Wedding hotels

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.

And so to wed…

Smith hotels aren't just ideal for romantic escapes: many are also ideal wedding venues. We've done our homework to bring you the most inspiring and stylish wedding reception locations around the world. Each fantastic wedding hotel we’ve highlighted has that all-important wow factor – and as usual we give you the insider low-down on how to sort out details from booking rooms to the bridal bouquet.

If you need help, call our travel team wedding experts – if you book a Smith hotel for your wedding, you could be eligible for a £100 voucher.

Fowey Hall

Cornwall, United Kingdom

Wow factor   With spectacular views of the Fowey Estuary, a gorgeous walled garden and a setting with evocative literary associations, there can be few places better positioned to host an intimate wedding with your extended family and friends.

Need to know   Several spaces at Fowey Hall are licensed for civil ceremonies, up to a total of 50 attendees in the Drawing Room, for example, or just 15 in the John Hanson Suite, and the hotel has had plenty of experience of hosting hugely enjoyable, stress-free wedding parties. Fowey can at certain times of the year be booked on an exclusive-use basis, offering privacy and total flexibility on how you and your guests want to celebrate.

Inspiration   Have reception drinks on the terrace in summer to capitalise on those amazing views; Fowey can tailor-make a package for you to ensure you have a wonderful day.

Gidleigh Park 

Devon, United Kingdom

Wow factor   Romantic middle-of-nowhere atmosphere with 54 acres and wonderful views in the heart of Dartmoor. A river runs through it – the Teign tumbles through the grounds.

Need to know   Weddings at Gidleigh Park are only undertaken on an exclusive-use basis, so the wedding party must also book all the hotel bedrooms. Marquees can't be erected in the hotel grounds.

Inspiration   Each wedding is bespoke, and no two weddings are the same. The food is exquisite, and the reception meal will be created under the watchful eye of two-Michelin starred chef Michael Caines. Staff have a good contacts book with details of hairdressers, beauticians and photographers.

And so to wed…

Smith hotels aren't just ideal for romantic escapes: many are also ideal wedding venues. We've done our homework to bring you the most inspiring and stylish wedding reception locations around the world. Each fantastic wedding hotel we’ve highlighted has that all-important wow factor – and as usual we give you the insider low-down on how to sort out details from booking rooms to the bridal bouquet.

If you need help, call our travel team wedding experts – if you book a Smith hotel for your wedding, you could be eligible for a £100 voucher.

Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Wow factor   Five-star service and superlative food, set in a terrace of Victorian townhouses in Glasgow's bohemian West End.

Need to know   Weddings can be held any day of the week. If you want a Saturday wedding, you'll need a minimum of 50 guests.

Inspiration   Lisa Marshall, the dedicated events manager, makes sure the big day runs smoothly. She has a huge contacts book and is happy to advise on all the extras, from the flowers to the going-away transport. The food is the main event here, and guests often request a wine-tasting menu. Scottish-themed menus (traditional haddock chowder, venison) are also popular.

Hotel du Vin York

York, United Kingdom

Wow factor   Fabulous food and an intimate atmosphere in a historic city setting.

Need to know   Hotel du Vin staff can help with arrangements, decoration and entertainment, and can accommodate up to 24 guests for a sit-down meal. There’s no licence to serve alcohol outside, so champagne consumption is restricted to indoor areas and the courtyard. Background music can be played until 11pm.

Inspiration   Treat your guests to a private wine-tasting session in the state-of-the-art Laroche tasting room. Alternatively, take to the countryside with a hunting or fishing trip to the North York Moors. Ask the hotel for details.

Hotel Endsleigh

Devon, United Kingdom

Wow factor   The stable block looks fabulous when decorated with a candle display, and the countryside setting is beautiful. Hotel Endsleigh is best suited to small, intimate weddings though.

Need to know   The hotel can cater for 100 guests at the wedding breakfast, which spreads over the entire ground floor. The menu is specially designed by the chef together with the couple. Staying guests are limited to 36 adults and children; exclusive use is recommended for groups of 20 or more guests. The croquet lawn can accommodate a marquee; there is also a ballroom in the stable block that seats up to 80. Two excellent local florists can provide all floral arrangements, and can incorporate foliage from Endsleigh's own gardens.

Inspiration   The local vicar is happy to come and give a blessing after the civil ceremony, or perform marriages at the 1,000-year-old church in Milton Abbot village. The hotel is set in 108 acres of secluded valley on the banks of the river Tamar, so romantic picnics on the riverbank are a popular choice. Evening firework displays over the river are another possibility.

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.

One Royal Circus

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Wow factor   Weddings ceremonies take place in a showstopper of a room, William Playfair's Grade A-listed Georgian Salon with original 18th-century ceiling frescoes. The Salon offers magnificent views across the gardens of Royal Circus crescent.

Need to know   If you suddenly feel the need to commit, ceremonies can be conducted at relatively short notice. One Royal Circus only has five rooms, but there are plenty of other options for guests nearby.

Inspiration   One Royal Circus is famous for its attention to detail, and can organise everything from pre-wedding beauty treatments, to the cake, flowers and going-away transport (how about a traditional purple Edinburgh double-decker bus?). The team have lots of useful contacts and can help put together something really unusual and imaginative for you. If you'd rather just throw a big pre- or post-wedding bash, there's room for 150 party people.