No sex please, we’re British
30 April 2009
At the risk of being escorted to the border and having my passport cancelled I am going profess that I have never found London a romantic city. It’s many great things to me, and I speak as a native of the capital, but it’s not a sexy place to me. It’s a personal point of view of course, and I am well aware there are some whimsical places scattered around London to propose marriage, steal a first kiss, wander hand in hand amongst the shopworn pigeons and junkies, but on the whole it has never inspired me to cross reference it with all things linked to love. I have personal experience of being married in what may pass as one of the prettiest unique churches in London, St Brides in Fleet Street, that certainly lent itself to the ceremony with regard to design, location and light. But in Paris and Rome they are on practically every corner along with cobbled side streets, squares with fountains and exquisite local shops selling flowers and fabulous food. We have those in pocketed areas around town too, but not enough to say overall London has that same warmth and light that lends to romance. Trapped in England for the first dampest, chilliest months of February and March I escaped wherever possible from the big smoke to various hotels dotted near and far for a bit or r and r and, where possible, pampering and eating.
The Grove: setting the scene for romance
Closest to London for a quickie (visit, that is, remember sex is out in this article) is The Grove in Hertsfordshire. It’s big, with a beautiful Espa run spa and a golfers paradise. The food in Colettes, its exclusive restaurant (there are three) is incredible and the bedrooms in the main and oldest part of the property are huge and individually styled. It’s a great getaway for a family if you avoid the conference booking times and best of all only 45 mins from London off the M25.
Further down the motorway and into the New Forest is The Montagu Arms in the pretty village of Beaulieu and practically next door to Beaulieu Castle. It’s small, and one is greeted outside on arrival by wandering donkeys partly stoned it seems on whatever they are grazing on along the village road. They like to look into your car and check it out if you stop long enough and our Golf clearly didn’t impress one of them who snorted loudly through our backseat window and then staggered off into the distance. We had a charming room in the wood panelled building and soon collapsed by the fireplace in the drawing room for ginger cake and tea, only an hour before grown up drinks and very good food in the restaurant. It’s a place to stop by for a night on route to the Isle of Wight or somewhere further into the west country and it reminds you of where the phrase ‘quintessentially English’ may be used and why.
Finally a further journey south takes you to Bovey Castle in Devon, a stunning property again great for families and dog owners. It has, in addition to the rooms in the Castle, lodges dotted around the grounds with kitchens and sitting rooms with fireplaces and great bedrooms for self contained bookings or additional privacy. Golf buggies transport you around the grounds and it’s a mecca for golfers and falconry enthusiasts amongst other activities. The golf course sisters Gleneagles in Scotland and an outdoor pool in the summer promises great views down the rolling hills of green Devon where one feels one could be in a scene from Atonement wandering the grounds at sunset with a gin and tonic in hand.
-Kate Lenahan is FQR’s travel editor
