TOP UK WEDDING AND PARTY HOTEL VENUES
Searching for the perfect wedding or party venue is so incredibly hard sometimes. Before I recommend some of my favourites, I would suggest you ask yourselves the follow questions which will help narrow your choices a little:
What is your overall budget?
How many guests will you have? *hint, this may be tied to question one!
What type of locations are you looking at? Town or country?
Will guests need to travel and have nearby accommodation?
What style are you imagining?
Do you need space for a ceremony and/or dancing?
Is food important to you, and would you want to supply your own catering or drinks?
Will you require disabled access?
Are you looking for a high level of in house staff 24 hours or more of a dry hire venue?
Do you want a marquee?
There are many more questions, but that is an excellent place to start before you begin to book in viewings and make enquiries. For now though, here are some of my favourite hotels and venues across the UK - some new and some well loved for a long time!
I will move on to destination locations another time, but have so many amazing recommendations across Europe too.
The Idle Rocks, Cornwall
One of the most sought after spots on the Cornish coast, this is a perfect location for smaller gatherings and intimate celebrations where you can dine at the Chef’s table in the restaurant, or outside on the waterside terrace. They also have a more intimate private dining room in their sister property, the St Mawes Hotel, which can accommodate up to 40 guests.
Having first opened as a hotel in 1913, it has had a recent and substantive restoration by former Aston Martin chairman David Richards and his wife Karen. You will find bright bedrooms, nautical decor, a menu of fresh local seafood and incredible seaside views. Charming, with amazing attention to detail in the interiors.
Gleneagles, Scotland
Scotland’s most famous hotel, Gleneagles was taken over by Ennismore (the group behind the city-based Hoxton hotels) in 2015. The venue is now a little more modern and cool in design, and it can cater for small intimate events as well as it can for 400+ larger occasions.
Perfectly located being only an hour drive from both Glasgow and Edinburgh it is convenient for guest travel. Don't miss a stop at the Century Bar, where one of Gordon Ramsay’s former mixologists concocts incredible cocktails, or the amazing ESPA spa for those who want to relax and recharge. The outside land and landscape of the hotel are just as spectacular - with plenty of country pursuits for guests to enjoy during their stay (a real draw for destination weddings in particular).
Thyme, Cotswolds
One of my absolute favourite venues ever since it first opened, being local to where our head studio is this is a space we have often worked at.
It's really only available for smaller weddings or private parties of 30 people or less, it is a perfect location for guests to stay and enjoy the facilities and surrounding "village within a village".
This hotel and venue started from an idyllic old Cotswold-stone manor house, converting its barns, and has since transformed the village of Southrop. Interiors are gorgeous with muted sage and countryside inspired decor, the restaurant has the most delicious menu and the spa treatments are second to none. .
Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons, Oxfordshire
Available for up to 100 guests if you hire the entire house and gardens, this venue is not far from London and absolutely delightful - with a Michelin starred chef and cellar of wines to die for. You can plan a ceremony in their stunning gardens and a feast in their elegant private dining room for a more cosy winter reception.
This is Ryamond Blanc's 15th-century manor house and the incredibly manicured gardens are complete with vegetable patches, bronze statues, lemon-filled greenhouses and an ornamental Japanese garden. They have held two Michelin stars for more than 30 years and the bedrooms (inspired by Raymond's favourite places in the world ) are also spectacular. A hotel and venue for garden, food and interiors lovers alike.
Middleton Lodge, Yorkshire
Set in the North Yorkshire countryside, Middleton Lodge has two individual wedding venues located on its grounds. Choose from the 18th century Main House, full of its original Georgian grandeur or just a five minute walk away is the wonderfully romantic Fig House, with views across the restored Walled Garden.
This venue can host ceremonies of up to 75 guests and dining of up to 32 guests in the main house, or 170 guests in a marquee.
Owner James Allison was actually raised in this country home, and has transformed its 200 acres with his architect wife Rebecca. The main house has 16 bedrooms and can be rented out in its entirety, but there are also more rooms hidden in the coach house, the potting shed, a farmhouse and a dairy with its original dovecote still intact. Everything at Gareth Rayner’s Forge restaurant has been sourced locally with vegetables and wild flowers from the kitchen garden. Most of my favourite venues have an amazing spa - and this one has fantastic massages and facials with oils from the local fields in Richmond.
Clivedon House, Berkshire
An Italianate style venue on the banks of the Thames, this house is steeped in history and is where Meghan Markle stayed with her mother the night before she married Prince Harry. It has 376 acres of National Trust gardens for the enormous house with 48 bedrooms. For Summer weddings the outdoor pool is the place to be the spa is known as one of the best in the country.
You can take exclusive use of this Grade I listed stately home which means you can plan a celebration with ultimate privacy accommodating up to 120 guests for a wedding ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast. For larger celebrations up to 230 seated guests, you can also hire a marquee within the grounds.
Heckfield Place, Hampshire
The hotel that almost everyone I know has raved about this year! The interiors have an elegant earthy feel that isn't quite rustic, but certainly has a laid back feel. You can see that designer Ben Thompson has layered a soft palette with polished antiques and craftsmanship.
Skye Gyngell, who champions sustainability at her Somerset House restaurant Spring, now also heads up Heckfield’s two restaurants. They have a farm that follows biodynamic principles and source all their produce locally.
This is an understated luxury hotel. No gimmicks, no bold statements, no fuss or ceremony, just good honest high end quality. There are plenty of spaces to host private events, as well as ground for a marquee hire with larger numbers of guests.
The Rectory Hotel, Wilsthire
Another longstanding favourite venue of hours, local to the Cotswolds. Former music executive, Alex Payne, has created this home from home hotel with modern interiors throughout. Plenty of roaring fires and cosy corners there is also an amazing modern menu in this quintessentially English with a twist of London cool boutique hotel.
It can host between 60-65 for a ceremony or dining in the orangery or main dining room, but has the capacity for up to 120 in the grounds with a marquee. We have done gorgeous pre-wedding rehearsals and cultural ceremonies at this venue over the years.
Limewood, New Forest
I first stayed at Limewood for my 30th birthday and fell in love. It is a stunning Regency country house hotel on the edge of the New Forest, with interiors featuring a mix of contemporary and striking art, including works by Tracey Emin. The spa is one of the best I have ever enjoyed, with three different pools and ten Bamford treatment rooms as well as a raw bar from nutritionist Amelia Freer. In the main hotel, chef Angela Hartnett is in charge of the kitchen, where you can book a private table watching the chefs in action. The original Pig hotel is also only 5 miles away, so lots of great options for guests staying locally.
This is the perfect retreat for an exclusive hire event. You can only book it mid week, but with all 33 bedrooms included, you and your guests will have free run and a special experience. Here you can have up to 110 guests for a ceremony, and up to 80 guests for a wedding breakfast - alternatively you can host more with up to 130 guests in a marquee extension.
There are so many more incredible luxury, boutique and stand out hotel wedding venues across the UK. If you need our help finding the perfect locations for your event then please arrange an initial consultation by emailing
info@studiosorores.com
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