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The best London and UK hotel stays to celebrate King Charles III’s coronation
From champagne and afternoon tea packages to last-minute deals, book these coronation hotel stays for the bank holiday
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As the UK gets set to host the coronation of King Charles III, you could take the opportunity to book yourself a special getaway.
The service is taking place on Saturday 6 May, 2023, at Westminster Abbey, and the following Monday is a bank holiday.
Several hotels across the country, including in London, Yorkshire and Cornwall, are getting into the spirit of the historic occasion with packages that combine some of the finer things in life: delicious drinks, fine dining and overnight stays.
Whether you’re a royalist or republican, it’s nice to indulge every once in a while – especially when most of these packages have an afternoon tea included in mix.
Here’s our round-up of some of the best regal-themed packages available – keep an eye on this page, as we’ll update it with more over the next week.
London
The Rubens at the Palace
This hotel is opposite the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace and was once part of the palace estate itself. To celebrate the coronation, guests can stay in one of three King rooms, which are described as being “regally decorated in honour of past and present British monarchs”. A coronation-themed afternoon tea is available from 1 May until the end of July; the night before the event, the English Grill restaurant will be serving a seven-course menu paired with Lanson champagne (with bottles sabled by a member of the Confrerie du Sabrage d’Or). The Rubens Trio Live Band will play to guests throughout the evening.
Rooms from £507; afternoon tea from £70 per person
Strand Palace
There’s a two-night celebration package on offer at Strand Palace, which is barely a five-minute walk around the corner from Covent Garden. The “Stay Like a King” option – for stays either 5 and 6 May or 6 and 7 May – is for two people and includes a complimentary in-room mini bar, a bottle of chilled champagne on arrival and a buffet breakfast each morning. With The Mall a short walk away, leading to Buckingham Palace, you’ll be well-placed to soak up the atmosphere on this historic occasion.
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The Guardsman
If you’re planning on watching the King’s procession on coronation day then this hotel, five minutes from the palace, is a convenient base. A new four-night package, running over the bank holiday weekend and through all of May, includes a stay in a Guardsman Room, a “Royally Good” afternoon tea – which you can eat inside, or out in St James’s Park – plus a three-course “Palatial Feast” dinner.
The Langham
Expect top-to-toe decorations of bunting and union flags at this Marylebone hotel, where the coronation is being marked with special food and drink offerings. The “Fit for a King” afternoon tea is being served in the Palm Court between 3-30 May, ranging from fingers sandwiches of cucumber with cream cheese through to – of course – coronation chicken, plus all the sweet elements you’d want. Throughout May, guests can enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides around nearby Regent’s Park on Saturday and Sunday. Before heading to bed, treat yourself to a themed cocktail, including one made with the King’s favourite whisky.
Rooms from £850; afternoon tea £75 per person
Lake District
Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa
There’s watching the coronation on television, and then there’s watching it on the television with incredible Lake District views. That’s what’s available at Armathwaithe Hall, while you polish off an afternoon tea. As for the Sunday, guests can mingle with the local community during a coronation garden party. Entertainment, Pimms and Armathwaite’s famed alpacas should all be there.
Rooms from £380; afternoon tea £39.50 per person; garden party £60 per adult, £20 per child
Cornwall
The Headland
Stay like a sovereign in this stylish Victorian hotel, which over its 125-year history has hosted King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, King George V and Queen Mary, and King Charles III and Queen Camilla. It’s a brilliant location, on the cliffs overlooking Newquay’s Fistral Beach. May’s “Fit for a King” three-night package includes a bottle of wine in the room, a cocktail followed by a three-course dinner, afternoon tea and use of the spa facilities.
Yorkshire
The Coniston
This property can be found amid a 1,400-acre estate in the Yorkshire Dales, and it tempts guests with locally sourced menus, an award-winning spa and country-chic accommodation. It’s also home to one of the UK’s top shooting grounds. Quite a fitting place to hole up with their “Right Royal Retreat” dinner, bed and breakfast option, which can be booked for two or three nights.
Read more on the best UK hotels
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