Romantic hotels for food lovers in the UK, Europe and beyond

Here are our favourite romantic breaks for foodies...

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• Romantic UK getaways
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Romantic UK getaways

Tinwood Estate

For a romantic getaway on a vineyard

Snuggle under cosy fur blankets on a wooden deck perched on the edge of a vineyard and sip on sparkling English wine and dig into a breakfast hamper packed with croissants and fresh fruit at this English vineyard in West Sussex, four miles from Chichester, and only an hour out of central London.

King-sized beds are made up with fine Egyptian cotton linen and the lodges are peppered with one-off pieces of furniture sourced by Jody. Sleek, open bathrooms have his-and-hers stone basins, and both gigantic walk-in showers and two-person Jacuzzi baths.

One of the biggest draws of this secluded spot is just that; there is little around but well-tended vines tailing off into the horizon (you can see the Isle of Wight on a clear day). Wrap yourself in a plush cotton robe and venture out to wallow in the barrel sauna that sits in a clearing beside the lodges. Waiting the 15 minutes it takes to warm up gives you the perfect excuse to try the estate’s sparkling and red wines.

Back at Tinwood, breakfast is a real treat. With a gentle knock at the door an unseen house elf drops off a hamper at your preferred hour. Boiled eggs come in little eggcups alongside jars of fruit salad, and kilner-style bottles of orange juice nestle in beside warm croissants, yogurts and cereals. Fire up the Nespresso machine or pop open a bottle of Tinwood’s sparkling, and carry your basket out onto the raised decking for breakfast overlooking the vines.

Lodges from £255 per night, check availability at booking.com

The Pheasant Inn, Hungerford, Berkshire

Once host to lock-ins and parties amongst the racing community, this renovated pub in the heart of Berkshire’s ‘Valley of the Racehorse’ still has plenty of character. Pub grub classics (Pheasant Ale-battered fish and chips, beef burgers, chicken kiev) sit on the menu alongside more unusual seafood dishes. The pub’s popular Sunday lunch includes whole-roast Cotswolds chicken for two, rich venison shepherd’s pie topped with piped mash, and crisp Kelmscott pork belly, followed by caramelised tarte tatin. There are plenty of local beers on tap – light, crisp Eagle IPA, malty Good Old Boy bitter and Ramsbury Gold, plus the pub’s own citrusy Pheasant Ale.

Each of the eleven bedrooms is individually decorated, with fabric headboards, vintage pieces of furniture and Audubon’s Birds of America watercolours (look out for the flamingo on the stairs). Room 4 is fresh and botanical, with illustrations of plants, while rooms 3 and 7 boast stand-alone bathtubs in marble bathrooms. If you want to have a few drinks with your Sunday roast, you can prolong the weekend with the Settle in Sundays deal. Spend £100 or more in the restaurant on a Sunday evening and they’ll throw in a bedroom on the house.

Rooms from £100 per night, check availability at thepheasant-inn.co.uk or booking.com

Lime Wood, Hampshire

Secluded in its own estate in the heart of the New Forest, Lime Wood is a luxuriously renovated 13th century hunting lodge. The owner’s outstanding art collection adds a contemporary feel to reception rooms, made cosy with squishy armchairs, crackling fires and heaving bookshelves, set around a chic central atrium with retractable roof. The restaurant, Hartnett Holder & Co, has a hushed, elegant ambience, serving Italian dishes such as house-cured Loch Duart salmon with pickled rhubarb, frilly mafalde pasta with slow-cooked ragu, and monkfish in a spiced shellfish and fennel broth. Finish with a dozen delicate madeleines served hot from the oven in their scalloped tray. A breakfast grazing table awaits in The Scullery come morning, laden with homemade pastries, house-smoked salmon, DIY granola bowls and more, while you decide between cooked-to-order plates such as caramelised pear buckwheat pancakes.

The main house features stone fireplaces, Italian marble bathrooms and large sash windows with magical forest views. Other rooms around the estate include Pavilion rooms with forest-fringing patios and rustic-chic forest and lake cabins, the latter perched on the water with a terrace tub and log burner. All are enveloped in country elegance, with upholstered bedheads, Bamford toiletries and mini bars kitted out with New Forest shortbread, Flack Manor Brewery beer and Hambledon sparkling wine.

A night at Lime Wood includes full use of the Herb House Spa, a serene complex nestled on the forest edge. The sauna and hydro pool have windows to soak up the forest zen before a nature-inspired Ground massage ritual. Take a pilates class, work out in the gym or do laps in the indoor pool and cool off on a lounger amongst the aromatics of the rooftop herb garden. Sip cold press detox juices and CBD drinks while picking from nourishing plates at the adjacent Raw & Cured café, including the likes of British-grown quinoa with harissa roasted cauliflower and house-cured sea bass ceviche in a zingy rhubarb dressing.

Rooms from £495 per night. Check availability at limewoodhotel.co.uk or mrandmrssmith.com

Romantic hotels in Europe for a weekend getaway

Le Grand Mazarin, Paris

With twin inspirations of Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel (hence the purple-clad staff) and Alice in Wonderland, Le Grand Mazarin achieves an impressive feat of being full of eclectic colours and patterns, yet still remaining a chic and calm oasis in the heart of the bustling Le Marais district. The hotel has 61 rooms and suites, an indoor pool, restaurant, bar, courtyard dining and gym. Bedrooms are decorated with carefully sourced vintage objects, custom rugs and Murano light fittings. Rooms are bold and colourful yet always elegant. Think raspberry pink walls, tapestry canopies over beds and yellow tiles in the bathrooms. Extra touches such as Diptyque toiletries in the waterfall showers and curtains that close from a touch of a button by your bed add a luxurious feel.

Hotel bar and restaurant Boubalé (meaning ‘little darling’ in Yiddish) combines Eastern European and Mediterranean flavours. Make sure to look up at the colourful ceiling above you: it may look wooden, but every detail and flower was hand-painted. Share a giant chicken schnitzel and incredibly cheesy spinach risotto, then finish with the signature ‘benimousse’ – a large scoop of rich chocolate mousse topped with a generous drizzle of olive oil and scattering of sea salt.

Doubles from £515, check availability at booking.com

Maiensässhotel Guarda Val, Switzerland

Set high in the hamlet of Sporz, at 1,600m above sea level, this hotel gazes out over the jagged peaks of Graubünden. Opt for a sharing-style meal (called “gnuss”) at the atmospheric (if unfortunately named) restaurant, Crap Naros. Dishes include local rainbow trout with almond and parsley butter, and moreish dried meats from the Brigger family, who have been curing meats in the area for several generations. Bedrooms are in the traditional vein, all timber beams and open fires, with quaint names such as Herdsmen and Dairymen. They’re scattered across 11 historic wooden huts and barns, some almost 300 years old. The hotel also houses Maiensäss Kitchen, a Michelin-starred restaurant where you can try everything from wild garlic soup to oxtail ravioli and currywurst.

Doubles from £227, check availability at booking.com

Atzaró Agroturismo Hotel, Ibiza

Luxury meets nature in a hotel with exquisite indoor-outdoor design, a spa set within orange groves and a hard-working farm.

White-washed buildings, manicured gardens and glistening swimming pools surrounded by huge, pristine day beds all create a gorgeous first impression. Discrete, secret VIP deluxe suites are where celebrities can holiday with complete privacy. So far, so luxe. But a stroll through the orange groves to the hotel’s vast vegetable plot reveals how sustainable and farm-to-fork this family-owned estate is. Solar panels and an on-site well supply power and water to the gardens, pools, spa and rooms.

Herbs and botanicals are used in rejuvenating spa treatments. Figs, tomatoes, cucumbers and pomegranates are picked that day, and served just minutes and metres aways in the hotel’s sunny, vine-covered veranda. The garden also supplies its nearby, laid-back sister restaurant, Aubergine by Atzaró, where clever combinations like roasted aubergine carpaccio, cherry tomatoes, feta, dates, pistachio and rocket pesto create texture and zing. At Atzaró beach club, tuna ceviche with mango, chilli, coriander and tiger’s milk is light and flavour-packed.

Design at Atzaró Agroturismo references Ibiza’s natural beauty with a profusion of plants, natural wicker and wood, bright whites, with splashes of colour provided through bougainvillea or swimming pool azure.

Doubles from €245, check availability at booking.com

The Guesthouse, Vienna

With the help of Terence Conran this former youth hostel, on the same square as the Vienna Opera House, is now a sleek, design hotel. One of its best features is an award-winning wood-stove bakery so expect the very best Viennese pastries for breakfast. Glittering palaces, classical music and exceptional art (from Klimt’s Kiss at the Belvedere to Wes Anderson’s curatorial debut at the Kunsthistorisches Museum) make Vienna ideal for a grown-up weekend away.

Doubles from £239, check availability at booking.com

Nido, Corfu

If you're looking for a luxurious slice of heaven just a short drive from Corfu old town, five-star adults only hotel Nido is for you. Part of the Mar-Bella collection, Nido consists of 70 rooms, all are suites and come with their own mini pool or jacuzzi.

Relaxation and indulgence are the name of the game at Nido and it's been carefully designed to be a treat for the senses. Colourful bougainvillea line the paths and the decor is exquisite. Head to the Heritage bar: with huge windows, plush furnishings and a stunning marble-topped bar, it's the perfect place for pre dinner drinks. You're in good hands with their mixologists, who were thrilled to bring us everything from fresh juice to negroni spagliatio (with prosecco in it). Nido has two restaurants offering Greek and Mediterranean gastronomy and two bars – one of which is in the infinity pool. So you can sip a cocktail while staring out at the breath-taking panoramic views of the Ionian sea.

Suites from €192 per night, check availability at booking.com, tui.co.uk, or mrandmrssmith.com

De Durgerdam, Netherlands

A 15-minute drive or boat ride from Amsterdam city centre, De Durgerdam is a collection of colourful clapboard houses strung along a dike in the rural wildlife-rich wetlands. At its centre a 17th-century inn has been meticulously restored into a stylish restaurant with rooms. Perch on a parasol-shaded bench out front for coffee and madeleines, while folk cycle past on a country escape, before sauntering down the jetty to swim off the pontoon.

The destination restaurant, De Mark, is a collaboration between some of Amsterdam’s most applauded chefs. Dine waterside among the reeds or head inside for cosy, candlelit dinners with nods to the sea at every turn. Post-meal, retire to the reading room – a terracotta cocoon complete with antique honesty bar, alluring window seat and wood stove to keep things cosy in the colder months. The 14 rooms are sumptuously decorated in warm, earthy tones with velvet throws, frilly wall lamps and armchairs.

Doubles from £312, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

La Guardia, Tuscany

Giglio, the second largest island in the Tuscan archipelago, is lush with clifftop vineyards, fig trees and pines. The serene and stylish seaside retreat, La Guardia, is perched atop a granite cave along from the pastel-hued harbour. Brushed concrete and original stone columns are softened with driftwood decorations and wispy wicker lanterns that gently flutter in the Mediterranean breeze. Chic neutral tones continue through to the rooms, all kitted out with luxury Sicilian Ortigia toiletries and many boasting balconies and sea views. Book the junior suite to embrace the elements with a bathroom built into the granite and a beachside terrace for watching the waves lap against the rocks.

Mediterranean flavours and island cuisine are served in the on-site restaurant – sip on a Venetian Select spritz at aperitivo hour before a candlelit dinner of Sicilian anchovies, palamita fish with marinated courgettes, and tagliolini with lemon butter and bottarga. The 70-strong wine list showcases rare bottles from Italy’s islands – Giglio, Ischia, Salina and beyond. Breakfast includes the likes of prosciutto, omelettes with Tuscan cheese, homemade fig bread and freshly squeezed juices. There are sunset yoga sessions on the terrace, healing zen shiatsu and Ayurvedic treatments, and e-bikes to explore the island’s rugged trails, cliff-face vineyards and restaurants in medieval castles.

Doubles from £241, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com or booking.com

Grossarl, Austria

An hour south of Salzburg, Grossarl is ideally placed for a romantic weekend in the mountains. Stay at the Grossarler Hof a comfortable base with striking views. Luxurious facilities include a steaming outdoor whirlpool and Finnish-style spa, but the hotel retains the charm of a family-run chalet. The breakfast table is piled high with alpine cheeses and traditional jams, and dinner options include paprika-rich meat stews topped with fried eggs and sharp pickles, and comforting buttered späetzle (soft egg noodles) countered with bottomless glasses of floral grüner veltliner.

Higher up the mountain, schnapps is the drink of choice, with many of the huts distilling their own. Stop off at Muhlwinkelhutte in Dorfgastein for käsekrainer (grilled sausage stuffed with cheese), or Gehwolfalm for tiroler gröstl (potato, onion, bacon, sausage and fried egg). Sauerkraut is optional, but why wouldn’t you? After a day on the slopes, book a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride under the stars to the Aschaustüberl restaurant in Hüttschlag. Warm up with mulled wine round an open fire, then order the bauernbratl, traditional local dumplings, and kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake) with apple purée.

Doubles from £505, check availability at booking.com

Casa Bonay, Barcelona

Check into hip Casa Bonay, a renovated mansion where traditional hydraulic floor tiles are mixed with Gaudí’s iconic paving stones, adding a hint of edginess to its ground floor lounges, coffee bars and restaurant. Stylish, pared-back bedrooms redefine luxury with hand-woven blankets from Els Teixidors, maxi-bars stocked with premium gin, vodka and single malt, and room service in the shape of a tiffin tin to be eaten in bed.

Casa Bonay makes other foodie hotels seem dull by comparison. Think house restaurant Bodega Bonay serving Mediterranean sharing plates, the hotel bar Libertine for grown up cocktails mixed with aplomb by a team of savvy mixologists, and the tropical-themed Chiringuito on the buzzy roof terrace for tapas as you watch the sunset.

Doubles from £197, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Crillon Le Brave, Provence

Hilltop village Crillon Le Brave is a vision of Provençal style; a clutch of honey-hued, pastel-shuttered houses surrounded by slopes carpeted with olive groves and vineyards. The top of the village is now the effortlessly elegant five-star Hotel Crillon Le Brave. The highlight has to be the 180-degree views of unspoilt rolling countryside, vineyards, olive groves and Mount Ventoux. Made of nine houses linked together by the village streets, the 34 rooms are stylishly decorated in soothing neutral tones with Diptyque products in every bathroom. After a day of exploring, return to the hotel for dinner on the terrace at La Table du Ventoux. Admire the panoramic views whilst dining on seasonal French cuisine – expect local asparagus in spring and strawberries in summer.

Spend your time playing boules in the terraced garden, relaxing by the pool the or having a massage in the tiny spa set in atmospheric ancient vaulted stables. Should you be able to tear yourself away from the hotel, borrow e-bikes to explore through fields and tiny villages.

Doubles from £408, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

San Canzian, Croatia

Tucked away in northern Istria’s foliage-rich hills is this medieval hamlet turned intimate boutique hotel, San Canzian. The 28 rooms are decorated in soft, muted tones pepped up with 15th-century vintage furniture and vibrant beeswax canvases. Elegant on-site restaurant Luciano is strategically placed so guests can enjoy an aperitif from the 600-strong wine cellar as the sky turns pink over the olive trees, Adriatic Sea and Dolomites in the distance. Executive chef Pavo Klaric works homegrown and local ingredients into contemporary spins on traditional Istrian dishes – polenta-crusted cod on pine nut cream, rabbit slow cooked in red wine, and agnolotti pasta filled with young Istrian curd. After a breakfast of cured ham, crumbly cheese and fruits plucked from the abundant estate, take laps of the pool or pad down to the serene spa complete with Finnish sauna and candlelit hot tub.

Doubles from £303, check availability at booking.com, expedia.co.uk or mrandmrssmith.com

Kivotos, Santorini

Perched high on Santorini's cliffs, Kivotos Hotel's unique architecture mirrors the island's volcanic aesthetic, creating a dramatic and sleek effect for a luxury break. Located in the tranquil area of Imerovigli on the island’s coastal west side, the hotel’s unobstructed views of the crescent-shaped caldera are among the best on the island. The perfect spot to soak in these scenes is at Kivotos’ upscale dining establishment, Mavro. Now under the expert guidance of Chef Dimitris Katrivesis, Mavro blends local ingredients and traditional recipes with modern flavour combinations. Drawing from Katrivesis’ global travels, the signature cooking technique is Japanese robata (open fire cooking) while the Greek shared dining style, ‘moirasma’, is heartily embraced. These sharable tasting menus, themed around the phases of the moon, feature locally sourced ingredients and superbly fresh seafood that is delivered daily by local fishermen. The whole effect is bold, decadent, and unforgettable with a bucket list Santorini-sunset as your backdrop.

Doubles from £448 per night, check availability at booking.com

Romantic hotels further afield for a luxurious getaway

The St Regis, Malaysia

Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in Malaysia ideal for a romantic getaway, known for its picture-perfect beaches, romantic hotels and unspoilt nature; think waterfalls, jungle and mangrove forests. The St Regis resort sits in an idyllic cove on the southern tip of Puala Langkawi, the largest island in the group, and this romantic hotel’s design blends European and Middle Eastern influences with local art.

Breakfasts here are epic. The buffet offers every imaginable option – think freshly pressed juices, sushi and a dim sum station as well as more familiar Western options – and there’s also an à la carte menu with specialities like local lobster omelette, croissant French toast and shakshuka. For lunch and dinner, head to the beautiful Kayaputi restaturant, which stands on stilts in the sea. Sip cocktails on low sofas or suspended hammocks, with the sun setting around you. Much of the food is inspired by local flavours – dishes like sambal skate fish with rice cracker and coconut flakes are presented in delicate, perfectly crafted portions.

If you can drag yourself and your other half away from the beach, the St Regis also offers a bespoke Geo Forest Safari, which takes the form of a speedboat ride down the local Kilim river surrounded by wildlife, followed by a trek through caves of stalagmites and stalactites.

Suites from £358 per night, check availability at booking.com

Salt, Mauritius

Salt is something different from clichéd images of Mauritius: a forward-thinking hotel brand that aims to provide authentic experiences for “culturally curious” travellers. The idea is to introduce guests not just to places but to people. The design of the 59-room hotel, courtesy of French interiors guru Camille Walala, reflects the island’s vivid colours. Among its library of 300 carefully curated books, three-quarters are Mauritian.

Food is at the resort’s heart (the philosophy explained by catchphrases such as “Farming it, not flying it”) and everything from supper with a Mauritian family to fishing trips with a local fisherman are on the menu. With an eye on environmental impact there are no mini-bars in the rooms and no single-use plastics. Each guest is given an aluminium bottle to refill at the water stations, and to take home.

Doubles from £136 per night, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or tui.co.uk

Silversands Beach House, Grenada

The newest resort in the Silversands collection has just 28 canopied accommodations on the shores of Portici Beach. This secluded spot offers a peaceful, romantic Caribbean getaway with a fine dining restaurant and outdoor wellness room onsite. Choose between an ocean view room or suite, island view king room or a beachfront junior suite, each with a private canopied terrace. Staying at Beach House also gives you access to the amenities at Silversands’ main resort in the popular Grand Anse area. Another beachfront property, this site has several restaurants and a spa that Beach House guests can use.

Rates start from £350.19 a night, check availability at booking.com or silversandscollection.com/resorts/beach-house

Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman

Its ultra-private beachside setting and a willingness to tailor-make the guest experience makes Six Senses Zighy Bay classic honeymoon territory. Laid out in the style of an Omani village (or, rather, a luxurious reimagining of that) the resort’s 87 villas are all variations on a theme, blending stone, wood and woven palm matting to soothing effect. All have a chic, tropical vibe, with dark wood furniture and bright citrus-coloured cushions, but if you want to wake up with a sea view, opt for one of the more expensive sunrise-facing Beachfront Pool villas.

On Friday evenings you can walk barefoot along the beach under a star-speckled sky for dinner at the Shua Shak, a breezy Bedouin-style restaurant with low tables and cushioned seating under a simple palm-leaf canopy. It’s the main course that everyone really comes for: mounds of flaky lamb that’s been marinated for 24 hours in olive oil, date syrup, bay leaves, onion, garlic, carrot, cinnamon, anise, cumin and rosemary, then wrapped in banana leaves and foil and cooked on coals in a pit under the sand for seven hours. It’s the perfect partner for the buttery pistachio, cashew and cardamom-laced saffron rice it’s served with – and one of the most romantic dining experiences in the Middle East.

Villas from £809 per night, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or britishairways.com

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