Despite the long lines, expensive souvenirs and harsh Californian sun, I found when I visited in 1993 that description wholly accurate.
Why? Everyone was smiling. From the staff, to the children, parents, foam models of Disney characters… smiles stretched from ear to ear and, after eight hours of smiling, I had to stop — because my cheeks hurt.
So from Disneyland across the Atlantic to BS8 where the happiest place in Clifton is undoubtedly the Clifton Lido.
A sweeping statement and one made from a brief one-​hour visit, I admit. But if happiest is measured by smiles and an atmosphere of unhurried enjoyment, relaxation and excellent food and service, well, maybe it’s not so sweeping after all.
My visit was an important one, no doubt — my very best friend’s 31^st birthday. And it was not without drama or the odd Botox-​evasing frown. The Lido was hard to find. Parking on the narrow streets of Oakfield Place was almost impossible. Worse still, we were unable to book in for a massage, due in part to poor planning, in part to staff shortage.
It was also too cold and raining to try out the outdoor pool, enjoyed by the distinguished residents of Clifton since 1849. Sure, some diehards were doing laps in the winter drizzle. Us out-​of-​towners couldn’t even brave the outdoor, beach-​hut-​style changing rooms to even attempt to wriggle into Lycra.
Still, our Blitz spirit prevailed and, armed with a pile of Sunday papers, we were the first diners in the restaurant for lunch, and almost the last to leave.
Even empty, the upstairs restaurant had real character and atmosphere. It overlooks the pool, and even on cold winter days the sun beaming through the wall-​to-​floor windows creates a greenhouse atmosphere.
As other diners arrived, we settled in with our favourite columnists and a reviving fresh OJ and lemon and ginger cocktail. It’s an eclectic bunch that frequents Sunday lunch at the Lido — sure, there are the Blair-​esque students with stiff upper lips and upturned collars, but also groups of 60-​something friends enjoying a fine bottle of red, as well as families, special occasion diners and post-​swim eaters.
And so to the food. The mains are extensive and exciting: slow cooked ox cheeks and wood roast skate both stood out for me, but we opted for a more informal, tapas-​style selection.
The jewel in the restaurant’s crown is the wood-​fired oven. From it, we enjoyed melt-​in-​the-​mouth, fresh-​baked bread; wood-​roast quail; plus flatbread, taramasalata and a delicate shaved fennel salad.
Everything was perfectly cooked and built to share. We even managed to avert our eyes from the supplements for long enough to wax lyrical on the food, while our smiley waitress brought real enthusiasm to the table, along with the food.
A green tea and espresso rounded off the meal and we left reluctantly, exchanging unselfconscious grins with fellow customers.
The Lido lunchtime club is not an exclusive one — the prices of the mains, special offers, choice of locally sourced fare and level of service means it’s a slice of Clifton everyone can enjoy. And the smiles come for free.

If anything go to the Lido for their amazing sourdough bread. It really is out of this world and teamed with the hummus and baba ganoush you really can’t go wrong.
The food is constantly delivered to an impeccable standard. What I love the most is that initially you can read the menu and sometimes think that sounds nice but there’s nothing that stands out as a ‘must have,’ but every dish is executed to such a high standard that after one mouth-​watering bite you instantly forget that you felt you had to settle.
If you’re visiting the spa the Rainforest Facial is a must!

Lovely location, Didn’t go swimming but did have a lovely meal and the ice cream was something special.

Okay, I want to start by saying this is a great little place if you have the money to spare! Lido offers spa treatments, a swimming pool, and a restaurant — all of which are on the higher price range: for example, for an afternoon swim followed by afternoon tea they charge a whooping £30 per person!
I have only been here once for a massage, a friend and I thought we’d indulge after exams one time! The service was great, but for £50 I thought it was slightly too highly priced! Saying this, we did get free use of the pool afterwards — so made sure we got our money’s worth and used the sauna too — not sure if we were meant to do this!
Prices aside, the place was very modern, clean and relaxing — and from the pool you can see the restaurant which looks over it — although I’m not sure if I liked the fact everyone was watching us swim! The spa itself does offer a good range of treatments, and you can sign up for a membership which allows you use of the pool, sauna, steam room and spa pool, as well as promotions and offers — which, if you fancy going regularly, is probably worth checking out!

A classy joint and no mistake, the only downside to the Lido is that it is members only most of the day, and prohibitively priced during rare public opening hours.
A beautiful outdoor swimming cool with a slick, serene and well-​run café and restaurant, the Lido also offers a variety of spa and massage treatments. It is clearly a high quality enterprise, sliding perfectly into its Clifton location, and a lot of care and consideration has been put into every aspect of its presentation — from the Victorian-​style bathing houses which line the outdoor pool to the delicate flavours of its modern European menu.
The one offer which does strike me as a good deal is the current swim and dine promotion (see website) for which a couple of hours swimming come free with two courses in the menu. A swim followed by poolside tapas sounds just about the perfect thing to do on a sunlit summery evening…

Having Lunch at the Lido and sitting by the pool when the sun is shining is one of my favourite things to do. It’s perfect to read or relax in the sun because the high buildings surrounding the pool block out the breeze and act as a suntrap. So even on the colder spring days, if the sun is shining you feel like you are sun bathing by your pool somewhere in the Mediterranean (because we all have one of those).
Their cappuccinos alone are enough to get me in there on a regular basis and I’m pretty fussy about my cappuccinos. Theirs are basically perfect, they don’t burn the milk or use too much of it and they obviously use well sourced, tasty coffee. My girlfriend loves their High Tea, which is a real ‘English’ experience if done right (with jam & clotted cream etc). And their pots of tea (for one) last forever! Literally 5 cups from one pot and made with proper tea leafs (not tea bags!!!), which is something I would happily pay for.
We recently took advantage of their light lunch meal deal. I had the juiciest roast lamb rump with yoghurt; it was delicious and cooked just right. I have eaten in their upstairs restaurant before, although not so recently, and had an amazing tapas style 5 or 6 course dinner at my staff Christmas party. The chef is obviously one of the best in town; the way they served us a huge variety of different courses, one at a time, spread out over a nice long evening was a really amazing experience and completely different to the three course norm.
From what I hear (from people much older than myself) this pool has always been a real landmark in Bristol and meant a great deal to the people who grew up nearby. It is part of the city’s history so pretty fantastic that it has been restored so beautifully; obviously a great deal of love has gone into rebuilding the Lido so that it significance can continue.

Recently I’ve started hearing about The Lido, it seems to be on many a people’s list of places to visit, so I thought I’d go for an inspection!
I remember back to my childhood and think of a grotty outside swimming pool where if you left your towel unguarded you’d have to swim to the bottom of the deep end to get it!
The Lido on Oakfield Place however, is a little different! It has a bar, a spar, a restaurant and of course a pool. It won’t be the cheapest experience you’ve had for any of these but it may well be the most relaxing and possible luxurious — with mothers day looming perhaps the £25 swim and afternoon tea could be a nice treat.
Of course you can have weddings, parties, even a fashion show here it you wanted/​could afford to!
You can go for a drink of an evening at relatively average price if you want a slice of the action!

Really great food, setting and friendly staff. Over priced for sure, but a nice treat now and then.

A lido is an open air swimming pool and Bristol lido is a very fancy swimming pool, restaurant, and spa. Steam rises off the water on a cold morning, and having a quiet swim in here is one of lifes little pleasures. Something this nice is bound to be expensive and the Lido here is a little bit exclusive. Expect high quality, high prices, and slightly self-​satisfied looking customers.
The Spa offers the opportunity to ‘discover true holistic treatments’ (don’t laugh) and is again expensive and swish. Expect oddly named back massages that are obscenely relaxing. The restaurant completes the set with artfully presented food cooked in a wood fired oven. You’re watching the swimmers whilst you eat, which is a bit odd. Doesn’t put you off your food though. Bristol restaurant, spa, and pool will pamper you, take all your money, and make you feel good for it.

A terrifically relaxing place where you can eat fine food alongside elegant, sometimes swimming cap clad, breaststrokers doing lengths of the warm overflowing openair pool.
Surrounded by wonderful Victorian inspired beach-​hut type dressing rooms the experience can be quite surreal.
The food is impeccible, particularly the sardine salad. While the portions appear somewhat small and the prices aren’t the cheapest in town, each dish is surprisingly satisfying and filling.
Top it off with one of the home made cakes and this is one of the best places to eat in the Whiteladies Road area. Perfect place to take a relative, business guest or loved one.
I’m sure the swimming is pretty good too!