culture than cows, Super Break recommends the Principal Manchester. This Grade II-listed Victorian hotel, home to 275 rooms, is centrally located – opposite the Palace Theatre on Oxford Street – but still feels pleasingly calm and cut off with its grand, historic decor and intimate atmosphere. Once the headquarters for The Refuge Assurance Company, which opened in 1890, it has an intriguing history and today houses an award-winning restaurant where coupled-up cultural types can relax after a day spent exploring the city’s romantic hotspots, which range from art galleries and canals to steam railways and rooftop bars. Book it: From £80 per person per night with Super Break, based on a B&B stay on March 18, 2018. superbreak.com/agents


6


FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND This five-star, 520-acre resort is every bit as


lavish and kitted-out as you’d expect from a Fairmont, with two championship golf courses and a comprehensive, Scottish- themed spa offering ample opportunity for hand-in-hand relaxation. It’s all designed with


At Ashford Castle, couples can enjoy tea in the Connaught Room, a tradition that began there in 1868


the locale in mind – think wooden interiors, and an olde-worlde bar specialising in Scotch whiskies – and a recent renovation means all 239 of its rooms and suites have been upgraded. Romantics wanting to indulge will find plenty to satisfy – from a Savoy Afternoon Tea to local steak and seafood at the St Andrews Bar & Grill, and it’s an ideal option for couples with kids in tow thanks to babysitting services, a kids’ game room and a herd of deer on site. Those wanting to venture beyond its confines will find a plethora of attractions in St Andrews, from the scenic Fife Coastal Path to botanical gardens, a 13th-century castle and dungeon and the remains of a 12th-century cathedral. Book it: A Spa Escape package, including one night’s accommodation, a 35-minute spa


treatment, dinner in La Cucina or St Andrews Bar & Grill and a full Scottish breakfast, costs from £142 per person. fairmont.com/standrews


7


LEFT: The Principal Manchester


66 travelweekly.co.uk 19 October 2017


BALLYGALLY CASTLE, NORTHERN IRELAND Got Game of Thrones fans on your hands?


Suggest the 17th-century Ballygally Castle, where guests can embark on a tour themed around the series – much of which was filmed in the area – indulge in a Game of Thrones Afternoon Tea, and check out the ‘Game of Thrones door’, carved from trees which fell from the iconic Dark Hedges. Beyond that there’s plenty to explore, including Carrickfergus Castle, Bushmills Distillery, Carnfunnock Country Park and the gold-sand Ballygally Bay, all of which are a stone’s throw away. Best of all is the hotel’s history: it houses a selection of Tower Rooms which lay claim to being the oldest continuously inhabited rooms in


Northern Ireland, complete with exposed beams, tiny windows and three-foot-thick walls, and reachable via an old-fashioned stone spiral staircase. Book it: Hastings Hotels offers nightly rates at Ballygally Castle from £75 per night on a bed and breakfast basis, based on two sharing. hastingshotels.com/ballygally- castle


8


ANGLESEY LAKESIDE LODGES, WALES If you’ve got clients on more of a budget and


wanting to explore the great outdoors, a holiday park is an excellent option – and it’s not only for families. Hoseasons’ Autograph Lodge Holidays collection specialises in all things romance, with 38 spots across the UK targeted at couple-only breaks, all with an outdoor hot tub; some even throw in extras such as pamper packs. For an especially tranquil setting, suggest Anglesey


PICTURE: TIM WINTER


PICTURE: AERVISIONS


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