The most romantic hotels in the UK to book this Valentine's Day
Whether or not you choose to partake, Valentine's Day is almost upon us and, this year, it falls on a Friday, so it's actually just a really good excuse for a mini-break. The short-haul weekend trip is an art that the UK excels in, with brilliant hotels in almost every corner of the country. Even if you want to avoid the red roses and boxes of Milk Tray, a staycation is never a bad idea, so we've selected some of the most romantic spots in the UK to brighten the days left till spring.
You could hide away in a silent treehouse-style stay at the edge of the Peak District, check in to Oxfordshire's most exclusive address, dine at the table in London that sees two proposals a week, switch off in Shropshire, or bathe alfresco in deepest Dorset.
Here are some of the most romantic hotels in the UK, perfect for a cosy break for two this winter…
Thyme, the Cotswolds
Thyme began as a cookery school but has expanded over the years to be so much more. The estate – famously where Kate Moss got married in 2011 – is spread across the Gloucestershire village of Southrop. There’s the Swan village pub within a swift stroll of most of the rooms, where you can warm up after a walk – or head to the Baa Bar, a cosy lounge in the main hotel, which, yes, has sheep-shaped seats that are more comfortable than they sound. The highlight of your stay, however, will likely be a meal in the Ox Barn, a vast outbuilding with low-hanging beams and more ovine furnishings. If it’s on the menu, you won’t regret ordering the potato pavé.
The Meadow Spa is also a must – couples should book a slot in the Botanical Bothy, which was designed in collaboration with sister brand Bertioli Beauty to form the ultimate treatment space: it has warmed seating, a private veranda and garden, two bath tubs for herbal soaks and a fireplace. Of course, the cookery school remains a highlight and guests can sign up for classes to conquer various skills with teachers who include Marjorie Lang, winner of Masterchef in 2000.
Aller, Dorset
Just north of Dorchester, Aller Dorset is a series of four supremely cosy shepherd’s huts, brought to you by a former PR for Gucci. The delightful decor wholeheartedly embraces colour, with bright pink or green cupboards, yellow tiles, and joyously patterned blinds, cushions, curtains and headboards all featuring. You won’t have to forego comfort, since the huts somehow manage to squeeze in king-size beds, a built-in banquette and kitchen, an honesty bar, and a fire-pit for some impromptu barbecuing, as well as both indoor and outdoor bathrooms for a soak under the stars.
The farm is home to tennis courts and a spring-fed lake for invigorating swims, and the South Coast of England is on your doorstep – you’ll be able to visit Bridport, Lyme Regis and West Bay, a beautiful beach made famous by the TV series Broadchurch.
Saltmoore, North Yorkshire
Escape to the North Yorkshire coastline and check in to Saltmoore, a new wellness hotel set between the sea and the moors. For peak romance, book one of the suites with alfresco bath tubs, such as the Orchard Suite (pictured). Channelling Cathy and Heathcliff on the heather moors will be your first priority, but you can also stroll down to Sandsend Beach or locate a table by the fire for pre-dinner drinks. At the Sanctuary by Salmoore spa, you can enjoy Wildsmith Skin treatments, and ice baths and stints in the cryotherapy chamber in between spells in the sauna and steam room to make Wim Hof proud.
There’s a brasserie serving classic dishes, all made with Yorkshire’s bounty – the accomplished chef Tommy Banks helped to create the menu. There’s also a bar at the Beach House, the hotel’s sister site with an additional 29 bedrooms, perfect if you’re bringing along a four-legged friend; and coming later in the spring is a fine-dining restaurant.
Another Place, the Machrie, Islay
The highlands and islands of Scotland don’t need to try very hard to be romantic, but helping them along is the new hotel Another Place, the Machrie on the isle of Islay. If you’re lucky, you might even spy the Northern Lights from your outdoor hot tub. This is the sister stay to Another Place in the Lake District.
Without shamelessly stereotyping, if your partner loves golf or whisky (or both), this is the perfect Valentine’s escape. It’s also the one for wild swimmers and fans of long windswept coastal walks. The hotel has an impressive art collection, a line-up of fat bikes for cycling along the beach, and spectacular scenery in every direction, thanks mostly to the Atlantic Ocean. Unsurprisingly, seafood is the order of the day at the restaurant, with smoked trout, Islay scallops and Port Askaig Lobster all on the menu.
Rest + Wild, Shropshire
For a romantic retreat for two, try Rest + Wild, which also has outposts in Devon and the Yorkshire Dales, as well as this Shropshire Hills edition. Each cabin has an alfresco copper bath tub, a wood-burner and an outdoor fire-pit. The ‘wild’ part is key – this is somewhere to unplug and reconnect, away from the digital noise (there’s no WiFi, but the scenery will provide ample entertainment).
Hampers can be ordered to your cabin and each has a kitchenette stocked with Monmouth coffee among other essentials, so you’ll barely have to emerge from your scheduled downtime – but you should, for walks around the Downton Hall estate or further afield, or for a foodie voyage to one of Ludlow’s celebrated establishments.
Estelle Manor, Oxfordshire
One of the most buzzed-about hotel openings in recent years was Estelle Manor, the countryside edition of the Mayfair members’ club Maison Estelle, both of which were created by Sharan Pasricha, the founder of Ennismore (most famous for turning Shoreditch’s Hoxton hotel into a global brand). The listed manor is set on a 60-acre estate at the end of an oak-lined driveway, with thousands more acres of pristine parkland in every direction.
The countryside version is as discreet as its counterpart in the capital. There’s a Roman-style spa in the woods, a billiards room, a clubhouse for members, a terrace importing the French Riviera to the British countryside, and a brasserie with an orangery. Guests will also be able to make use of a 25-metre pool (heated for those winter dips), padel courts, and a studio with almost 40 classes a week. The romantic Glasshouse restaurant, with lots of blooms, fabric lanterns and an open fire, is where to book in for date night; or you can try the hotel's Japanese restaurant, the Armoury.
Wildhive Callow Hall, Derbyshire
At the southern reaches of the Peak District, near the Derbyshire town of Ashbourne, Wildhive Callow Hall is one of the North of England’s most romantic hotels, mostly because of its secluded treehouse suites. The Victorian Gothic manor, made from imposing dark stone and slate, was once the rather grand home of a magistrate, but it has been eased into the 21st century – a glass-walled extension now houses the light-filled restaurant, where you can feast on hyper-local British breakfasts and delicious dinners. There are lots of cosy corners for a cocktail, too.
There are rooms in the main house, but for romance (and novelty) value, it’s hard to beat the treehouses and ‘hives’ set on stilts up a short path in the estate’s woods. These are supremely cosy, with curving wooden walls, kitchens and terraces, so you won’t have to leave if you don’t want to. But on hand for day trips nearby are Chatsworth, Bakewell and, of course, the Peak District national park.
The Nici, Bournemouth
It may be a little too chilly to enjoy the Nici’s outdoor pool in February, but there's much else to keep you entertained, including its pastel-coloured spa for glow-giving Oskia facials and relaxing massages. Afterwards, there might be a sound bath taking place in the relaxation room, or you can head to the serene indoor pool for a swim. The hotel is at the edge of Bournemouth’s seven-mile stretch of golden coastline, which guests can access through a gate at the end of the gardens.
In the main building, there’s a smart brasserie (aptly named South Beach, in a nod to the hotel’s homage to Miami), with a view of the sea in the distance. Here, you can dine on dishes such as house-cured salmon, beef carpaccio, and lobster and crayfish linguine. And you can also head to the Old Harry Rocks restaurant at the edge of the grounds, which has a fun tiki-bar feel (if not the Polynesian weather to match).
Shangri-La the Shard, London
For a heady experience (literally) this Valentine’s Day, head up to the 52nd floor of the Shard in Southwark for a stay at London’s highest hotel, which turned 10 last year. It’s so romantic, there’s a table at Gong that sees more than two proposals a week (it must be that unforgettable view of the capital’s skyline).
Shangri-La the Shard will ensure plenty of flowers, fizz and artfully strewn rose petals are on hand during your stay if you wish. There are jaw-dropping views in every direction, but for the ultimate experience, head up to the pool for one of the most surreal swims you’ll ever have.
Stanwell House, Hampshire
Stanwell House is a cosy boutique hotel on the high street in the Hampshire harbour town of Lymington, and perfect for the kind of staycation that reminds you how lovely Britain really is. There are lots of cute boutiques to explore, both on the high street and on the cobblestoned lane that leads down to the quay, from where you’ll be able to board a ferry over the Solent to the Isle of Wight. The New Forest is also nearby.
Back at the Colefax & Fowler-papered hotel, take afternoon tea in the orangery or the main restaurant, or a have warming drink by the fire at Salt Bar, with snacks such as padrón peppers and beer-battered samphire to accompany it. For dinner, settle in to a snug green velvet banquette for scallops with corn and chorizo, and guinea fowl with blackberry, or Asian-inspired plates such as salt and pepper squid, or supersize chicken satay sticks.
Boys Hall, Kent
Boys Hall is a grade II-listed manor named for the aristocrats Thomas and Margaret Boys, who built it in 1616. The Jacobean house is near Ashford and a little over half an hour away from St Pancras by train. The head chef makes good use of the Garden of England’s bounty on his doorstep, and the wine cellar stocks some of Kent’s finest output, too. In addition to the restaurant, there’s a snug pub for cosy pre-dinner drinks.
The house has an illustrious past – mediaeval gold coins were discovered beneath the floorboards in 1972 and soon installed at the British Museum; the tunnels in the cellar are said to have been used by smugglers; and notable former guests include Samuel Pepys and King Charles I.
No 42 by GuestHouse, Margate
It may not quite be beach weather yet, but you’ll be able to enjoy the Great British seaside with a wintry trip to Margate nonetheless. The GuestHouse group of boutique hotels expanded its collection to the Kent coast, with No 42, a 21-bedroom grand Victorian property on the seafront. The best views of the water await up on the rooftop bar, where you’ll be able to survey Margate and Thanet. Some rooms have a balcony, too, and more sea views can be soaked up at the restaurant.
Each room has a Crosley record player and a small selection of records – or you can craft the soundtrack to your stay with a trip to the vinyl library.
Beaverbrook, Surrey
For Italian romance in rural Surrey, look no further than Beaverbrook, once the home of the namesame press baron, who bought it in 1910. The Italianate mansion has a majestic setting, overlooking the Surrey Hills from its terrace and landscaped gardens. The grounds also feature indoor and outdoor pools, and a spa in the old coach house.
Alongside the estate’s acclaimed Japanese restaurant and Garden House brasserie, the manor is home to a Wild Kitchen, designed by Guy Ritchie as a solution to dining outdoors in Britain year-round. Tent doesn’t quite do it justice (though it is made of canvas) – guests dine around an open fire, with a blanket for their knees handily heated by the ovens, and a flame-cooking show put on for special bookings. The table seats up to 22, but if you're feeling a little extra, it could make for a memorable Valentine's Day meal.
NoMad, London
Another romantic hotel in London is NoMad in Covent Garden, with a bright restaurant in its atrium as the centrepoint and lots of dark corners for romance. Also aiding and abetting mischief is Side Hustle, where you can enjoy masterful mixology and some of the best Latin American food in the capital.
The grand hotel is housed within the former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court, with a police station where Oscar Wilde was once held located around the side of the building (now home to the Common Decency cocktail bar, available for private events). It’s an especially handy location if you’re hoping to see a show at the Royal Opera House, which is just over the road.
Updown Farmhouse, Kent
If food is your primary focus when booking a hotel, Updown Farmhouse in Kent should move swiftly to the top of your list. The 17th-century farmhouse sits on seven acres of grounds, which span woodlands, lots of serene spots and a kitchen garden.
At the heart of the estate is the Grace Dent-approved conservatory restaurant, where guests can watch the chefs at work, cooking on the wood-fired grill or baking in the original bread oven. The romantic space is adorned with vines and fairy lights, and is both heated and fully enclosed for starry-eyed suppers even in winter.
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