Wedding hotels

Cotswolds88 Hotel

Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Wow factor   Thanks to its dramatic decor, Cotswolds88 is a very popular wedding venue, and has hosted more than its fair share of A-list nuptials.

Need to know   Cotswolds88 prides itself on providing a bespoke service, and couples marrying here have the same point of contact from the time that they begin the arrangements to the moment that they walk down the aisle.

Inspiration   No two weddings that take place here are the same, so the hotel and its grounds are your oyster…

Calcot Manor

Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Wow factor   The hotel’s beautifully restored 14th-century tithe barn is an ideal venue for an intimate and atmospheric Cotswolds wedding.

Need to know   The hotel’s beautifully restored 14th-century tithe barn is an ideal venue for an intimate and atmospheric Cotswolds wedding.

Inspiration   Ratchet up the romance by sharing a bottle of champagne in the hotel’s outdoor hot tub.

Barnsley House

Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Wow factor   The hotel's helipad is ideal for making grand entrances and exits.

Need to know   Weddings are only held on Thursdays, and wedding parties have to book the hotel in its entirety. There are 18 rooms in the hotel, and it has an additional seven rooms in The Village Pub across the road. Wedding parties can also have sole use of the hotel spa for a further fee.

Inspiration   Barnsley House has hosted many weddings, each of them unique and tailor-made to suit the couple's wishes. The manicured gardens at Barnsley House look beautiful all year round and make an idyllic setting.

Rectory Hotel

Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Wow factor   The hotel's size makes it ideal for intimate weddings. The beautiful walled garden, dotted with contemporary sculpture, is a great venue for drinks receptions in the warmer months, and the handsome panelled dining room is warm and inviting on grey days, seating up to 60.

Need to know   For exclusive use, the entire hotel must be booked by the wedding party. The hotel can organise a marquee for larger receptions of up to 110 guests.

Inspiration   The hotel refuses to put together a wedding package because it prefers a bespoke, tailormade approach. Everything from the flowers to the wedding cake can be arranged, and the happy couple is encouraged to treat the hotel like their own home for the duration of the wedding.

Cowley Manor

Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Wow factor   The beautiful Norman church of St Mary's in Cowley Manor's grounds seats up to 60 and makes a wonderful scenic setting in which to wed.

Need to know   Wedding parties must take the hotel's 30 rooms on an exclusive basis, and larger weddings can only be held Monday to Thursday. The hotel's wedding coordinator can put you in touch with local specialists and the chef can put together a bespoke menu using locally sourced ingredients. Out of consideration for the local community, it's not possible to accommodate noisy entertainments such as firework displays. Marquees are not permitted in the grounds.

Inspiration   Cowley Manor has 55 acres of beautifully landscaped parklands, including four ornamental lakes and a waterfall. Spa treatments, hot air balloon trips and clay-pigeon shooting can all be arranged for the wedding party.

Cotswold House

Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Wow factor   Beautiful gardens, honey-coloured stone buildings, a sweeping spiral staircase and romantic night views from the French windows – you couldn't ask for a more picturesque setting.

Need to know   If you book the hotel's 30 rooms you will have exclusive use of the property. Other packages are based on booking 20 rooms; these packages are all-inclusive. The latest parties can sit down for dinner is 6.30pm, and a £2,000 deposit is required on booking. The hotel can help with everything from weddings cars and music to flowers. Alternative services and same-sex commitment ceremonies are also welcomed. A qualified childminder can be on hand to look after little ones throughout the day. Afterwards, couples can retreat to one of the honeymoon-perfect rooms with romantic baths for two, outdoor hot tubs or a steam room.

Inspiration   Cotswold House can create a bespoke event for you, whether it's an intimate gathering of friends or a sit-down dinner for 96.

Lower Slaughter Manor 

Cotswolds, United Kingdom

Wow factor   Weddings here are showstoppers. It's all in the mix: an idyllic setting and a tailormade approach. If you want to arrive in a Rolls Royce, be accompanied by a flock of white geese or leave in a helicoper, you only have to say the word.

Need to know   If you take the hotel on an exclusive basis you are given a complimentary menu tasting. The hotel's licensing agreements mean that they can't offer a marquee reception.

Inspiration   A senior member of the management team will take you around the hotel and describe the services they offer in detail. A dedicated events team is on hand to organise every aspect of your big day, and the hotel recently underwent a multimillion pound refurbishment.

Seaham Hall and Serenity Spa

County Durham, United Kingdom

Wow factor   Follow in Lord Byron's footsteps.

Need to know   The south-facing terrace makes a particularly lovely spot for wedding photos in spring and summer, but Seaham Hall has an abundance of attractive indoor backdrops for the rest of the year. Seaham staff organise and host many bespoke weddings each year, but never more than one on the same day. The hotel is also becoming popular for civil-partnership ceremnonies.

Inspiration   The poet Lord Byron married Annabella Milbank at Seaham Hall in 1815, in what is now the Byron room. The Byron room is licensed, and is just as romantic today as it was two centuries ago.