13 Romantic Getaways from London Perfect For Couples
My guide to 13 of the very best romantic getaways from London will help you find the perfect place for a couples weekend away
I lived in London for 4 years and spent many weekends escaping the city with my boyfriend. I’ve stayed in beautiful hotels, cosy pubs and quirky shepherds huts, and I know what makes the perfect couple’s trip.
I’m not the traditionally romantic type, so my priorities when booking a couples getaway don’t revolve around grand gestures and declarations of love.
The most important thing to me on any getaway is being able to truly connect with the person I’m with.
I gravitate towards places that make that as easy as possible. Late checkouts as standard? Sign me up. Digital room service so I don’t have to call reception? I’m sold.
If you’re looking for rose petals on the bed and heart-shaped chocolates, you won’t find them here. But for my take on the most romantic getaways near London, read on.
Some links in this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. It won’t make a difference to what you pay, but I earn a small commission if you purchase something I’ve recommended. I’m really grateful for your trust in my advice, and if I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend, I won’t recommend it to you.
ROMANTIC GETAWAYS NEAR LONDON
#1 Artist Residence
#2 The Rose
#3 University Arms
#4 The Pilgrm
#5 The Mitre
#6 Graduate Hotels
#7 Double Red Duke
#8 The Fish
#9 Thyme
#10 Elmley Nature Reserve
#11 Dormy House
#12 Port Hotel
#13 Unplugged
MY TOP 3 ROMANTIC GETAWAYS
FROM LONDON
ARTIST RESIDENCE, OXFORDSHIRE
Artist Residence is a cosy 16th-century inn with rooms perfect for a romantic getaway near London.
It’s only an hour and a half from the capital, located in the quaint village of South Leigh on the outskirts of The Cotswolds – destinations don’t get more idyllic than this.
THE ROSE, DEAL
The Rose is a charming boutique hotel located in the seaside town of Deal in Kent, 2 and a half hours from London.
Its been named as one of Britain’s most romantic hotels, making it the perfect choice for a couples escape.
UNIVERSITY ARMS, CAMBRIDGE
Located near the city’s renowned university, the classic English decor at University Arms makes it the perfect hotel for a romantic getaway.
If you fancy treating yourself, book a suite – complete with a terrace and freestanding bath overlooking Parker’s Piece.
13 BEST ROMANTIC HOTELS NEAR LONDON
From boutique hotels with self-serve wine, to shepherds huts on sprawling country estates, my curated guide to the best romantic hotels near London will help you find the perfect place to stay.
1. Artist Residence
Artist Residence hotels are some of my favourite in the UK. The food is excellent, they’re well-located, and all of the hotels feature beautiful pieces of art and exceptional design.
Their Oxfordshire outpost is the only one not in a city, located just outside The Cotswolds. The rustic village pub it calls home gives it a fairytale feel perfect for a romantic break.
A traditional pub with rooms, grab a board game and curl up by the fireplace, before retiring to one of the bedrooms above. If you’re looking for something a bit different, there’s even a shepherd’s hut at the bottom of the garden.
Distance from London: Around an hour and a half by car, or an hour by train from London Paddington to Oxford, followed by a 30-minute taxi.
2. The Rose
A small town on the Kent coast, Deal is home to independent shops, a pebble beach and even a castle.
The Rose is undoubtedly the best place to spend the night, 2 minutes from the beach with incredible interiors.
The Telegraph has listed it as one of Britain’s most romantic hotels, and Rooom Four was featured in The Times’ 30 most romantic hotel rooms in the UK.
The Rose has 9 bedrooms, all adopting Wes Anderson style interiors, with thoughtful touches such as toiletries from Norfolk-based brand Austin Austin, record players in the bedrooms, and whisky nightcaps alongside the tea and coffee stations.
Distance from London: Around two and a half hours by car, or a two hour train from London Bridge to Deal Station, followed by a short walk to The Rose.
3. University Arms
Boasting the best views in Cambridge, University Arms was the first hotel to open in the city in 1834.
Today it’s made up of 192 rooms with a classic design and seriously impressive bathrooms. If you fancy treating yourself, book a suite – complete with a terrace and freestanding bath.
There’s everything you need for the perfect city break. It overlooks Parkers Piece in the heart of Cambridge, with free bikes to get around if you’re not in the mood for walking.
The hotel restaurant, Parkers Tavern, is one of the best in town, serving British staples sourced locally.
Distance from London: Around an hour and forty minutes by car, or a 50-minute train from Kings Cross to Cambridge.
4. The Pilgrm
Instead of searching for a romantic getaway near London, why not just stay in the Capital?
London might not be the first place that comes to mind when you’re planning a romantic break in the UK. But after living there for 4 years, it’s a city I’ll forever romanticise.
There’s always something new to discover, and the disparity between the individual neighbourhoods make you feel like you’re in a completely different place each time you step off the tube.
A trip to London often conjures up images of staying in eye-wateringly expensive hotels or having to sacrifice design and comfort to save money.
But the opening of The Pilgrm in 2017 changed the game. It’s beautifully designed with lots of cosy corners, artwork and plants and has an outdoor terrace for al fresco drinks. And with rooms from £100 a night, it won’t hurt your bank account too much either.
Just across the road from Paddington station, it’s perfectly located for a stroll down to Little Venice, arguably one of London’s most romantic neighbourhoods.
5. The Mitre
If you don’t fancy venturing too far from the capital, The Mitre is the perfect choice.
Boasting some of the most beautiful hotel rooms I’ve ever seen, the roll-top tubs are the perfect touch for a romantic getaway.
Located on the River Thames, right next to Hampton Court Palace, there’s plenty of cosy pubs and countryside walks right on your doorstep.
Distance from London: 1 hour by train
6. Graduate Hotels
Graduate hotels started life in America aiming to improve accommodation choices in university towns.
After opening 30 hotels across the US, in 2021 they launched their first UK locations in Oxford and Cambridge (where else?).
Their designs are quirky – each property takes inspiration from the university’s culture. Expect nods to the town’s history, most notably Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll set the story there) in Oxford, and restored punting boats in the lobby of the Cambridge outpost.
Classic British food is central to both hotels – dine in The Alice, or grab a drink in The Snug and The Morse Bar in Oxford.
In Cambridge, enjoy afternoon tea in the garden and the Garden House’s locally sourced menu.
Both hotels are dog-friendly, and for humans, the Oxford location is home to a wellness centre – complete with a steam room, sauna and five private treatment rooms.
Distance from London: The Graduate in Oxford is an hour by train from London Paddington, and the Cambridge outpost is a 50-minute train from Kings Cross to Cambridge.
7. Double Red Duke
Located in the quiet Cotswolds village of Clanfield, Double Red Duke has been lovingly restored from a former grain store to a stunning boutique hotel.
The bedrooms are beautifully decorated with patterned wallpaper, Roberts radios and thoughtful details like guides to the area and freshly baked cookies on arrival.
There’s not much to do at the hotel except eat great food and drink delicious cocktails (both fine with me). But you’re only a 15-minute drive from lots of amazing villages in The Cotswolds.
If you don’t have a car, there’s a lovely walk to neighbouring Bampton, where parts of Downton Abbey were filmed. Or, cancel all plans and book yourself in for a massage in the garden spa shed.
Distance from London: 2 hours by car
8. The Fish
The Fish sits on The Farncombe Estate in The Cotswolds, alongside neighbouring hotels Dormy House and Foxhill Manor. Choose from rooms, huts and treehouses spread across the grounds.
For special occasions, book Boaty McBoatface (yes, really). Complete with a roll-top bath, hot tub, and your own private lake and paddle boat, there’s no reason to leave.
If you do want to head out and explore, nearby Broadway is one of the most beautiful villages around.
Distance from London: 2.5 hours by car
9. Thyme
Another Cotswolds contender, Thyme is a country-house hotel home to 31 bedrooms, cookery school, spa, restaurant, bar and pub. It’s family-run and the outpouring of love into every detail is evident.
There’s an on-site tennis court, endless country walks and bikes you’re free to borrow during your stay.
But if you choose to stay put in the grounds of the hotel, you won’t be disappointed. It doesn’t get more romantic than waking up in a four-poster bed in the heart of The Cotswolds countryside.
Distance from London: Just over 2 hours by car
10. Elmley Nature Reserve
There are few places you visit and are able to truly relax, switch off from the world, and forget about your everyday stresses, but Elmley Nature Reserve is one of those few.
Found on the Isle of Sheppey, just over 40 miles from central London, yet you feel as though you’re on a completely different planet – making it the perfect romantic break.
We checked into The Damson on our stay – a cosy shepherd’s hut with floor-to-ceiling windows on one end offering incredible views over the reserve, yet still completely secluded from other guests.
The beauty of Elmley is that all of their huts feel totally private, and have separate entrances so you can walk around in the nude, safe in the knowledge that you won’t have any unwelcome visitors, apart from a few ducks.
The best part about our hut was definitely the outdoor bath, which we spent hours in drinking wine, befriending the local wildlife, and watching the sun go down.
Distance from London: 1.5 hours by car
11. Dormy House
The neighbouring hotel to The Fish, Dormy House is home to 38 bedrooms, a spa, two gyms and a 16-metre swimming pool.
The House Spa spans several floors featuring a sauna, salt-infusion therapy room, flotation tank and outdoor hot tub.
There’s six treatment rooms including one perfect for two, aptly named ‘Couple’s Closet’. There’s three restaurants to choose from, from The Back Garden’s local menu to MO’s chefs table experience.
After dinner, help yourself to wine (literally) in The Shed, where you’ll find a wine dispenser – top up a card and drink away.
Distance from London: 2.5 hours by car
12. Port Hotel
A trip to the beach is synonymous with British summertime, and over the last few years, the seaside town of Eastbourne has seen the rise of buzzy restaurants, bars & more recently, the opening of Port.
A boutique, dog-friendly hotel located on the Royal Parade with incredible views over the sea, there’s 19 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar, with pastel interiors running throughout.
Six of the bedrooms overlook the beach, and it’s well worth the extra money to wake up with the waves. For an extra special stay, book into one of four rooms with freestanding bathtubs.
Downstairs, the restaurant and outdoor dining offer a seasonal menu, locally sourced in Sussex. Mid-week, you’ll find small plates on the menu, with everything from charcuterie boards to spiced lentil dip.
The brunch menu is endless, with classics like avocado toast and a full-English making an appearance alongside duck royale and waffle stacks.
Distance from London: 2 hours by car or 1.5 hours from London Victoria to Eastbourne Station, followed by a short taxi
13. Unplugged
Where better to experience complete uninterrupted quality time than a place where your phone is locked away in a box?
Unplugged is a 3-night digital detox designed to help you relax, switch off and reconnect. Choose your cabin (all the locations are within an hour of London), lock your phone in a box and spend the next few days doing very little.
We spent our time cooking, listening to the radio, completing a 500-piece puzzle, reading, and walking. Time seemed to slow down, but not in a “has it only been 20 minutes” kind of way, in a “look how much you can achieve when you aren’t distracted by a screen” kind of way.
We came away feeling truly connected and vowed to make no screen time part of our everyday routine. For me, this was the ultimate romantic break. One where you’re forced to spend time together and reminded that you do actually quite like each other after all.
My stay here was kindly gifted, but all opinions are my own. If I wouldn’t recommend somewhere to a friend, I wouldn’t recommend it to you.
Distance from London: All within an hour of London
Save money on your romantic getaway
near London
- Be flexible on when you can stay – It’s no secret that hotels charge a premium for weekend stays, and a lot of the best hotels in the UK also have 2-night minimum stays Friday-Sunday (I hate it too). Your best chance of staying in beautiful hotels on a budget is going mid-week during their off-peak periods, when they’re not as busy and more likely to drop their prices.
- Look for last-minute deals – If you’re really flexible on when you stay, keep an eye out for last-minute deals on same-day travel. We booked to stay at The Rectory last year on the same day and got £50 off the room price. The hotel knows they’re unlikely to fill the room so late in the day and they’d rather have the room full at a cheaper rate than not at all.
- Use Booking.com on your mobile – Did you know Booking.com offers mobile-only prices? You can usually save at least 10% on hotel bookings just by switching devices.
- Earn cashback on your stays with affiliate sites – Use websites like TopCashback and Quidco to earn money on hotel bookings. oYou won’t usually find boutique hotels on affiliate websites, but bigger companies like Booking.com and Hotels.com are always there. All you have to do is search the affiliate site for the website you’re intending on purchasing from, and follow their link through to book your hotel. The amount of money you make depends on the time of year and any offers running at the time, and is always paid out after your stay. If you’re thinking, what’s the catch? There isn’t one. It genuinely is free money just for booking through these websites. The incentive for companies to use affiliate marketing is to capitalise on users they might not otherwise reach, and you can reap the rewards!
- Book during sales periods like the start of the year or Black Friday – If you’re a planner and know exactly when you want to take your romantic getaway, your best chance of getting a deal is whenever hotels have sales. The biggest sales will usually be around Black Friday and the beginning of the year and you’ll either get a % discount off the price, or another night added to your stay at no extra cost.
