2021-02-01 13:54:00 | The most romantic hotels in the UK

These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest travel guidance before making your journey. Note that our writers visited pre-pandemic.

A hotel stay for two is, in its very nature, romantic. A weekend away from normality can often present endless opportunities for amour. It’s not just about rose petals scattered on beds and treatments for two, but rather eating breakfast in a high-thread-count bed in white fluffy robes. It’s waiting until your fingers go wrinkly after being in a bath for hours, accompanied by chats and (ideally) champagne. It’s a sunset swim when there’s no rush to get to dinner. It’s a walk through a hidden glade when you have no phone reception. It’s reading a good book, shoes off, curled up top-to-tail on a fireside sofa together. It is ordering a dessert to share, even though you are both full.

What makes some properties a cut above the rest in the love stakes? We asked our hotel reviewers, based around Britain, from the Highlands to Cornwall, to give us their pick of the best. Of course, romance is subjective, but what unites all of the hotels chosen is their attention to detail – a private boat ride, say, a clifftop hot tub or a plate of fresh oysters – which makes them perfect for an extra-special, loved-up stay à deux. From a stream-side wooden hut to a classy spa retreat in the countryside, to decadence in a busy city, here are our pick of the best hotels for couples, whether you’re marking an occasion or just looking to reconnect with that special someone.