The British appetite for a UK staycation has never been greater, as families, couples and groups of friends look for a post-lockdown stay. Over half (52%) of UK holidaymakers are planning UK staycations for the remainder of 2020. And when you consider current travel restrictions, the complex possibility of travel bubbles and the uncertain nature of air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no surprise that UK staycations are joining wellness travel as the top holiday trends for this year.
We’re here to help. Here are our recommendations of the best UK staycations in the UK, for couples, families and groups of friends.
Best UK staycations for couples
Bath spa
The hometown of Jane Austen, the site of some of the world’s best-preserved Roman bathhouses and a city-wide UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bath is hard to beat for a post-COVID staycation. It’s a hit for couples, who can spend their days meandering between chintzy tearooms (starting with the Regency tearoom at the Jane Austen Centre, where staff are dressed in period costume) and cosy heritage pubs, where local ales wash down gastropub grub. Make time for a pint and free live music show at The Bell Inn, a no-frills 18th-century boozer whose recent community buyout was supported by local rockstar Robert Plant and Glastonbury festival’s Michael Eavis.
No romantic stay in Bath is complete without a soak at Thermae Bath Spa (currently opened for pre-booked spa sessions), whose rooftop pool overlooks the city’s honey-coloured, limestone houses. Take a stroll along the Royal Crescent, a row of 30 terraced houses that’s one of the UK’s best-preserved examples of Georgian architecture. You can even stay there, in the five-star Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, which has just regenerated its spa and serves socially distant, locally sourced meals to your suite. For an even more private stay, book the new Townhouse experience at The Gainsborough Bath Spa, which puts all the hotel’s famous hospitality in a private house setting.
London
Even if you live in London (and certainly if you don’t), the UK’s capital makes for a hard-to-beat staycation. As one of the world’s great cultural cities (and voted one of our best UK cities), you’ll never be short of things to do, whether that’s exploring street markets, dining in world-class, international restaurants, or admiring works of art in the national museums and galleries. Wherever you stay, make sure you’ve got easy access to a tube or bus line into the city centre – you want to be able to reach the bars and restaurants of Soho, or the street performers and street food of the Southbank, without fuss.
But couples’ staycations come into their own in the less-central parts of London. Meandering walks through Columbia Road Flower Market turn into flat whites at independent coffee shops on Broadway Market, and perhaps a picnic on London Fields. Browsing bric-a-brac on Portabello Road escalates into tasting the gin menu, and maybe designing your own, at The Ginstitute (you might want to book a room for the night, if not down the road at the couples-friendly Portobello House). A cooling dip in the Hampstead Heath ponds inevitably leads to a warming pub dinner and glass of wine at a pub like The Spaniards Inn. Do as the locals do and the romance can feel endless…
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