Weddings are an expensive business. These days, the average couple looking to get hitched will spend £20,822 on the ceremony itself, without even factoring in the cost of the ring and honeymoon. There’s the caterers, the venue and the dress to budget for, all of which cost thousands of pounds.
And with the cost-of-living crisis to contend with too, it’s no surprise that couples are increasingly choosing to dodge the prospect of a bells-and-whistles week away in Italy in favour of something a little closer to home.
A report from wedding planning app Bridebook showed that over one in six newlywed couples chose to have their honeymoon in the UK last year, rather than travelling abroad. It’s for good reason: the average staycation honeymoon costs 42 per cent less in the UK than in other European destinations, and is 65 per cent cheaper than a trip to American or the Caribbean.
Add to that the fact that searches for cheap honeymoon destinations are spiking – TikTok recently saw 229,000 searches for the same phrase in just one week – and what you have is an excuse to explore a corner of the British Isles in the name of romance.
As for where’s best? Well, the Bridebook survey showed that the top destination – in terms of the number of 5-star hotels, spas, Michelin Star restaurants and romantic hikes – was Edinburgh.
However, hot on its heels was London, with almost 200 luxury honeymoon hotels and 168 Michelin-starred restaurants to choose from. Manchester was third, with Leeds and Cardiff coming in fourth and fifth place.
London’s allure as a honeymooner’s destination isn’t exactly a surprise. The capital city has been attracting lovebirds for hundreds of years, to enjoy its West End shows, fine dining restaurants and leafy spaces.
And with that number seemingly set to rise, now’s the time to book your own romantic getaway. Here are some of the best hotels to choose from.
Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch
Nobu
Chic hotel chain Nobu has several branches in London, but we’d recommend opting for the Shoreditch one for the full romantic experience. Hidden away in the lanes by Old Street, its concrete brutalist building looks imposing from the outside, but is a fairyland for luxe-lovers on the inside. Grab a room with a balcony if you can, the better to sit outside during golden hour and watch the sun set over Shoreditch’s old Victorian buildings. Inside, the beds are almost indecently plush, with soundproofing that pretty much negates the noisy London traffic outside. The hotel boasts a spa, plus a cavernous bar with floor-to-ceiling windows and a surprisingly good value happy hour deal; every day at 5-7pm, a range of cocktails (plus beers and wines) can be grabbed for just £10 each.
The jewel in the crown, of course, is Nobu’s restaurant, which is situated downstairs in a softly-lit space where it’s possible to sit at the counter and watch the chefs working. Grab one of those counter seats if you can, then settle in for one of the hotel’s signature omakase menus, serving a range of Japanese-themed sushi and grill dishes from £120pp. The black miso cod is to die for, and tastes even better washed down with one of their house sakes.
Firmdale
This gorgeous building in the heart of South Kensington is part of the Firmdale Collection, which also boasts properties like the Soho and Ham Yard Hotels. What that means in practice is that every room has been lovingly designed by Kit Kemp, combining bright colours with fun statement pieces like driftwood lampshades and ornate artwork. Number Sixteen is smaller than its siblings (it forms part of Firmdale’s Townhouse collection), and is located in an old Victorian stucco terrace building, but it still has bags of charm: the bright outdoor Orangery is perfect for afternoon tea, and the guest areas boast sofas deep enough to sink into. For a venue in the heart of London, it feels gorgeously secluded – a perfect retreat from the busy world outside.
Beaverbrook
Beaverbrook bills itself as Chelsea’s most charming boutique hotel, and it’s hard to disagree. Immaculately decorated in bright colours and vintage-inspired décor, it’s situated across two former Georgian townhouses that have been extensively refitted. And while a drink at Sir Frank’s Bar bar is a decadent pleasure (the cocktails are stunning), a meal at the Fuji Grill is a must: laid out in black lacquer, with Japanese-style sharing plates that melt on the tongue. Factor in the bedrooms, which have been designed by Nicola Harding and draw inspiration from London’s theatre scene, and what you have is a tranquil bolthole in the hustle and bustle of London: intimate, secluded, and exceedingly romantic.
The Goring – Press Handout
One of the originals – and the best. The exceedingly elegant Goring Hotel is located just a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace, and offers its guests a right royal treatment. There’s fine dining in the restaurant, luxury décor (silk wallpaper, antique dressing tables and marble bathrooms) and impeccable service from the hotel’s highly-trained staff. Plus, stay for the award-winning afternoon tea in the hotel’s quintessentially English dining room.
1hotel Mayfair
The place to be if you’re a fan of chic décor and sustainability. Located just next to The Ritz, 1 Hotel Mayfair is an oasis of calm amidst all the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Its restaurant, Dovetale, has a Michelin star-winning chef at the helm; the spa is divine and the rooms themselves – while not huge – scream quiet luxury. Extra points for the Saturday brunch, which simply must be experienced with a glass of champagne in hand.
‘Court’ your beau in the former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court – now the NoMad
Simon Upton
This boutique hotel in Covent Garden offers rather a lot of bang for its buck. A spiritual successor to the iconic American NoMad hotel in Manhattan, this venue incorporates the same amount of American swagger, but combines it with some rather lovely period furnishings that evoke the Roaring Twenties. It’s located in the old Bow Street Magistrates’ Court, and indeed the old Magistrates’ Court has been turned into a ballroom. Furnishings lean towards the dramatic – cocktail cabinets, velvet, and vintage chandeliers abound – and top points for NoMad Bar and Side Hustle, the two exceedingly cool drinks venues of which the latter does a killer margarita.
Sultry appeal: the entry level room at The Mandrake
The Mandrake
This exceedingly quirky hotel offers a central London location and off-beat luxury in spades. Transformed from an office block into a high-end hotel in 2017, The Mandrake boasts an artist in residence, plum velvet sofas and hidden artworks lurking around every corner – and that’s just the ground floor. But don’t worry, there’s also a beautiful three-storey leafy interior terrace, with living walls of jasmine, and the rooms are a study in excess, with chaise longues, free-standing bathtubs and four-poster beds.
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair
The Mayfair suite at the Mandarin Oriental
Mandarin Oriental Mayfair
Newly opened and boast a sleek, chic design, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair occupies a prime location in the heart of the city, next to the old Vogue House. It’s relatively small, only boasting 50 rooms, but it does pack a punch: restaurant Akira Back does fascinating Asian fusion dishes, as does Dosa by Akira Back (which has a Michelin star), while the ABar Rooftop boasts beautiful views of the city, perfect for sipping with a cocktail. Even the spa has a couple’s treatment room: what more could you want?
Claridge’s spa pool
Claridge’s
You can’t go far wrong with Claridge’s: it’s a classic for a reason. The service is always flawless, the décor combines art deco glamour with modern touches (courtesy of a recent refurbishment) and there’s a knockout spa in the basement that ticks all the boxes and then some. Plus, of course, there are the bedrooms, all of which are individually designed but which all come with marble, soft lighting and luxury products. No detail has been spared, and that’s before we talk about the many restaurants nestled under its roof. There’s a reason so many proposals happen here.
Hyatt Regency Blackfriars
Hyatt
The Hyatt’s main selling point here is its superb location: you simply can’t get better in London. Right by Blackfriars station, the hotel rests on the former site of Henry VIII’s Bridewell Palace and is the perfect jumping off point for honeymooners wanting to make the most of a stay in London. Borough Market is a twenty minute walk away; the Globe is just across the river, and St Paul’s Cathedral can be spotted from some of the higher windows. Inside, a relaxing weekend awaits: there’s a fitness suite, two restaurants and even a cigar lounge called the Leaf and Cane. Do make sure to pay a visit to the Chinese Cricket Club, too: their Chinese-themed tasting menus are superb and feature some of the best duck pancakes to be found anywhere in London.
