Get into hot water in England

When in England, you will soon be able to do as the Romans did.

The new Thermae Bath Spa began taking reservations last week for treatments in late August in Bath, England. It will be the first time in 25 years that visitors to the elegant hilltop town, known for its Georgian architecture, will be able to soak in mineral waters from springs that the ancient Romans tapped centuries ago.

Long patronized by royalty, the spas reached their heyday in the 18th and 19th centuries. Bathers continued to use the springs until 1978, when a 14-year-old girl died of meningitis thought to have been caused by amoebas in the water. New wells have since been dug, and the water, which emerges at about 112 degrees and is said to contain 43 minerals, is monitored for purity.

Starting in the 1980s, visitors were once again allowed to drink the waters at the Pump Room, part of a museum that preserves remains of the ancient baths and the Temple of Sulis Minerva.

The centerpiece of the new spa, about 300 feet from the Roman ruins, is a glass-and-stone building with a rooftop pool from which bathers will be able to view the Bath skyline and surrounding landscape while soaking in spring water. The modernist structure was designed by Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners, architects of the Eden Project botanical garden in Cornwall. (See Page 11.)

The spa will also offer treatment rooms, a whirlpool, steam rooms, a solarium, an exercise area and the Springs Cafe & Restaurant, serving “wholesome, nutritious food,” said Fiona Humphreys, sales and marketing executive for the Thermae Bath Spa.

The new facility is part of a $37-million publicly and privately financed project that also has restored five historic buildings, including the 18th century Hot Bath and Cross Bath, and equipped a visitor center that tells the history of Bath as a spa destination.

The spa has missed several opening dates, mostly because of construction delays. “It’s a very complex engineering project in a World Heritage site,” Humphreys said. An archeological dig delayed the project by about a year.

Although the spa was expected to be functioning by Aug. 28, when the first reservations were available, an opening date had not been set by the Travel section’s deadline Tuesday. On Aug. 7, a “Three Tenors” concert, featuring Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti at Bath’s 18th century Royal Crescent area, will celebrate the new spa.

Except for some holidays, spa facilities will be open daily. Admission will be about $27 per person for two hours or $56 per day. Treatments will be extra. For details, visit www.thermaebathspa.com. To reserve treatments, call 011-44-1225-331-234 or e-mail reservations@thermaebathspa .com.